After an almost year-long, churchwide discernment process, the Council of Twelve Apostles today named Stassi D. Cramm to succeed Prophet-president Stephen M. Veazey when he retires at the 2025 World Confence. President Veazey has served in that role since 2005. Last July he experienced a serious medical emergency, which required him to take medical leave and hand over direction of the discernment process to the Council of Twelve. This month he returned to resume partial duties as church president and is expected to recover fully by spring.

Stassi Cramm (her named is pronounced like “Stay-ce,” btw) currently serves as a counselor in the First Presidency and also has served as presiding bishop. As an interesting coincidence, this spring marks 40 years since the church’s priesthood was opened to women, following approval of Doctrine and Covenants Section 156 at the 1984 World Conference.

With her anticipated ordination (it still must be approved by Conference delegates and the leading priesthood quorums), women will have been ordained to all priesthood offices in the church, which is headquartered in Independence, Missouri.

The First Presidency offered this preamble to the official announcement:

In March 2023, President Stephen M. Veazey invited members and friends into an intentional process to discern the next prophet-president of Community of Christ. In August, President Veazey experienced a health issue that necessitated a medical leave of absence. The remaining members of the First Presidency believed the ongoing discernment process should proceed in accordance with President Veazey’s original plan. After reviewing succession guidance, scripture, and policies, the First Presidency asked the Council of Twelve Apostles to accept the sacred responsibility of calling the new prophet-president.


  On Sunday, 7 January 2024, a joint council of the First Presidency—including President Veazey, Council of Twelve Apostles, Council of Presidents of Seventy, Presiding Bishopric, presiding evangelist, and president of the Quorum of High Priests—met to receive the name of the one called to serve as the next prophet-president. The joint council spent time in worship and heard testimonies from the apostles about their discernment experience. Following a time of personal sharing regarding the call, the joint council unanimously expressed support for the one named as the prophet-president designate for the church.
  The joint council extended deep gratitude to the apostles for their willingness to assume leadership in the unfolding discernment. Their stewardship of this sacred responsibility has been faithfully fulfilled on behalf of the church. The following letter from the Council of Twelve Apostles regarding the calling of the next prophet-president is offered to the church for prayerful consideration.

Here is the full text of that letter:

Beloved Community of Christ,
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
  The Council of Twelve Apostles expresses deep gratitude to the worldwide church for diligent, blessed, and dedicated engagement in discerning future leadership. We thank God for the guidance by the Holy Spirit throughout this spiritual journey.
  After months of discernment and reflection, the Council of Twelve Apostles engaged in open dialogue with the Holy Spirit, exploring its mysteries, posing profound questions, and receiving divine guidance and assurance. Today, with humility and gratitude, we are privileged to announce our individual and collective testimony that Stassi D. Cramm is called by God to be prophet-president of Community of Christ.

  She is well prepared and uniquely equipped for this role. She possesses the heart, gifts, experience, and knowledge to adapt and grow with God and others in supporting priesthood, members, and friends. She will help us embody and put into action Community of Christ’s identity, mission, message, and beliefs in local contexts for bringing to life God’s vision for all creation. Through our experience with the Holy Spirit, we unanimously affirm God’s call for Sister Cramm. Strongly united in the richness of our diversity, we present her name to the church for consideration. This call also receives unanimous support from the Joint Council.
  With humble reverence, Sister Cramm accepts the sacred call to serve as the next prophet-president. She affirms her faith and trust in God, answering “yes,” not stemming from the strength of human confidence, but from the humility of being cradled in the arms of God’s grace. Early in ministry she pledged to do what the church needs her to do and go where the church needs her to go. President Stephen M. Veazey’s retirement announcement stirred echoes of that promise, and she leaned into the unfolding story with a willingness to respond based on the church’s expressed need.
  This call will be presented for consideration at the 2025 World Conference. If approved and supported by the Conference, Sister Cramm will be ordained prophet-president during this celebration. We believe she faithfully will serve to ensure that God’s purposes are embodied in the church’s mission to bless the entire creation. As a council, we affirm this call and will support Sister Cramm as she prepares to lead the church. We share this news with renewed hope for a bright future unfolding before us.
  Beloved Community of Christ, we express sincere gratitude for your support throughout this exceptional divine and sacred journey. Together, let us continue to pray and discern, asking the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts and our church in continuing this spiritual journey. May the love and peace of Christ guide us as we move together into a radiant future under the inspired direction of God.
  May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

With love and gratitude,
Mareva M. Arnaud Tchong, president
Richard C.N. James, secretary
Bunda C. Chibwe
Janné C. Grover
Robin K. Linkhart
Lachlan E. Mackay
Catherine C. Mambwe
Carlos Enrique Mejia
Shandra K. Newcom
David M. Nii
Angela Alt. Ramirez de Hernandez
Arthur E. Smith

Here is the text of President Cramm’s acceptance letter:

To Community of Christ around the world,
  In the tapestry of gratitude, woven with threads of humility, I find myself with the church, standing at the edge of what is yet to be. Gazing into the future creates emotions that defy expression. I struggle to express the profound depth of my feelings and the importance of this moment. With humble reverence, I accept the sacred call to serve as the next prophet-president of Community of Christ and allow my name to be presented to the church for consideration at the 2025 World Conference.
  In this moment of acceptance, I surrender to the current of faithfulness with a trust that transcends the mere acknowledgment of a call. During the season of Advent as I considered this invitation, I was moved by the choice that Mary made: “‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word’” (Luke 1:38 NRSV). I respond “yes,” not stemming from the strength of human confidence but the humility of being cradled in the arms of God’s grace.
  As I share these words, I must confess that fleeting moments of doubt and fear cross my thoughts. Yet, my wise and faithful husband, a beacon for me in tumultuous times, reminds me that these concerns pale in comparison to the Spirit’s affirmation we both hold about this calling and our desire to support the church’s mission.
  With a trusting heart, I leave this call with the church to prayerfully consider. Let us continue to reflect on the discernment questions about the church’s future ministry contexts and the needs for the next leaders. If the 2025 World Conference approves this call, I commit to faithfully doing my part to empower and support the prophetic voice of the church as we seek to live Christ’s mission and help create God’s vision of shalom.
Onward!
Stassi D. Cramm
January 17, 2024