With a combined total of more than 150 years of service, retired senior appointees Clifford Cole, Duane Couey, Maurice Draper, and Geoffrey Spencer were honored at the second annual Community of Christ Seminary Convocation held at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, on January 11. The Seminary Board selected these church leaders as recipients of the Visionary Award for their contributions, which have been essential to the development of the Seminary, and because they embody Doctrine and Covenants 161:1a,b--“Lift up your eyes and fix them on the place beyond the horizon to which you are sent…Be faithful to the spirit of the Restoration, mindful that it is a spirit of adventure, openness, and searching.”

In tribute, church President W. Grant McMurray shared personal reflections about each of the honorees, recognizing these spiritual leaders for their contribution to faith and learning. McMurray indicated that as a young man he realized he “was part of a church that was led by such as these…who chose with us to face the hard questions and to permit us to walk as a people through the issues that came to us from the encounter of our life experience as a people with the real life issues of this world.”

In his delivery of the spoken word, church President Emeritus Wallace B. Smith noted that Cole, Couey, Draper, and Spencer’s leadership during the 1960s and '70s was marked by disquiet among all social institutions, which included a “rapidly changing religious landscape” in which religious values and theological issues were “held up to new lenses for examination.” Smith said, “All four of the men that we are recognizing this evening were associated most profoundly with the onward movement of the church during a turbulent and transformational time.”

Clifford A. Cole
A full-time minister since 1947, Cole retired from full-time church appointment in 1982. With a background in education, he served the church in various roles including consultant to the First Presidency, member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and director of Field Ministries. He also occupied the F. Henry Edwards Chair of Religion at Graceland College.

McMurray remembered a time when he sat across from Cole at his desk looking at the records of the Council of Twelve Apostles from 1865. McMurray thought, “Here is one who led the church into the far corners of the world, who as president of the Council of Twelve was one who led us into an encounter with the real life issues that we needed to face as a people who spent an awful lot of time talking about who we weren’t and how we were different, and ultimately knew we had to begin to ask the questions about what was universal and foundational about our movement. He recognized that the issues of the various cultures of the world were issues that we needed to face as a people if we were to be effective, if we were to be real and authentic in our witness.”

Smith said, “Although Clifford would never be one to seek it, recognition of his abilities as a teacher, writer, counselor, and extraordinary minister of the gospel is widely acknowledged among his peers and throughout the church.” Smith expressed gratitude for what he considers among the most enduring and significant of Cole’s contributions as chair of the Basic Beliefs Committee. “The publication of the committee’s work, Exploring the Faith, in 1970 marked one of the major attempts by the church to establish a more comprehensive theological foundation.”

Duane E. Couey
A full-time minister since 1954, Couey retired from full-time church appointment in 1992, following which he continued to work on theological assignments with Temple School. His various roles with the church included serving as a member of the First Presidency, member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and presiding patriarch of the church.

McMurray reflected on the time when he worked in the church’s history department and requested that the First Presidency make records prior to the death of Joseph Smith III, which had previously been archived and vaulted, available for scholarly research. At that meeting, it was Couey who recommended extending that to records up to 1930 to include the supreme directional controversy. McMurray said, “I walked away from that meeting thinking, ‘We’ve got cool leaders. We’ve got people who understand the importance of knowing the places from which we have come in order for us to effectively chart where it is that we will go.’”

Smith honored Couey as a friend and mentor. “Duane’s patient guidance for me was much appreciated,” he said. McMurray also reflected on the times he and other young people were invited to the Couey’s home to discuss books, ideas, and issues-“I’ll never forget those days-what I learned not only about ideas but about leadership.”

Maurice L. Draper
A full-time ministers since 1937, Draper retired from full-time church appointment in 1983. His various roles for the church included serving as a member of the First Presidency, member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and field missionary. He was the first occupant of the F. Henry Edwards Chair of Religious Studies at Graceland College, later serving a second term.

