The role of the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation permeated the church's World Conference in Independence, Missouri.
 
The biggest influence in the April event was seen in a crowded Temple Sanctuary for a Storytellers session that featured six people with profound tales about the Temple's influence in the past, present, and future.

"I was excited by the stories of impact that the Temple has had," said Karen Graham Wade, the foundation's board president. "It re-enforced my appreciation for our Enduring Principle of Pursuit of Peace."

But though this was the most visible event, the foundation's presence was felt in many other ways.

Consider the Village Expo, a gathering of booths representing church groups, affiliates, and like-minded organizations. The foundation shared a space with the Church History and Sacred Story Team.

Banners attracted passers-by, who soon found numerous resources, pamphlets, and brochures that touted foundation activities. An iPad demonstrated the new 3D virtual tours offered at the Kirtland Temple. A flyer described the Alma Blair Internship Program. A small book focused on Joseph Smith Jr.'s family in Nauvoo, Ill. Another book, Tuesday Tales in Church History, brought stories alive.

"It's nice to have a booth of good size," board member Sally Roth said. "We hope to achieve awareness of who we are and how to reach out. We want people to realize there are resources here, and we can help them connect with history."

Traffic at the booth, which also featured life-size cutouts of historic figures (wearing Conference lanyards and badges), was beyond brisk.

"We have been busy," admitted Barbara Walden, executive director of the foundation. "Yesterday we just about got run over! "To me this is continuing our sacred story," Walden continued. "Coming to an event like World Conference and seeing people from all over, you can see that we're a global church."

This isn't the first time the Joseph Smith Historic Site has dealt with a high Mississippi River, but that doesn't make the situation any less worrisome.
 
Christin Mackay, site director at the site in Nauvoo, Illinois, said the river is expected to crest the week of April 15. The staff plans to begin reinforcing the levee with sand and sandbags this week.

She said that Highway 61, which connects Alexandria, Missouri, to Keokuk, Iowa, and Nauvoo, is closed because of high water. However, other routes to Nauvoo remain open.

Mackay noted that the historic site would be open Tuesday and Wednesday this week before closing until April 15 for the Community of Christ World Conference in Independence, Missouri.

Thousands of tourists each summer experience a deepening of their faith, greater understanding of their heritage, and a lot of special fun when visiting properties supported by the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation. Volunteers are critical to all this.
 
Summer is perhaps the time of the greatest volunteer need, but helpers are important year-around.

Just ask Lach Mackay, who oversees the properties.

"We have significant volunteer needs, and we are significantly shorthanded in Nauvoo. We need couples to move there and make it their home. We would provide housing."

If you are interested, contact Mackay at (217) 453-2246 or at his email, lmackay@CofChrist.org.

The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation has welcomed its newest board member.
 
Tim Klocko, vice president of finance and administration at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, joined the board during its meeting March 8-9 at Plano, Illinois.

Klocko, 59, is an elder who says, "I love history, and I love family history." His hobbies include genealogy and coin collecting.

In some places, snow lingers. Temperatures remain cold--if not downright frigid. But if the seasonal chill is getting you down, perhaps it's time to look toward summer.
 
If you're interested in helping with mission while expanding your awareness of church heritage, you might consider volunteering at one of the many properties supported by the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation.

Opportunities are available for as short as a couple of weeks, and volunteers are welcome to stay much longer. Training and on-site housing are provided, and the types of work are myriad. For more information contact Apostle Lachlan Mackay at Lmackay@CofChrist.org.

The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation could not function without dedicated and talented board members.

Because numerous people step forward for non-paying jobs on the Board of Directors, the foundation is able to help preserve and share church history. As the new year begins, a new slate of officers is moving forward.

New officers recently elected:

President: Karen Graham Wade.
First vice president: Sally Roth.
Second vice president: Scott Britton-Mehlisch.
Secretary: Jacquie Bethel.
Treasurer: Richard Betts.

Where else can you get a summer position that offers college credits, a salary, an opportunity to deepen your faith, and a lot of fun? It's Community of Christ's historic sites.
 
If you're looking for an internship this summer, visit www.CofChrist.org/common/cms/Human-Resources/History-Intern-Nauvoo-2019.pdf.

Interns will lead walking tours while serving as historical interpreters at the Joseph Smith Historic Site in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the Kirtland Temple in Ohio.

Today is an exciting day at the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation. It is DAY ONE of our exciting "$25,000 in 25 Days" campaign. it's also the first day that you can DOUBLE YOUR DONATION thanks to the generous $5,000 matching gift from our board of directors.
 
Your gift, at twice the amount, will make twice the impact in preserving the historic sites, developing educational resources for all ages, fund young adult internships, and share the rich story of Community of Christ.
 
CLICK HERE to be among the first to contribute to this exciting campaign. Thank you for making a difference for future generations!

As you begin your gift searching this Christmas season, consider a trip of a lifetime for you and a loved one to the place where the Christmas story began: The Holy Land! Next October, the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation will host a very special 9-day church history tour of the Holy Land.

Join Barb Walden on an adventure of a lifetime exploring Community of Christ history in Israel and Palestine next October 22-31, 2019.  Walk the paths that Jesus once walked and hear the stories of early church missionaries as they shared the gospel during the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, guests will have the opportunity to extend their tour experience with a pre-tour trip to Jordan and Petra and a post-tour trip to Egypt.

Make 2019 a year to remember by reserving your seat on the Holy Land tour today!

CLICK HERE to learn more about this exciting adventure to Israel and Palestine.

The arrival of November brings changes to our climate, thoughts of coming holidays, and shifts in operating hours of properties supported by the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation.
 
With the beginning of November, operating hours at the Kirtland Temple in Ohio and the Joseph Smith Historic Site in Nauvoo, Illinois, changed. In Nauvoo, the historic site will be closed November through February. In Kirtland, the site's November hours changed to 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. On Sunday, operating hours are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.