Stephen M. Veazey
Encyclopedia
Stephen Mark Veazey is the current Prophet-President of the Community of Christ
, headquartered in Independence
, Missouri
. Veazey's name was presented to the church in March 2005 by a joint council of church leaders led by the Council of Twelve Apostles
, as the next Prophet-President. Delegates elected to a special World Conference
of the church approved Veazey and he was ordained as the eighth President of the High Priesthood, Prophet, and President of the Church on June 3, 2005.
Veazey has been a full-time minister in the church since 1983. He was ordained a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles in 1992. In April 2002, he was set apart as president of the Council of Twelve and assigned by the First Presidency
as director of Field Ministries
. He has also brought support and leadership to Church Planting Ministries and Young Adult and Campus Ministries. His areas of ministry have included missionary and administrative work in the Southern USA Mission
Field, the Africa
-East Central Field; the South Central and the East Central States Regions; the Division of Program Services, Outreach Ministries; the North Central Region; the Advanced Leadership Studies at World Church headquarters; and the African-American Ministries.
Before 1983, Veazey was an executive minister to the Fremont
, California
congregation and was in charge of a missionary development project funded by the World Church for San Francisco Bay Stake. Veazey also served the church as a young adult two-year contractual minister to Pacific Northwest Region, in the Portland
Metropole; director of youth camps and seminars; field associate for the Young Adult and Campus Ministries Office; presiding elder in McKenzie
, Tennessee
; and counselor to the pastor in Paris, Tennessee
. He holds a bachelor of science
degree from the University of Tennessee
and a Master of Arts
in religion from Park College.
Veazey presented Doctrine and Covenants
Section 163 to the 2007 World Conference of the Community of Christ. He cited the Hymns of the Saints
as a source for this document, which clarifies the theology of scripture, the mission of the church, and other ecclesiastical matters in the Community of Christ.
On January 17, 2010, Veazey presented another document which will, if approved at the April 2010 World Conference, also become part of the Doctrine and Covenants. A very short message of inspired counsel was included in the President's April 5, 2009 address to the church. On April 14, 2010, Community of Christ voted to affirm the counsel as scripture. It is now included in the Doctrine & Covenants as section 164.
Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , is an American-based international Christian church established in April 1830 that claims as its mission "to proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace"...
, headquartered in Independence
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Veazey's name was presented to the church in March 2005 by a joint council of church leaders led by the Council of Twelve Apostles
Council of Twelve Apostles (Community of Christ)
In the Community of Christ, The Council of Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy. They are disciples who hold the priesthood office of Apostle, and are responsible for the evangelistic witness of the church...
, as the next Prophet-President. Delegates elected to a special World Conference
World Conference (Community of Christ)
World Conference is the highest legislative body in the Community of Christ and is empowered to act for the entire church. It operates according to a principle known as "common consent" and is presided over by the First Presidency...
of the church approved Veazey and he was ordained as the eighth President of the High Priesthood, Prophet, and President of the Church on June 3, 2005.
Veazey has been a full-time minister in the church since 1983. He was ordained a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles in 1992. In April 2002, he was set apart as president of the Council of Twelve and assigned by the First Presidency
First Presidency (Community of Christ)
The First Presidency of the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the church's highest-ranking priesthood quorum. It is composed of the president and two counselors, and they preside over the whole church under the principles of "theocratic...
as director of Field Ministries
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
. He has also brought support and leadership to Church Planting Ministries and Young Adult and Campus Ministries. His areas of ministry have included missionary and administrative work in the Southern USA Mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
Field, the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
-East Central Field; the South Central and the East Central States Regions; the Division of Program Services, Outreach Ministries; the North Central Region; the Advanced Leadership Studies at World Church headquarters; and the African-American Ministries.
Before 1983, Veazey was an executive minister to the Fremont
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
congregation and was in charge of a missionary development project funded by the World Church for San Francisco Bay Stake. Veazey also served the church as a young adult two-year contractual minister to Pacific Northwest Region, in the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
Metropole; director of youth camps and seminars; field associate for the Young Adult and Campus Ministries Office; presiding elder in McKenzie
McKenzie, Tennessee
McKenzie is a city at the tripoint of Carroll, Henry, and Weakley counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 5,310 at the 2010 census.It is home to Bethel University and the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie.-Geography:...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
; and counselor to the pastor in Paris, Tennessee
Paris, Tennessee
Paris is a city in Henry County, Tennessee, United States, west of Nashville, on a fork of the West Sandy River. In 1900, 2,018 people lived in Paris, Tennessee; in 1910, 3,881; and in 1940, 6,395. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,763. It is the county seat of Henry...
. He holds a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in religion from Park College.
Veazey presented Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
Section 163 to the 2007 World Conference of the Community of Christ. He cited the Hymns of the Saints
Hymns of the Saints
Hymns of the Saints, published in Independence, Missouri by Herald House in 1981, is the official English language hymnal of the Community of Christ...
as a source for this document, which clarifies the theology of scripture, the mission of the church, and other ecclesiastical matters in the Community of Christ.
On January 17, 2010, Veazey presented another document which will, if approved at the April 2010 World Conference, also become part of the Doctrine and Covenants. A very short message of inspired counsel was included in the President's April 5, 2009 address to the church. On April 14, 2010, Community of Christ voted to affirm the counsel as scripture. It is now included in the Doctrine & Covenants as section 164.