The arrival of a new year provides a sacred pause to reflect on our journey and prophetically imagine the path ahead, exercising prophetic agility as we listen and respond to where God is leading. 

We are invited into a spirit of renewal, to ask afresh: What matters most? Where is the Spirit leading us in 2026 and beyond?  

With excitement and anticipation, the First Presidency has engaged in this discernment. This journey is not new, but rather a deepening of the prophetic vision shared at our 2025 World Conference. Last June, we spoke of our shared calling as “pioneers in uncharted territory.” Though the path is not always clear, we move forward in faith, trusting God’s word is “a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.” We embraced our identity as “citizens of a new community,” called to be a visible sign of God’s peaceable kingdom on Earth. 

Since that gathering, the First Presidency has continued prayerful discernment with the World Church Leadership Council and Council of Presidents of Seventy. We are seeking greater clarity on this call: what it means to faithfully create new communities of “generosity, justice, and peacefulness” in a world that desperately needs them. 

As we have discerned, the Spirit has drawn us to three key scriptures, rooting our emerging vision. First, Ephesians 2:19–22 NRSVue resonates with our call to community: 

…you are no longer strangers…but you are fellow citizens…members of the household of God…joined together and grow[ing] into a holy temple…into a dwelling place for God. 

This is a powerful call to move beyond just belonging and to truly become the household of God, a holy temple for God’s presence. Our own prophetic words amplify this vision. Doctrine and Covenants 156:5 frames “temple” as a mission: 

…dedicated to the pursuit of peace…for reconciliation and for healing of the spirit…[and] a place in which the essential meaning of the Restoration as healing and redeeming agent is given new life… 

This passage challenges us to see the temple not just as a place, but as a purpose—a purpose we all are called to incarnate. Finally, Doctrine and Covenants 163:2–3 provides our urgent, missional charge: 

Generously share the invitation... through which people can encounter the Living Christ who heals and reconciles. 

[We] are called to create pathways in the world for peace in Christ to be relationally and culturally incarnate. 

This is our work: to courageously challenge what divides us and build the peaceable kingdom of God on Earth. 

Together, these scriptures paint a vibrant picture of a people called to be the dwelling place of God—embodying peace, reconciliation, and healing for the world. 

This is the uncharted, exciting territory we are pioneering together. It is a call to be brave, focus on what matters most, and respond with courage to the Spirit. Right now, World Church leaders are prayerfully refining a strategic focus to guide us toward the 2028 World Conference. Through the blessings of the Spirit, this vision is taking shape. Imagine a clear, shared direction focused on healed people, reconciled communities, and restored creation!  

Councils and teams are developing tangible goals and actions—a faithful image—to deepen discipleship, form inclusive communities, and pursue prophetic justice. The full picture is coming into focus, and we will be thrilled to share more of this exciting plan in the coming months! 

This journey will require ongoing connection, so plan now to connect with the Community of Christ Peace Forum in October 2026, either online or in person. This will be a vital time to share, listen, and continue our discernment as a worldwide family as we explore “Seeds of Peace: Environmental Justice and Action.” See the Peace Forum page for more information. 

As we step into 2026, let us embrace our sacred calling to create new communities that are visible signs of Christ’s peace. Onward!