To the church:
As communicated previously, Apostle James E. Slauter will be granted release from the Council of Twelve Apostles and early retirement from World Church appointment August 1, 2011. This action will create a vacancy in the Council of Twelve.
After careful consideration of the church’s needs, I have concluded that it is best to present the following call of an apostle and to provide additional instruction about how to proceed in the inter-Conference period:
- The Spirit’s compelling witness is that Barbara L. Carter is called to serve as an apostle and member of the Council of Twelve Apostles. Awareness of this call has been growing for some time. I planned to present this call on a date closer to the 2013 World Conference. However, the pending vacancy in the Council of Twelve and field leadership needs, coupled with the persistent testimony of the Spirit, indicate it is right to present this call now.
- Barbara has served faithfully in various church ministry and leadership responsibilities. As a World Church minister she has served as a stewardship commissioner, bishop, stake and mission center president, and apostolic assistant. Her vibrant witness of the Living Christ, mission leadership skills, and pastoral sensitivity combine to offer evident capacity for apostolic ministry. Barbara’s ministerial gifts are magnified by her strong, yet calming, personality, genuine humility, and overflowing love for people of all ages and life circumstances. This love streams through her from the Living Christ, who has chosen her as an open vessel for pouring his lavish grace into creation to bring healing and redemption. Barbara is called by the One who is our peace and is seeking to bring God’s just and peaceful reign to fuller expression in a conflicted world.
- Barbara’s call to serve as an apostle will be officially considered at the next World Conference, which will convene in April 2013. Ordination will follow approval of the call at World Conference.
- On August 1, 2011, Barbara will be released from her current assignment to serve as apostle designate. She will be assigned by the First Presidency to provide leadership and supervision to an apostolic field. She will participate in Council of Twelve meetings and other World Church leadership gatherings according to the nature of her assignment and responsibilities.
- Let us be thankful for God’s action to provide for the church’s leadership needs. The Spirit invites the worldwide church to support Sister Carter through prayer and encouragement as she accepts added leadership responsibility and ministerial calling.
In the Peace of Christ,
Stephen M. Veazey