Joplin Second Ward thanks Community of Christ Church

Excerpts from 2012 Joplin Second Ward History
Provided by Bishop Dave Richins:

The Community of Christ

The night of the tornado, a co-worker of Bishop Dave Richins and pastor of the Joplin Community of Christ Church, Steve Hicks, and his son showed up at the Richins home to check on the family and to offer his assistance. In the coming days, he offered the use of the Community of Christ Church to the members of the Joplin Second Ward. Bishop Peterson of the Neosho Ward also called Bishop Richins and stated that his ward would love to share their meetinghouse with the members of the Joplin Second Ward. The Stake Presidency and Elder Roberts began reviewing these and several other options for meeting locations and meeting formats for the Joplin Second Ward while its new chapel [Joplin Missouri Stake Center] is being rebuilt.   

The extra expense of traveling to Neosho or other out-of-town locations would have surely been a financial burden to many of our Ward members.  Bishop Richins believed that staying in Joplin would also help the members of the Joplin Second Ward remain united as a rescue ward to “stay in the fray” and assist each other and our neighbors. Upon the counsel of President Jones (who previously toured the Community of Christ building), Bishop Richins and President Terrance Lloyd Thedell (of the Church’s Physical Facilities Department and Stake President of the Springfield Stake) met with Pastors Hicks and John Williams of the Community of Christ to discuss the logistics of having the Joplin Second Ward meet in the Community of Christ building.  The spirit of cooperation and love filled the meeting and Pastors Hicks and Williams made it clear that they would do anything in their power to accommodate the Joplin Second Ward. Next, the Joplin Second Ward Council met and travelled together to the Community of Christ where they received a tour led by Pastors Hicks and Williams.  The council also was touched by the love and generous offer tendered by the Community of Christ Church.  The Council unanimously supported the Joplin Second Ward meeting in the Community of Christ building.  This was passed on to President Jones by Bishop Richins. 

It was determined the Lord would have the Joplin Second Ward meet with in the Community of Christ Church.  On June 12, 2012, President Jones led an open discussion with Ward members and called for a vote of common consent from the ward members that the Joplin Second Ward should meet in the Community of Christ building until the Stake Center is completed.  The vote of common consent was unanimous, and the Joplin Second Ward began meeting in the Community of Christ Church at 1:00 p.m. on June 19, 2011. 

Ward members have found the Community of Christ Congregation to be very hospitable and accommodating. The Community of Christ also welcomed the Joplin Second Ward to hold its usual meetings on Wednesday night so families did not have to travel to Carthage or Neosho for YM/YW, Cub Scouts or Activity Days. The Ward was invited to the Community of Christ’s potluck luncheon on Sunday, November 11^th at noon that was well attended by both congregations.  The Ward was also invited to the Community of Christ’s “Hanging of the Greens” ceremony on Nov. 30, 2011, which kicks off the Christmas Season.  They [members of the Community of Christ] have been wonderful hosts and neighbors to our Ward.

There was some concern as to the strength of the Spirit in a non-LDS building with its familiar building layout, furnishings, art work and chapel. This fear was quickly disbursed as members immediately could feel the strong spirit as we met together as a Ward under such trying circumstances. On a particular Sunday, a high counselor speaker opened his remarks by stating that he was not sure how it would feel meeting in a non-LDS chapel for Sacrament Meeting, but now that he was there, the strength of the Spirit that he felt was undeniable.

Prior to the tornado, the Joplin Second Ward’s Sacrament Meeting attendance was around 170.  The Sacrament Meeting attendance was as low as 108 on one of the two meetings that were held in the Neosho chapel in early June.  The average attendance at the end of the third quarter in 2011 was around 140.  Since that time, Sacrament Meeting attendance steadily grew to the maximum of 212 attendees at the Christmas Sacrament Meeting on December 25, 2011.  Thus far in the first quarter of 2012, the average attendance in Sacrament Meeting is 173.

In 2012, the Ward is working toward bringing more souls into activity so we will fill our new chapel immediately upon its completion, through missionary and reactivation efforts. The Lord is certainly blessing us in the Ward’s efforts.