Community of Christ in the United States

''United States   United States Church Records   Community of Christ

(Formerly: Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Online Records
Some records have been digitized and posted online, where they are easily searched. More are being added all the time. Partner websites such as Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, MyHeritage, and American Ancestors can be searched free-of-charge at any Family History Center.
 * Index to the Saints' Herald: Births and Blessings, 1860-1968
 * Index to the Saints' Herald: Marriages and Anniversaries, 1860-1955
 * Index to the Saints' Herald: obituaries, 1860-1961
 * Early members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Deceased membership files, 1877-1995, Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 * Child Blessing Certificates Card Files (electronic records)
 * Local Jurisdictional Records [electronic records They include membership records with information about birth dates and locations, baptism dates and locations, ordinations, baby blessings, and other pertinent information regarding individual members. These records range from 1860 to 1922 in most cases. They may also include minutes and records of branch events.

History
See “Community of Christ History.”

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.
Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.

Addresses:


 * Community of Christ Church Finder

Archives
Community of Christ International Headquarters 1001 W. Walnut Independence, Missouri 64050-3562

Telephone: (816) 833–1000; (800) 825–2806
 * Website
 * Archive Page

Carefully Compare Any Record You Find to Known Facts About the Ancestor
You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:
 * name, including middle name and maiden name
 * names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
 * exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
 * names and approximate birthdates of children
 * all known places of residence
 * occupations
 * military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.