Church of Christ organized at Fayette (1830)

The Church of Christ, the first formal organization of the Latter Day Saint movement, was established on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, along with approximately 30 believers, formalized the group in a log home owned by Peter Whitmer Sr. This event followed earlier informal gatherings and revelations regarding the church's structure and priesthood authority.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Prior to formal organization, the concept of the "church of Christ" appeared in Book of Mormon dictations from April to June 1829. In May 1829, Smith defined the church as those who repent and come to him. By April 1830, an informal group had grown to about six elders and 70 members, setting the stage for the legal establishment of the institution.

Organizational Process. On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and a group of believers met to formally organize the Church of Christ into a legal institution. Smith and Cowdery were ordained as apostles and elders. The meeting took place in a log home owned by Peter Whitmer Sr., who was one of the first six members and hosted the gathering.

Immediate Aftermath. Following the organization, small branches were established in Manchester, Fayette, and Colesville, New York. A revelation recorded in the Book of Commandments was dictated in Fayette on April 6, 1830, after the church was organized. The Fayette branch was formally established five days later on April 11, 1830.

People involved

Sources

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.