# Council of Twelve Apostles (Community of Christ)

The Council of Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) now called the Community of Christ. They are disciples who hold the priesthood office of apostle. It is responsible for the evangelistic witness of the church. Apostles are also high priests in the Melchizedek priesthood of the church.

## Current members

The current members of the Council, their specific assignments, and year they joined the Council are as follows:
* David H. M. Nii – South Central USA Mission Field (2019)
* Bunda C. Chibwe – Central and West Africa Mission Field; South-Central Asia Mission Field (2000)
* Catherine C. Mambwe – West, South, and East Africa Mission Field (2019)
* Carlos Enrique Mejia – Central and South America Mission Field (2007)
* Mareva M. Arnaud Tchong – President, Pacifikasia Mission Field (2013)
* Richard C. N. James – Eurasia Mission Field (2013)
* Arthur E. Smith – Canada Mission Field; Caribbean and Mexico-Texas Field (2013)
* Janné C. Grover – Central USA Mission Field (2016)
* Robin K. Linkhart – North Central USA Mission Field (2016)
* Lachlan E. Mackay – Northeast USA Mission Field (2016)
* Shandra Karine Newcom - (2023)
* Angela Alt. Ramirez de Hernandez - (2023)

## 1844 to present

This is a list of the members of the Council in the Community of Christ, (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) ordained after 1844. The dates are the years they served as a member of the Council of Twelve.
| Name | Began Service | Ended Service | Cause of Departure | Other Positions | Nationality & Notes |
| BriggsJason W. Briggs | 1853 | 1885 | Not sustained as Apostle at the 1885 conference. | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles | American. Withdrew from the church sometime after 1885 conference |
| GurleyZenas H. Gurley, Sr. | 1853 | 1871 | | | Ordained Joseph Smith III as president in 1860. |
| DeamHenry Harrison Deam | 1853 | 1854 | | | |
| NewkirkReuben Newkirk | 1853 | 1873 | | | |
| CunninghamJohn Cunningham | 1853 | 1855 | | | |
| WhiteGeorge White | 1853 | 1859 | | | |
| RaseyDaniel B. Rasey | 1853 | 1873 | | | |
| PowersSamuel Powers | 1855 | 1873 | | | |
| NewkirkDavid Newkirk | 1855 | 1865 | | | |
| BlairWilliam W. Blair | 1858 | 10 April 1873 | Called to First Presidency | First counselor in the First Presidency | American. Served as first counselor until his death on 18 April 1896 |
| ShippyJohn Shippy | 1860 | 1868 | | | |
| BlakesleeJames Blakeslee | 1860 | 1866 | | | |
| BriggsEdmund C. Briggs | October 1860 | 18 April 1902 | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch. | President of the Seventy | American |
| EllsJosiah Ells | 1865 | 1885 | | | |
| DerryCharles Derry | 1865 | 1870 | | | |
| KelleyWilliam H. Kelley | 1873 | 1913 | | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1897– ) | |
| SmithThomas Wood Smith | 1873 | 1894 | | | |
| CaffallJames Caffall | 1873 | 1902 | | | |
| LakeJohn H. Lake | 1873 | 1902 | | | |
| SmithAlexander Hale Smith | 10 April 1873 | 12 April 1897 | Ordained a Presiding Patriarchs/Evangelist. | Counselor to Joseph Smith III President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1890–97) | American. Third surviving son of Joseph and Emma Smith. |
| GurleyZenas H. Gurley, Jr. | 1874 | 1885 | | | |
| LambertJoseph R. Lambert | 1873 | 1902 | | | |
| GillenJames W. Gillen | 11 April 1887 | 1899 | | | |
| SmithHeman C. Smith | 11 April 1887 | 1909 | | Church Historian | |
| LuffJoseph Luff | 11 April 1887 | 1909 | | | Canadian |
| GriffithsGomer T. Griffiths | 11 April 1887 | 1922 | | | |
| WhiteIsaac N. White | 12 April 1897 | 1913 | | | |
| WightJohn W. Wight | 12 April 1897 | 1913 | | | |
| EvansR. C. Evans | 12 April 1897 | 1902 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency Bishop (With specific jurisdiction over the church in Canada) | Canadian. Broke with the church in 1918 and formed the Church of the Christian Brotherhood |
| AndersenPeter Andersen | 1901 | 1920 | | | |
| SmithFrederick A. Smith | 1902 | 1913 | | | |
| SheehyFrancis M. Sheehy | 1902 | 1920 | | | |
| GreeneUlysses W. Greene | 1902 | 1922 | | | |
| ButterworthCornelius A. Butterworth | 1901 | 1922 | | | |
