About Us

The Sword of the Spirit is an association of communities.

Simply put, The Sword of the Spirit is an association of self-governing communities that have agreed to do some things the same way and to do some things together. The Sword of the Spirit is governed by an International Assembly, on which the senior leader of each member community sits. In addition, The Sword of the Spirit is divided into a number of regions: the North American Region, the Ibero-Americana Region (Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula); the European Region, the Asian Region, and the South Pacific Region. These regions are governed by a Regional Council, on which sit the senior leaders of member communities in that region.

Our region is led by collaborative councils of elected men and women lay volunteers who serve for fixed terms. These councils work together to serve our regional mission and oversee our common life. We follow a Christian understanding of the complementarity of men and women in our leadership approaches with a strong focus on collaboration and collegiality among men and women leaders.

Leadership in The Sword of the Spirit

The Sword of the Spirit in The North American region is governed by a council of senior coordinators from full member communities, and regionally appointed coordinators and missionaries. This council appoints an executive committee which serves under the elected Regional President for a fixed term. This team is advised by and works in collaboration with a regional executive committee composed of senior women from throughout the region. These councils work together to serve our regional mission and oversee our common life.

A large group of people, including men, women, and children, gathered in a hotel lobby, smiling and posing for a photo during an event or conference.

North American Regional Council

Group of 16 men standing outdoors on grass with autumn trees in the background.

Each one of our communities in our region of The Sword of the Spirit is represented on the North American Regional Council. The North American Regional Council is the main governing body of The Sword of the Spirit in the North American region.

North American Region Executive Council

  • Smiling man in brown suit and blue shirt with patterned tie, against gray background.

    Jeff Smith

    Triumph of the Cross

  • A middle-aged man in a black suit, light blue shirt, and yellow tie standing outdoors with blurred trees in the background.

    Dave Hughes

    Word of Life

  • A middle-aged man with short hair, a goatee, wearing a blue blazer over a light blue, yellow, and white plaid shirt, smiling against a plain gray background.

    Fred Bunsa

    The People of Hope

  • Young man smiling in front of a large tree with rough bark.

    James Munk

    Work of Christ

  • Portrait of a man with brown hair and beard, smiling, wearing a plaid shirt, against a gray background.

    David Williamson

    Light of Christ

  • A man with a friendly smile, bald head, and a neatly trimmed beard, wearing a dark blazer and white shirt, looking at the camera against a neutral background.

    David Groppel

    Community of Christ the Redeemer

North American Region Women's Executive Council

  • A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, wearing a blue top, smiling against a dark gray background.

    Sue Heuver

    Triumph of the Cross

  • Smiling woman with glasses and dark wavy hair standing outdoors in a park or garden with trees in the background.

    Rosemary Thornton

    Word of Life

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with short dark hair, wearing earrings and a black shirt, sitting on a red chair in a room with a framed picture and other decorations on the wall.

    Joanne Beckman

    Word of Life

  • A woman with curly, reddish-brown hair and blue eyes smiling outdoors, wearing a white shirt. The background is blurry with green trees.

    Molly Kilpatrick

    Work of Christ

  • Smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing glasses, a beige crochet top, and a gold necklace with a blue and beige circular pendant, standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.

    Sarah Williamson

    Light of Christ

  • A woman with shoulder-length blonde curly hair, blue eyes, and light skin, smiling, wearing a pink shirt and a navy blue blazer with pink floral pattern, against a gray background.

    Cristin Luea

    Work of Christ

Regional Contacts

  • CJ DeFord

    CJ DeFord

    Regional Administrator

  • Dave Fitzsimmons

    Dave Fitzsimmons

    Lead Accountant Volunteer

  • Bonnie King

    Bonnie King

    Bookkeeper

  • A young man with reddish brown hair and a beard, wearing a pinkish-orange shirt, smiling slightly, standing indoors with a background of glass and metal doors or partitions.

    David Graham

    Marketing Director; Regional Young Professionals Lead

  • Ashlee Shaffer

    Ashlee Shaffer

    Regional Young Professionals Lead

  • Beth Anne Vandagriff

    Beth Anne Vandagriff

    Communications Director