Explore Church History This Spring and Summer
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Spring 2021 Lecture SeriesJoin us this spring as we explore stories behind Twentieth Century “movers and shakers” in Community of Christ history. Hear about the story behind the Atherton community in Missouri, the challenges faced by William T. Blue, the globalization of the church led by Charles Neff, the unique life story of Alice Smith Edwards, and so much more! Each of the weekly programs begin at 7:00 p.m. (Central Time) and ends with an open Q & A period with the featured speaker. Although the online lectures are free and open to the public, donations received from the spring lecture series will go to support the ongoing preservation and maintenance of Community of Christ historic sites. Thank you for helping to preserve the past and inspire the future with your donations!
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Summer Book Series & Discussion GroupJoin us this summer as we read and discuss three books exploring the unique people and places found in Community of Christ history. This online gathering is meant to be an open and engaging discussion with the authors and your fellow church history enthusiasts. Selected books include: Kingdom of Nauvoo by Benjamin Park, Joseph Smith for President by Spencer McBride, and Kirtland Temple: The Biography of a Shared Mormon Space by David Howlett. Each of the weekly discussions begin at 7:00 p.m. (Central Time). Seating is limited, be sure to register and save your online seat today! Follow the button below for additional details and to register.
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Interview with Richard HowardCaptivated by the Netflix docuseries, "Murder Among the Mormons?" Discover Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) own connections to the forgeries of Mark Hofmann. Listen in as Carla Long speaks with Richard Howard, historian for Community of Christ, about his personal experience with Mark Hoffman. Howard recounts meeting Hofmann and securing the Joseph Smith III Blessing document in exchange for a valuable Book of Commandments. Click on the video (appearing on the left side of the page) to view the interview with Richard Howard.
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Kirtland Christmas Eve Service
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Miss the Christmas Eve Service?A recording of the Kirtland Temple Christmas Eve service is now available for you to enjoy all year long. The 2020 service was an online service that included guests and participants from all over the world. The special service was led by the Toronto Centre Place and the talented singers from the Beyond the Walls choir. Click the button below to view the unique service.
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Autumn Lecture Series (2020)
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Lecture Recordings Are Now Available!Did you miss one of the online lectures from the "Church History Without Boundaries" Autumn Lecture Series? Don't worry, we have you covered! Click the button below to hear our guest historians explore the history behind Community of Christ in Nigeria, Korea, India, Canada, England, and the Holy Land. It's truly a journey around the world through the pages of church history!
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Summer Lecture Series (2020)
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Summer Lectures Are Now Available!Our Summer Lecture Series may have ended on August 13, but we are pleased to announce the lectures were successfully recorded and all nine programs are available for you to view anytime of the year! The Summer Lecture Series explored a variety of topics from church history all the while raising funds for the ongoing preservation and maintenance of Community of Christ historic sites. The 8-week lecture series (June 25 - August 13) provided unique opportunities to discover the latest historical research from those who have dedicated years of their lives to interpreting the people and places of the past. Choose one of the nine lectures, or view all of the online programs from the comfort of your own computer screen. One only needs to "click" the blue button below to select the lecture you wish to view today!
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Emma Smith Hymn Festival
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View the Online Hymn Festival Today!Did you miss the July 10 Emma Smith Hymn Festival? Don't worry, the evening program was recorded for all to enjoy. Click the button below to learn more about this annual event and to view the online hymn festival. Donations from the special event go to preserving and maintaining the Community of Christ historic sites that help share Emma Smith's life and legacy.
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S I T E S & P R O J E C T S
Visit the Historic Sites
Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation supports preserving and sharing Community of Christ historic sites with present and future generations.
Nestled in the charming hills of northeastern Ohio, this "House of the Lord" stands as a vivid reminder that Kirtland was once home to some of the 19th century's most successful community builders. Inspired by the beliefs and practices of the earliest Christians, followers of Joseph Smith Jr. gathered in Kirtland and built their first temple between 1833 and 1836. The Kirtland Temple stood at the center of community life for more than 2,000 believers by 1838. Within a year, all but 100 were gone. The Kirtland Temple is a National Historic Landmark.
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The Joseph Smith Historic Site preserves the properties and memories of Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, his father, Joseph Smith Sr., and son, Joseph Smith III. The site houses many original structures from the 1840s, as well as the Smith Family Cemetery, final resting place of Joseph and Emma Smith, Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, and numerous other family members and friends. The Joseph Smith Historic Site is part of the Nauvoo National Historic Landmark District.
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Members of the church founded Lamoni, Iowa, in 1870 as a Zionic community. In 1881 Joseph Smith III and his family moved here and the town became the church's headquarters. Their home, named Liberty Hall, became a center of social and religious life for the community.
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The Plano Stone Church in Plano, Illinois, was completed and dedicated in November 1868 and was the home congregation of church president Joseph Smith III from 1868 until 1881, serving as denominational headquarters.
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Heritage Plaza, located near the Temple complex in Independence, Missouri, preserves three historic buildings, including the F.M. Smith Study, originally built in the early 1830s, and the 1826 Jones H. Flournoy Home.
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D O N A T E & S U P P O R T
How You Can Contribute
We invite you to make a generous donation towards preserving the treasured historic sites for future generations.
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The Alma Blair Internship Program at the Community of Christ historic sites is a summer program supporting young adult education since the early 1970s.
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Beyond gifts of cash, there are many additional ways to support the work of the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation.
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T E S T I M O N I A L
President Stephen M. Veazey
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