Beloved Community of Christ:
Now that dates for a World Conference in 2025 have been set, I am announcing that I will retire from my role as prophet-president and World Church employment at the 2025 World Conference, thus, creating a vacancy in the office of president.
Serving the church has been a labor of love, bringing deep meaning to my life through relationships with members and friends around the world. I look forward to sharing more about this in the time ahead and will continue to fulfill my responsibilities as president until I retire.
I believe my decision to retire is timely for me and my family. It also will create opportunities for younger World Church leaders to share their gifts more extensively, which will bless the church. Announcing my retirement at this time will facilitate an orderly leadership transition.
The calling of a successor will include a time of mutual discernment with the worldwide church. All ages are invited to a process that will include prayerful discernment, guiding questions, and opportunities to share. People may participate as individuals or as groups.
In general, the discernment process will occur in four phases:
Phase 1: March 2023: Announcing the prophet-president’s retirement, which will occur at the 2025 World Conference.
Phase 2: March–November 2023: Sharing discernment steps and guiding questions with the church each month with opportunities to offer feedback to the First Presidency. This will include a discernment activity during the 2023 World Conference.
Phase 3: December 2023–February 2024: Prayerfully holding and reflecting in the First Presidency on all feedback. The prophet-president will name the person called through a letter of counsel to be considered at the 2025 World Conference. The person called will be the president-designate and will be associated with the current First Presidency in its work until the 2025 World Conference.
Phase 4: May 30–June 6, 2025: Considering, approving, and ordaining the next prophet-president at the 2025 World Conference.
This discernment process will help us grow as a prophetic people in a time of unprecedented challenges and opportunities. It will enhance our mutual awareness of God’s creative activity in the world and the church. It also will lead to vital perspectives about where God is leading the church and who shall be called as the next president. More information will be provided soon about the discernment process, including how to share feedback with the Presidency.
May the Holy Spirit bless our journey with insight, inspiration, and wisdom.
In the peace of Christ,
Stephen M. Veazey, president