Herald House

Herald House, also known as Herald Publishing House, is the publishing division of Community of Christ, a Christian denomination headquartered in Independence, Missouri. Its publishing history reaches back to 1860, when the church periodical True Latter Day Saints' Herald began publication in Cincinnati, Ohio. The publishing operation developed alongside the denomination's institutional growth and became responsible for communicating church teachings, supporting congregational life, and distributing religious and educational materials. The organization has operated from several locations. Its first church-owned press was established in Plano, Illinois. A substantially larger publishing facility opened in Lamoni, Iowa, in 1881, but that plant was destroyed by fire in 1907. A replacement facility was constructed soon afterward. After Community of Christ moved its headquarters to Independence in 1921, Herald House was relocated to a building that had previously served a Missouri National Guard artillery battalion. In 1965, the organization opened a modern publishing facility at 3225 South Noland Road in Independence. The Independence plant was closed in 1999, after which printing was outsourced. Publishing offices were subsequently moved to facilities in The Temple and The Auditorium in Independence. This change shifted Herald House away from operating its own large-scale printing plant while preserving its role as an editorial, publishing, and denominational communications unit. Herald House publishes The Herald, the monthly magazine of Community of Christ. The magazine is associated with the Associated Church Press and has received awards and other recognition from that organization in recent years. Beyond periodicals, the publishing list includes scriptures and scripture-study works, Christian education materials, worship resources, inspirational books, priesthood and leadership manuals, hymnals, missionary resources, stewardship materials, and theological studies. Its official denominational hymnal is Community of Christ Sings. The organization is described as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and a public charity under section 509(a)(3). In addition to the Herald House name, it conducts publishing activity through the Independence Press imprint. Its principal audience consists of Community of Christ members, ministers, educators, congregations, and readers seeking Christian devotional, theological, liturgical, and educational material. The available reference material does not identify a separate commercial parent corporation, public listing, current chief executive, or standalone consumer-market expansion beyond its relationship with Community of Christ.

Herald House's origins are tied to the early publishing activity of Community of Christ. The institutional publishing history begins with the appearance of True Latter Day Saints' Herald in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1860. The periodical provided a channel for denominational news, teaching, and religious communication and became the historical foundation for the publishing division later known as Herald House or Herald Publishing House. The first press owned by the church was located in Plano, Illinois. As the denomination expanded its operations, a larger publishing plant was opened in Lamoni, Iowa, in 1881. The Lamoni facility represented a significant increase in publishing capacity, but it was destroyed by fire in 1907. A replacement plant was built soon afterward, allowing the church's publishing work to continue. A major geographic change occurred in 1921, when the church headquarters moved to Independence, Missouri. Herald House followed the headquarters and occupied a facility that had previously been used by an artillery battalion of the Missouri National Guard. The relocation placed the publishing operation within the denomination's emerging institutional center in Independence. In 1965, Herald House opened a modern publishing facility at 3225 South Noland Road in Independence. The site served as the organization's principal production facility for several decades. It supported the publication of church magazines, books, educational resources, worship materials, and other works intended for Community of Christ congregations and readers. The organization later changed its production model. The South Noland Road facility closed in 1999, and printing was outsourced after that date. The publishing offices moved to The Temple and The Auditorium in Independence, leaving Herald House focused on publishing administration and editorial work rather than maintaining an in-house commercial printing plant. Herald House's publication program includes The Herald, the monthly denominational magazine of Community of Christ. The magazine has participated in the Associated Church Press and has received awards and other recognition from that organization. The book and resource program encompasses scriptures, scripture studies, Christian education, worship and liturgical resources, inspirational works, priesthood and leadership manuals, hymnals, missionary materials, stewardship publications, and theological studies. Community of Christ Sings is identified as the denomination's official hymnal. Herald House is also described as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and a public charity under section 509(a)(3). It uses the Independence Press imprint for some publishing activity. The available sources establish its institutional history and publishing scope but do not provide a detailed list of current officers, a standalone website, financial results, or a complete chronology of individual titles.

• 1999

  In-house printing ends

  [1]Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The South Noland Road facility closes, and Herald House begins outsourcing printing.

• 1965

  Modern Independence facility opens

  [1]Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Herald House opens a modern publishing facility at 3225 South Noland Road in Independence.

• 1921

  Publishing operation relocates to Independence

  [1]Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Following the relocation of church headquarters, Herald House moves to Independence, Missouri, into a former Missouri National Guard artillery facility.

• 1907

  Lamoni plant destroyed by fire

  [1]Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The publishing plant in Lamoni is destroyed by fire; a replacement facility is built soon afterward.

• 1881

  Larger publishing plant opens in Lamoni

  [1]Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org

  A substantially larger church-owned publishing facility opens in Lamoni, Iowa.

• 1860

  Publication of True Latter Day Saints' Herald begins

  [1]Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org

  A church periodical begins publication in Cincinnati, Ohio, forming the historical basis of Community of Christ's later publishing division.

A nonprofit denominational publisher serving the worship, education, leadership, missionary, and theological needs of Community of Christ and its wider readership.

• Denominational periodical · 1860

  The Herald

  The Herald is Community of Christ's monthly denominational magazine. It serves as a recurring channel for church communication and religious content and is associated with the Associated Church Press, from which it has received awards and other recognition.

• Hymnal

  Community of Christ Sings

  Community of Christ Sings is the official hymnal of Community of Christ. It supports congregational worship and forms part of Herald House's broader program of liturgical and worship publications.

• Religious books

  Scriptures and scripture studies

  Herald House publishes scriptures and works devoted to scripture study. These materials support denominational teaching, personal study, and educational use within Community of Christ.

• Educational and liturgical materials

  Christian education and worship resources

  This group includes materials for Christian education, worship, and congregational practice. The resources are intended for use by church members, educators, worship leaders, and local congregations.

• Church management and ministry resources

  Leadership, missionary, and stewardship materials

  Herald House publishes priesthood and leadership manuals, missionary resources, and stewardship materials. Together these publications support ministry, administration, outreach, and financial or resource-related responsibilities within the denomination.

• Religious books

  Inspirational and theological books

  The book list includes inspirational works and theological studies. These publications extend beyond routine denominational communication to provide devotional, interpretive, and theological material for readers interested in Community of Christ perspectives.

• 1999

  Outsourcing of printing after facility closureStrategy

  Background

  Herald House closed its Independence printing facility at 3225 South Noland Road.

  Action taken

  The organization ended in-house printing and outsourced production while moving publishing offices to The Temple and The Auditorium.

  Aftermath

  Herald House continued its publishing role without operating the former large-scale printing plant.

  Source

1. 1Herald Houseen.wikipedia.org