| RushtonJohn W. Rushton | 1902 | 1947 | | | |
| CurtisJames F. Curtis | 1909 | 7 April 1938 | Honorably released | | |
| RussellRobert C. Russell | 1909 | 1922 | | | |
| KelleyJames E. Kelley | 1913 | 1917 | | | |
| AylorWilliam Murray Aylor | 1913 | 1922 | | | |
| HansonPaul M. Hanson | 1913 | 8 October 1958 | | | |
| GillenJames A. Gillen | 1913 | 1934 | | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles (1922– ) | |
| WilliamsThomas W. Williams | 1920 | 1925 | | | |
| McConleyMyron A. McConley | 1920 | 1948 | | | |
| EllisClyde F. Ellis | 1923 | 1945 | | | |
| GarverJohn F. Garver | 13 October 1922 | 9 April 1946 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | American. Was president of the Board of Trustees for Graceland College |
| WilliamsDaniel T. Williams | 1922 | 8 October 1958 | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | | |
| EdwardsF. Henry Edwards | 13 October 1922 | 9 April 1946 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles | English. Honorably released from First Presidency on 18 April 1966, |
| GleazerEdmund J. Gleazer | 1922 | 8 October 1958 | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | | |
| BuddRoy S. Budd | 1922 | 1936 | | | |
| LewisGeorge G. Lewis | 1932 | 1948 | | | |
| MesleyGeorge C. Mesley | 7 April 1938 | 1954 | | | |
| OakmanArthur Alma Oakman | 7 April 1938 | 1964 | Ordained an Evangelist | Evangelist | English |
| HieldCharles R. Hield | 7 April 1938 | 6 April 1964 | Honorably released | | |
| JensenD. Blair Jensen | 1946 | 18 April 1966 | Honorably released | | |
| DaveyRoscoe E. Davey | 1947 | 6 April 1964 | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | | |
| DraperMaurice L. Draper | 1947 | 8 October 1958 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | | |
| SmithW. Wallace Smith | 1947 | 1950 | Ordained as counselor in the First Presidency | Prophet-President | |
| FarrowPercy E. Farrow | 1948 | 18 April 1966 | Honorably released | | |
| HolmesReed M. Holmes | 1948 | 1 April 1974. | Ordained as Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist | | |
| ChesworthDonald O. Chesworth | 1950 | 14 April 1972. | Ordained as Patriarch/Evangelist | | |
| LentsDonald Victor Lents | 1954 | 8 April 1980 | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | | |
| NeffCharles D. Neff | 8 October 1958 | 5 April 1984 | Honorably released | | American |
| ColeClifford A. Cole | 8 October 1958 | 8 April 1980 | Called to ministries of teaching and writing | | |
| EttingerCecil R. Ettinger | 2 April 1960 | 1 April 1974 | Honorably released | | |
| CoueyDuane E. Couey | 2 April 1960 | 18 April 1966 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Presiding Patriarch/Evangelist | American |
| RalstonRussell F. Ralston | 6 April 1964 | 29 March 1976 | | | |
| TimmsWilliam E. Timms | 6 April 1964 | 3 April 1978 | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | | |
| HigdonEarl T. Higdon | 18 April 1966 | 1 April 1974 | Honorably released | President of Graceland College | |
| TyreeAlan D. Tyree | 18 April 1966 | 29 March 1982 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | | |
| KouryAleah G. Koury | 18 April 1966 | 8 April 1980 | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | | Canadian |
| SheehyHoward S. Sheehy, Jr. | 1 April 1968 | 1980 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | American. Ordained counselor on 3 April 1978, but remained as a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles until 1980. |
| StuartJohn C. Stuart | 14 April 1972 | 29 March 1982 | Ordained as Evangelist/Patriarch | | |
| HigdonWilliam T. Higdon | 1 April 1974 | 5 April 1992 | | President of Graceland College | |
| HurshmanLloyd B. Hurshman | 1 April 1974 | 14 April 1988 | Honorably released | | |
| BoothPaul W. Booth | 1 April 1974 | 5 April 1992 | Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist | | |
| AustinEugene C. Austin, Sr. | 29 March 1976 | 10 April 1994 | Honorably released | | |
| SchaeferRoy H. Schaefer | 3 April 1978 | 14 April 1988 | Honorably released | | |
| CaswellPhillip M. Caswell | 3 April 1978 | 1998 | | | |
| SekineKisuke Sekine | 8 April 1980 | 5 April 1992 | Honorably released | | Japanese |
