USA National Conference
Frequently Asked Questions

update July 2010

1. Why is church leadership planning a USA National Conference?

a. Doctrine and Covenants 164 provides opportunity for national conferences to participate in decision-making about issues related to moral behavior and relationships that cannot be addressed at World Conference because of starkly different cultural perspectives and national laws.

b. Doctrine and Covenants 164:7c–d states, “Timely resolution of pressing issues in various nations is necessary for the restoring work of the gospel to move forward with all of its potential. Therefore, let the proper World Church officers act in their callings—as already provided in church law—to create and interpret church policies to meet the needs of the church in different nations in harmony with the principles contained in this counsel. Where possible and appropriate, convene national or field conferences to provide opportunities for broader dialogue, understanding, and consent. In those gatherings, let the spirit of love, justice, and truth prevail.”

2. What “pressing issues” in the USA need “timely resolution”?

a. Various USA mission centers submitted resolutions to the 2010 World Conference on two subjects: same-gender marriage and ordaining people involved in same-gender relationships. As a result, the USA Team of Apostles, in consultation with the Council of Twelve and the First Presidency, concluded these two issues need timely attention to allow the “restoring work of the gospel to move forward with all of its potential” (Doctrine and Covenants  164:7c) in the USA.

3. Many are interested in how to quicken the mission of the church in the USA. Can the USA National Conference focus on issues such as this, or is the agenda limited to the pressing issues identified by the Council of Twelve and First Presidency?

a. The amendment to the bylaws approved at the 2010 World Conference limits national conferences to special conferences. Thus, the focus will be limited to items identified by the Council of Twelve, approved by the First Presidency, and announced to the church in advance.

b. A USA gathering was held Friday morning, April 16, during the 2010 World Conference. During the USA gathering, 1,100 individuals and 400 groups responded to a survey, “Help Shape USA National Conference.” Only 5 percent listed pressing issues as something other than same-gender issues.

c. As we come together in the USA National Conference, the intent is to worship, fellowship, and remain centered on our common mission while providing opportunity for broader dialogue, understanding, and consent on recommendations for dealing with pressing issues related to relationships.

d. Our hope is to signal to the world how faithful disciples come together as a Christian community to confer on difficult matters in a spirit of gentle kindness and respect for one another.

e. We believe that as we come together the Spirit will unite us in our diversity and show us how we can walk together into the future with God and one another.

4. Why are we talking about same-gender marriages and ordaining people in same-gender relationships? Doesn’t the church already have a policy about ordaining homosexuals?

a. In 1982, the Standing High Council wrote a document. From that document, the First Presidency created a policy that does not allow ordination of anyone (heterosexual or homosexual) involved in sexual relationships outside of marriage.

b. The First Presidency has stated the policy of not ordaining people involved in sexual relationships outside of marriage will continue until there is consent within a nation or field to recommend implementation of a new policy, and the Council of Twelve and First Presidency approve a new policy.

5. Does the church make any statements on the nature of sin?

a. Yes, the church’s belief statement provides the following explanation: “God created us to be agents of love and goodness. Yet we misuse our agency individually and collectively. We take the gifts of creation and of self and turn them against God’s purposes with tragic results. Sin is the universal condition of separation and alienation from God and one another. We are in need of divine grace that alone reconciles us with God and one another” (www.CofChrist.org/ourfaith/faith-beliefs.asp).

6. Has church leadership already determined the outcome on issues of same-gender marriage and ordaining people in same-gender relationships?

a. No, church leadership is committed to discernment leading to the USA National Conference. This process will include spiritual practices, dialogue, scripture reflection, and study of credible resources that provide multiple perspectives on human sexuality and healthy, faithful, and committed relationships.

b. The USA Team of Apostles invites the USA church into a process of discernment with no predetermined agenda or outcome. This does not infer that individual apostles do not have perspectives on the issues. It does, however, signal our trust in God, the impress of the Holy Spirit, and the collective wisdom of the USA body to discern the mind and will of God on these issues.

c. To this end, church leadership commits to personal prayer and discernment. As the leaders open themselves to God’s direction they will refrain from sharing personal perspectives to cultivate open and safe environments for all people to engage in dialogue and reflection. As the process unfolds and we arrive at the USA National Conference, the USA Team of Apostles may have opportunity to share personal perspectives with delegates as part of conferring together.

