Community of Christ’s triennial world conference, held in April, 2010, in Independence, Missouri, held the potential to throw the church into schism. Two mojor social issues, same-sex marriage and the nature of baptism, had the church’s membership polarized. President/Prophet Stephen M. Veazey brought to the conference a document which became section 164 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 164 and the discernment process leading up to the conference brought a sense of the Holy Spirit to the gathering which allowed dialogue, exploration, and hope. We will explor the discernment process, the policy changes that resulted from section 164, and Christ’s repeated invitations resident within the newest section of Doctrine and Covenants.

Ronald W. Smith