| GraffeoEverett S. Graffeo | 8 April 1980 | 1994 | Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist | | |
| RobinsonKenneth N. Robinson | 8 April 1980 | 1996 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | Australian |
| SerigJoe A. Serig | 29 March 1982 | 1998 | | | |
| CableJames C. Cable | 29 March 1982 | 1996 | | | |
| SpencerGeoffrey F. Spencer | 5 April 1984 | 10 April 1994 | Honorably released | | Australian |
| KahtavaA. Alex Kahtava | 14 April 1988 | 2002 | | | Canadian |
| KirkpatrickJohn P. Kirkpatrick | 14 April 1988 | 2007 | | | |
| BrockDavid R. Brock | 5 April 1992 | 27 March 2007 | Ordained as the Presiding Evangelist | President of Seventy Presiding Evangelist | American |
| TyreeLawrence W. Tyree | 5 April 1992 | 2002 | | | |
| VeazeyStephen M. Veazey | 5 April 1992 | 2005 | Ordained as the Prophet-President | President of the Council of Twelve Prophet-President | American |
| BelroseDanny A. Belrose | 10 April 1994 | 2000 | Ordained as Presiding Evangelist | | Canadian |
| LuffmanDale E. Luffman | 10 April 1994 | January 3, 2013 | | | American |
| McLaughlinKenneth L. McLaughlin | 10 April 1994 | 2005 | | | |
| JuddPeter A. Judd | 1996 | 2000 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Counselor in the First Presidency | English |
| SlauterJames E. Slauter | 1996 | May 3, 2011 | Early retirement, family health | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles | American |
| MengelGail E. Mengel | 31 March 1998 | 2005 | Called as Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer | President of Church Women United Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer | American, along with Linda L. Booth, the first women to be ordained apostles. |
| BoothLinda L. Booth | 1998 | 2019 | | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles, Director of Communications | American, along with Gail E. Mengel, the first woman to be ordained apostles. Also first female president of the Council of Twelve. |
| YoungLeonard M. Young | April 2000 | 2010 | Ordained an Evangelist in 2010 | President of the Quorum of High Priests, President of Michigan Region, Director of Field Resources | American - Served as World Church Parliamentarian from 1988 to 2020 |
| ChibweBunda C. Chibwe | April 2000 | present | | President of the Sixth Quorum of Seventy | Zambian |
| DynesMary Jacks Dynes | 2002 | 2010 | Retired | President of the Fifth Quorum of Seventy. | American |
| SchaalDavid D. Schaal | 2002 | 2005 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | President of the Tri Stake Mission Center Counselor in the First Presidency | American |
| CrammStassi D. Cramm | 2005 | 2016 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency and Presiding Bishop | Counselor to the Presiding Bishop Presiding Bishop Counselor in the First Presidency | American |
| HarmonRonald D. Harmon Jr. | 2005 | 2023 | Ordained to Office of Presiding Bishop | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles | American |
| MaupinRick W. Maupin | 2005 | 2019 | | | American |
| OxleySusan D. Oxley | 2005 | 2015 | | | American |
| Andrew BoltonAndrew Bolton | 2007 | 2016 | | | English |
| MejiaCarlos Enrique Mejia | 2007 | present | | | Honduran |
| JamesRichard C.N. James | 2010 | present | | Secretary of the Council of Twelve Apostles (incumbent) | Welsh |
| MurphyK. Scott Murphy | 2010 | 2013 | Ordained counselor in the First Presidency | Director of Field Ministries (incumbent) President of the Council of Twelve | American |
| CarterBarbara L. Carter | 2013 | 2023 | | | American |
| TchongMareva Arnaud Tchong | 2013 | present | | President of the Council of Twelve Apostles | French Polynesian (Tahitian) |
| SmithArthur E. Smith | 2013 | present | | | Canadian |
| GroverJanné C. Grover | 2016 | present | | | American |
| LinkhartRobin K. Linkhart | 2016 | present | | | American |
| MackayLachlan E. Mackay | 2016 | present | | | American |
| Catherine Mambwe | 2019 | present | | | Zambian |
| David Nii | 2019 | present | | | American |
| Shandra Karine Newcom | 2023 | present | | | American |
| Angela Alt. Ramirez de Hernandez | 2023 | present | | | Dominican |