Rooted in Faith. Bearing Fruit. Who we are.

The Branch of Peace is a family-centered faith where the Creator entrusts the sacred stewardship of life to Mothers and Fathers, and where families gather in Branches to strengthen one another through prayer, sacrament, teaching, service, and remembrance.

The Creator

We believe in the One Creator, the source of all life. The Creator is present throughout all Creation, manifest in every measure of light and energy, in all that is seen and unseen. We are created, renewed, and sustained by the One Creator and are part of a single, interconnected Creation. Through family, prayer, service, sacred teachings, and living in harmony with the world around us, we may come to know our purpose and better understand the Creator’s intention for our lives. As members of one Creation, we are called to cultivate gratitude, stewardship, and respect for all forms of life, recognizing that our well-being is inseparably connected to the well-being of the world around us.

The Family

The family is The family is the first institution established by the Creator. It is the foundational order of life and is reflected, in some measure, among all living beings of the earth, the sky, and the sea. From the stewardship entrusted to families arise communities, governments, churches, organizations, and nations. Their purpose is to strengthen and support the family, not replace it. The family is the primary foundation of faith, stewardship, and community. The mother and father, acting in unity with Creation and with the one Creator, hold the primary stewardship within the family. They are entrusted with the sacred responsibility to nurture life, teach truth, exercise stewardship, and establish the moral and spiritual foundations from which all other human institutions arise. Parenthood is the highest expression of the stewardship of life, yet every person bears divine worth and participates in Creation through service, sacrifice, teaching, mentoring, and community responsibility. All people have a sacred role in strengthening families, supporting future generations, and contributing to the well-being of the Human Family.

The Priesthood - Parenthood

The authority of parenthood is bestowed upon humankind by the Creator. Through the transformative passage of puberty, boys and girls receive from the Creator the sacred capacity to become husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, and thus participate in the gift and continuation of life. Parenthood, together with its established biological functions, is a divine stewardship granted through Creation by the authority of the One Creator. Through this stewardship, men and women enter more fully into the purpose of their creation, gaining a deeper understanding of life's meaning, their responsibilities toward future generations, and the scope of their duty within Creation. The stewardship of mother and father exists for the blessing, protection, instruction, and development of their children and never for domination, exploitation, or personal gain. The authority entrusted to parents is a sacred trust, to be exercised in love, wisdom, and service for the welfare of those under their care. In the sacred calling of motherhood and fatherhood, humanity becomes a partner in the nurturing, protection, and instruction of life. Through parenthood, individuals come to more fully comprehend love, sacrifice, service, and the enduring bonds that unite generations. Within this stewardship, many discover the fullest expression of their creative, moral, and spiritual responsibilities before the Creator. The family is the first institution established by the Creator and serves as the foundational order of human society. Family life, in some measure, is experienced throughout Creation among the living beings of the earth, the sky, and the sea. From the authority vested in the family flow the mandates of governments, churches, organizations, and nations. These institutions extend from the family and exist to support its proper functions, not to replace or supersede it. The family is the senior foundation of faith, stewardship, and community. A mother and father, acting in unity with one another, with Creation, and under the authority of the One Creator, hold the primary responsibility for the nurture, protection, instruction, and well-being of their children. When a child is born, a parent begins to see Creation with new eyes. The grain that grew in the field, the fruit that ripened on the tree, the fish from the water, and the animals of the land all contributed to the mother's strength and became part of the child she carried. In this way, Creation itself participates in the gift of every new life as it provides the building blocks that become the bodies of our children. A parent therefore comes to recognize that the earth is not merely where we live, but a living inheritance shared among generations. The flowers, trees, birds, and creatures of today help form the bodies of and sustain the children of tomorrow. Seeing this, the heart is moved from ownership to kinship, from consumption to gratitude, and from dominion to stewardship. For in a very real sense, all living things contribute to the lives of those yet unborn.

The Branch

A Branch is the natural growth of the family, extending from parents and children to parents, grandparents, grandchildren, and kindred relations. As families increase and generations gather together, the Branch emerges as an expression of their shared faith, fellowship, and stewardship. A Branch is established when six or more persons, or three or more couples, gather regularly for prayer, sacrament, teaching, fellowship, and service. It exists as a community of families united in devotion to the One Creator and in service to one another. The Branch does not govern families, for the family is the first institution established by the Creator and remains the senior foundation of faith, stewardship, and community. Rather, the Branch exists to strengthen families, encourage righteousness, preserve sacred teachings, provide mutual support, and promote loving service among all its members. Through the Branch, families gather as one community to worship, learn, share burdens, celebrate blessings, and care for one another. In this way, the Branch serves as an extension of the family, helping each household fulfill its sacred responsibilities before the Creator.

Our Stewardships

A family is comprised of parents and children. As children mature, marry, and become parents themselves, greater responsibilities in stewardship and priesthood arise. The Creator established a foundation of authority and responsibility through the generations: Children, Elders, Chief Elders, and Presiding Elders. The story of human life is intended to be centered upon these sacred callings and the experiences, duties, and wisdom gained through them. Children are entrusted with learning, growth, and preparation for future stewardship. Within the family they are nurtured in wisdom, faith, responsibility, and service, that they may one day fulfill their own sacred responsibilities before the Creator. Elders are mothers and fathers who strengthen their homes in alignment with the Creator and raise the next generation to do likewise. They bear primary responsibility for the nurture, protection, instruction, and well-being of their families. Chief Elders are grandmothers and grandfathers who strengthen their branches, or the families of their children, through wisdom, counsel, example, and care. Through experience and faithful stewardship, they help preserve sacred teachings and guide future generations. Presiding Elders are a husband-and-wife couple selected from among the Elders and Chief Elders, who has the unanimous trust to help coordinate the affairs and gatherings of a Branch. Their responsibility is not to govern families, but to encourage unity, facilitate service, preserve order, and support the stewardship of Elders and Chief Elders within the community. The Creator's pattern of stewardship is revealed through the generations. We begin as Children, become Elders through parenthood, and mature into Chief Elders through grandparenthood. Through these sacred roles we gain knowledge, responsibility, and wisdom, preparing us to strengthen both family and Branch. In this way, authority grows naturally from service, experience, and stewardship rather than position alone.

The Gathering

The purpose of every gathering is remembrance, gratitude, peace, and the strengthening of families. Gatherings provide opportunities to draw closer to the Creator, strengthen relationships, and encourage one another in faith, service, and stewardship. Activities may include: Prayer Sacred Music Sacrament Sacred Silence Teaching Messages for Growth and Encouragement Fellowship Service Each gathering is intended to foster unity, invite reflection, and strengthen the bonds of family and community. Participation is voluntary, and all are encouraged to contribute according to their gifts, talents, and inspiration.

The Order of Stewardship

The Tree exists to strengthen the Branch. The Branch exists to strengthen the Family. The Family exists to strengthen the Child. All leadership is voluntary. All service is voluntary. All authority exists to serve, protect, and strengthen families. Authority is exercised through example, service, stewardship, and responsibility, never through coercion. Each level of stewardship exists to support those entrusted to its care, ensuring that the well-being of the Child remains the highest temporal priority.