Recalling the many World Conferences he watched Maurice lead the church through difficult and contentious issues, McMurray said he often thought to himself, “If I could only be one quarter that good… If I could be only one quarter that courageous in facing the issues of our time. I have always admired…your willingness to stand up as a deeply devoted member of our faith…willing to lead us into an encounter with the tough issues.”

Smith recognized Draper as someone who “leaves a legacy of faith and vitality from which the church will long benefit [with] numerous books, articles, and study materials that have already stimulated two generations.” What McMurray most remembered was the day Draper retired. “As the Conference stood in tribute to you,” he said, “you held out your hands and then crossed them across your chest as if to embrace the whole body of this people. I cried that day because I knew of your love for the church and the profound service you brought to us.”

Geoffrey F. Spencer
A full-time minister since 1954, Spencer retired from full-time church appointment in 1994. His various roles with the church included serving as assistant to the First Presidency, president of Temple School, and commissioner of Religious Education. He was a member of the Church History Commission, the Theology Committee, and Standing High Council.

McMurray addressed Spencer “as a beacon of intellect, discipleship, service, and courage.” He reflected on a particularly difficult period of time “when things were tough in the church” and Spencer found himself criticized. “You stood before people, many of them angry, and you demonstrated your understanding of the scriptures, your understanding of our story as God’s people, your understanding of what we are called to be about in this world. You did it with grace, charm, and humor, and most of all with love,” said McMurray.

McMurray remembered his desire to emulate what he witnessed at that time in Spencer-“to understand what really is important, to be willing to face those who criticize in the spirit of community and love, and to be able to face the future with a sense of who we are called to be and what we are all about.” Smith reinforced those comments by noting that Spencer carried himself with “a spirit of equanimity and charity that was truly remarkable and an inspiration to many of his coworkers and fellow staff members.”

Looking Beyond the Horizon
In closing what he described as an “intensely personal” tribute, McMurray said, “I rejoice to be part of a church led by such as the four of you. You are my spiritual heroes. I am a better person than I ever could have been-and more important than that-we are, because of you, a better church than we could ever have been for leading us as friend, as minister, as scholar, and as disciple into the future. I express to you, on behalf of this community of God’s people, the profound gratitude of your church, my church, our church. God has blessed you and you have blessed us. I thank you for your leadership, and for your service, and for your discipleship, and for your vision, and for your friendship.”

“As I was reviewing the careers of these outstanding ministers,” said Smith, “the thing that struck me was that they were all very much oriented to the future. … They have all served during an era of evolving beliefs and values. Rather than resist or seek to hold back the inevitability of change, they embraced the new and relied on their faith to act as a sail to carry them forward into a future with confidence.”

The Community of Christ Seminary is similarly devoted to the future of the church. Dean Don H. Compier said, “Tonight’s celebration should suggest that the Community of Christ Seminary strongly believes that the foundation for our future work has been firmly established by the courageous servant leadership of our forebears.” Compier stressed the centrality of ministry, noting that “we study hard, we ask critical questions, in order that we may magnify our calling to build up the church as Christ’s body in the world. … May we all be faithful to the upward call that is ours in Christ Jesus, Amen.”

-Kendra Friend reporting

The second annual Community of Christ Seminary Convocation was highlighted by the unique gifts of several ministers. Musical celebration was brought by staff organist and Seminary graduate Pam Robison; the Seminary Choir, conducted by Scott Murphy; a Choral Ensemble, conducted by Graceland University professor of music Jack Ergo; as well as cellist Brenda Allen, violinist Dana Mengel, and saxophonist Alan D. Tyree.

Graceland president, Ambassador John K. Menzies, greeted the gathering. Dean of the Community of Christ Seminary Don H. Compier provided the call to worship, a declaration of the Seminary’s dedication to the future, and led the congregation in a responsive reading.

The invocation was offered by Seminary board member Apostle Jim Slauter. Dr. Velma Ruch delivered a prayer of blessing and Seminary board chair Dr. Vicki Ross gave the benediction. Tributes to the honorees were offered by Community of Christ President W. Grant McMurray; Dr. Sharon Welch from the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia; and keynote speaker Community of Christ President Emeritus Wallace B. Smith.