A summary of Bishop Gene Savoy Jr.’s message from the pulpit on Saturday October 10, 2009, follows:

Japan Trip

This is important work. The period of the Calling Out has begun, and our universal religion not only encompasses Christianity but now also Buddhism. This transformation has been prophesied. It is recorded in our books and is based upon the cycles and times.

The Importance of Interfaith Work

I had the great pleasure of meeting Senator Harry Reid a few weeks ago and, in conjunction with his staff, the Nevada Clergy Association will be assisting him in organizing a Summit of Religious Leaders in Northern Nevada to address the importance of faith communities and the role of clergy in the area. Now, this may not mean much to us as Cosolargists, but our Prophecies tell us that we must go out into the world and that our Teaching and the New Religion will someday influence nations and governments, as well as institutions of science and higher learning. How this will come about, God only knows. It may not even be in our lifetimes, but we have made great strides in the last many years from the days of our persecution.

The sunset service we held last month at the Sanctuary was a milestone in our history, as it brought members of different religions to the Sanctuary. We know that some people will be touched and that they will feel the heightened energy and the spiritual Presence. The symbolic act of the unification of the religions was realized at that sunset service.

Meeting with Swami Sri Atmananda

Those who attended the interfaith sunset service on September 11 will remember the gentleman who read from the Bhagadvad Gita. He was asked to participate in the service at the behest of our friend Rajan Zed, a member of the interfaith community who could not be there that afternoon. This individual came twice more to the Sanctuary to participate in Divine Service.

This man, David Mitchell, who is also known as Devashish – his Hindu name – had an experience and felt a great energy at the Sanctuary. David has a spiritual teacher in India, and he contacted him. And this teacher, Swami Sri Atmananda, will be visiting us tomorrow at our sunrise service. We met with Swami Sri a couple of days ago here in my chambers and discussed various concepts that we are all familiar with: Christ Consciousness, the Sun of Righteousness, the importance of these times, the significance of cycles and signs, the years 1962 and 2012, the doctrine of the pre-Ordained, and many other things. Incredibly, there was nothing between us to disagree about.

Tomorrow morning at our Sunrise Divine Service, I ask you to receive this man as a spiritual dignitary who comes to our country from India representing the Brahmin religion. We will see where it will lead and what will transpire. We will be having further meetings with Swami Sri after our return from Japan to see how we may collaborate.

When we formed the Nevada Clergy Association twenty-five years ago, the concept of a truly cohesive interfaith community was only a dream. However, over the years we have participated in various functions and events and committees, and as various other clergy came and went, we remained. Our involvement was heightened about ten years ago, and especially over the past five years, when we have had the good fortune to lead the movement. Who would have thought that the we, “the cult,” would someday be the driving force behind a unifying interfaith movement. I am sure you all realize the importance of this work. It not only brings people together, which we emphasize in our Community, and serves as a valuable public relations tool in the local community, but more importantly it serves as an avenue by which people may become familiar with our Teaching.

During the next two weeks, we will be hosted by our members in Japan. We will be visiting Tokyo, Kyoto (the old capital), Fukuoka, and Kurume, as well as important shrines and temples, including the oldest shrine in the country and the headquarters of Shintoism, Heitate. We will also be visiting the sacred mountain Mount Koya-san, where Kobo-daishi, an ancient solar Buddhist, became enlightened and where there is also a replica of the Nestorian Monument. We will visit the offices and shrine of the Cosolargy Institute of Japan, and we will be looking at property on which our mission in Japan hopes to build.

The open-air Church of New Philadelphia was reconsecrated on Sunday September 13, 2009, by Head bishop Gene Savoy Jr and Bishop Sean Savoy. The consecration ceremony immediately preceded the Communion Service performed there by the Reverend Ted Staver, newly appointed rector of the Church of New Philadelphia.

A consecration and dedication of the new communion table at the open-air Church of New Epiphany was performed by the Right Reverends Gene and Sean Savoy prior to Divine Service on Sunday October 11, 2009. The new table was installed earlier this season to replace the original table, which had succumbed to weather and dry rot over the past twenty years.

Bridget Elizabeth O’Mara and Daniel Newton Harmon were joined in holy matrimony in the presence of family and friends on October 11, 2009, at the California Building in Idlewild Park, Reno, Nevada, by the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. Bridget and Daniel are acquaintances of Bishop Savoy and requested that he perform their wedding ceremony.

On Wednesday October 7, 2009, the Reverend Deacon Robert Anderson performed the sacrament of anointing and last rites on his former partner of twenty years, Richard Aune, who lay dying of colon cancer. The Right Reverend Sean Savoy instructed and prepared Anderson in Reno for the performing of the rite. The anointing was done at Aune’s home in Palm Springs, California, with his daughter and son-in-law attending. Aune was not conscious for the ceremony but had earlier given Anderson permission to do the rite. Aune’s daughter and son-in-law received comfort from witnessing the rite. Aune passed into the Light less than two days later in the presence of Anderson and Aune’s daughter and son-in-law.