LOGISTICS

7. Are the dates, time, location, and cost set for the first USA National Conference?

    May 25, 2011 update: The USA National Conference will be held April 19–21, 2013.

a. Dates and Time:

i. Open on Wednesday, July 18, 2012, by 7 p.m. (CDT).
ii. Close on Sunday, July 22, 2012, by noon (CDT).

b. Location: Independence, Missouri, at International Headquarters.

c. Cost: Registration fees and offerings will cover the expense of the event. The specific registration cost will be set by October 2011.

8. The time allotted for the USA National Conference is rather short. Why is it over an extended weekend?

a. Seventy-eight percent of those surveyed at the USA gathering at the 2010 World Conference favored holding the USA National Conference over an extended weekend.

9. Why were the dates of the USA National Conference connected with the dates of SPECTACULAR 2012 (July 22–28)?

a. We want the USA National Conference to reflect the diversity in our congregations and mission centers. To do so, recommendations will be made to mission centers on how members can elect delegates who better represent their congregations, such as priesthood, youth, male, and female, etc.

b. We hope this will increase the opportunity for youth and young adults to engage in the conference.

c. A Conference Kids-type program will serve families with young children.

d. The USA National Conference will provide youth- and young-adult-focused sessions, but it will not be planned as a youth event. This means youth attending will come with their families or other sponsors who will be responsible for them during the conference. Thus there is no expectation that mission center SPEC delegations would form and travel as a unit to the national conference or that SPEC delegation leaders would need to attend the national conference to supervise youth.

e. Connecting the two events consolidates them into one trip to the Midwest for those attending both. That results in cost savings for those who will attend both.

f. We also felt it was important to try to avoid times when schools were in session. This allows the dates to align with traditional family vacation times, hopefully increasing the possibility of participation.

10. Will the USA National Conference be a delegate or member conference?

a. To ensure equitable representation, the USA National Conference will be a delegate conference.

b. To have more people discerning and conferring, we are considering the best number of delegates to allow the maximum amount of participation while fitting within the facility and budgetary realities. The minimum number of total delegates will be 1,500, which is similar to the number of USA delegates at World Conference.

c. Delegates and alternates will be elected at their fall 2011 mission center conferences to allow delegates time to prepare.

JOURNEYING TOGETHER

11. How will the process work at a USA National Conference? For instance, will people really be able to be heard? Does a participant’s presence matter?

a. Yes, participation is important in events leading to the USA National Conference, as well as during the conference.

b. As instructed in Doctrine and Covenants 164, the 2012 USA National Conference will provide opportunities for broader dialogue, understanding, and consent on recommendations for dealing with pressing issues related to relationships.

c. The specific method(s) for faithfully achieving this type of experience will be determined as the USA Team of Apostles collects feedback from the USA fields and researches various models for building consent.

d. The purpose of the USA National Conference is to provide recommendations and insights about whether policy changes are needed related to relationships, marriage, and ordination.

e. There will be opportunities for peoples’ voices to be heard by using different methods to determine the level of consent achieved. The recommendations and insights brought forward by the USA National Conference will guide the Council of Twelve and First Presidency in reviewing existing policies and creating new policies, if needed.

f. To benefit from the prophetic voice of the Community of Christ membership, it is important that delegations to the 2012 USA National Conference fill to capacity.

g. It also is critical the USA church—delegates as well as all members—participate in the process provided to prepare for the USA National Conference.

12. How do we ensure diversity of thought in planning the journey toward the USA National Conference?

a. Our plan is to have mission centers elect two members to participate on a nationwide focus team(s) to review and provide feedback throughout the process. These members would reflect the diversity in the mission centers.

13. How will a participative process to build consent be done in such a short time?

a. In preparation for the 2012 USA National Conference, the USA Team of Apostles will provide individual, small-group, and large-group opportunities, starting this year and continuing through 2012.

b. These opportunities will provide various ways for us to listen to God and share with one another in discerning God’s will. Our desire is to provide opportunities such as:

i. Reflection ideas for individual spiritual formation.

ii. Information distribution at USA mission center conferences.

iii. Group-study ideas for reunions and other gatherings.

iv. Regional opportunities for sharing and discerning.

v. Surveys or other collection tools for gathering input and feedback.

14. What is the expectation for participation in events leading to the USA National Conference?

a. It is our hope the USA church will continue to give primary attention to “the mission of Jesus Christ (which) matters most for the journey ahead” (Doctrine and Covenants 164:9f adapted).

b. When there are opportunities to engage in study, prayer, sharing, or other experiences as we discern together in preparation for the USA National Conference, it is our hope all members will sense their roles and responsibilities as part of the body’s faithful response.

c. The credibility of the process and our ability to exercise the prophetic voice of the people faithfully will depend on all of our individual choices to participate with open hearts and minds.