A memorial service was held for Karen Knight, mother of Lisa-Marie Wand, on Saturday August 29, 2009, at the Chapel of the Holy Child. A reception followed at the Rectory-Abbey on Carmel.

The Religious Studies program for Acolytes resumed on Saturday September 26, 2009, in the Chapel of the Innocents at the Rectory-Abbey.

Olympia Vlad and Gary Huss Jr were joined in holy matrimony in the presence of witnesses and family on August 15, 2009, in a private ceremony performed by the Rt. Rev. Gene Savoy Jr at the Chapel of the Holy Child. Gary has been a resident member of the International Community of Christ since his birth and is presently enrolled in the Sacred Academy.

The Community’s annual Convocation officially opened on Wednesday September 9. It was prefaced on Monday and Tuesday September 7–8 with Residence Training III seminars on Color and Sacred Imagery for those Consociates needing to complete these requirements. These early attendees also enjoyed an evening at the Steamboat Hot Springs Spa on Monday evening. Another such spa evening was offered on Wednesday as well.

The first Convocation event was a Project “X” seminar on the ancient solar cultures of Greece and included lectures given by the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. during the Project “X” tour of Greece in May–June 2009 as well as talks by guest lecturers the Reverend Dr. Bill Bartlett and Dr. Tom Lee, the new Community Archiater (physician). Dr. Bartlett spoke on solar teachings in the Buddhist tradition, and Dr. Lee on health and healing modalities planned for Steamboat Healing Center. The lectures were offered in the Chapel of the Holy Child and the Monastery Gardens in Sanctuary.

The usual annual Convocation events took place over the remainder of the week, including the Andean Explorers Foundation meeting and awards banquet and presentation held at the Tuscany Room of the Peppermill Resort and Casino in Reno on Thursday evening. The Right Reverend Sean Savoy presented slides and commentary on his recent trip to Peru to continue the society’s work there.

The week’s events included the thirtieth annual Clergy Counsels, lectures held at the Monastery Gardens in Sanctuary on Asclepian healing traditions and techniques. Again, these lectures were adapted from those given by Bishop Savoy in Greece earlier in the year. This year’s program included a celebration of The Community’s Golden Jubilee, commemorating fifty years (1959–2009) of the Second Advent Church. A high point of the celebration was the interfaith prayer service for world peace held at sunset on Friday evening September 11 at the open-air Church of New Pentecost and Church of the Americas at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary. Clergy from numerous sects and denominations around Reno participated and offered prayers for peace from their traditions. It was a special experience and a fitting tribute to the second anniversary of the passing into Light of The Church’s First Apostle, the Most Right Reverend Gene Savoy Sr.

As a side note, unbeknownst to The Community members at the time, the evening also introduced it to one Devashish (aka David Mitchell), who was a last-minute replacement for Rajan Zed, the intended representative of the Vedic tradition. Devashish was quite taken with the experience at the Sanctuary and later introduced Community leaders to his teacher, Swami Sri Atmananda of India, and the Satya-chetana Movement that the swami heads and with whom The Community has since formed a collaboration to reintroduce the Teachings of Light to the Vedic and Brahmanic traditions (see related articles).

On Saturday evening, topping off a day of final Clergy Counsels, Communion Service, and the Emancipation of Acolyte Marie Walters, was the Counsels banquet and program at Bishopstead. As a Golden Jubilee celebration, the dinner was deemed a Vigil Meal and began with a simple course of Essene bread and wine similar to a Community Pannuches meal. The evening’s introduction also included the first-level ordination of Dr. Tom Lee and a rededication of the Chapel of the Innocents at Bishopstead. A buffet supper in several courses created by Community chef Francine Petrovich followed this ritual course. Between courses, the attendees were treated to musical performances by the Community schola, directed by the Right Reverend Gary Buchanan, as well as relevant readings from Second Advent scripture.

The final day of Convocation, Sunday September 13, began with a concelebrated Jubilee Sunrise Divine Service at the Cathedral Church of the Americas at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary, followed by the second-degree ordination of the Reverend Dr. Bill Bartlett. Afterward, a fellowship breakfast at the open-air refectory was enjoyed by all. The final event at Red Rock was the rededication of the open-air Church of New Philadelphia in the northlands of the Sanctuary. The church’s table had been restored after being damaged by vandals and the elements. Head bishop Gene Savoy Jr. presided.

The Convocation ended with an optional trip to Lake Tahoe on Sunday afternoon.

The three-minute video Dawn of a New Age was posted on YouTube in August 2008 on the official YouTube channel for the International Community of Christ/Cosolargy. Dawn of a New Age was one of the first outreach projects attempted by The Community in recent years and the first posting of The Community on YouTube. Today it is one project among many.

Have you seen the video? Did you know that the International Community of Christ/Cosolargy has an official channel on YouTube?

Visit the channel and become a subscriber. That way you will be sure to receive notice whenever a new video is posted. Also, see what kind of comments the video has drawn from the public.

Watch the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4u3j-HxV5g.