Georg Weilharter, father of Elisabeth Weilharter.

Georg Weilharter, father of Elisabeth Weilharter, born in Austria on April 11, 1945, passed away at his home in Knittelfeld, Austria on May 1, 2011.

“I am grateful that I was able to attend my father’s funeral and speak about his life. My dad lived a full and happy life. He ws able to accomplish the things that were most important to him: having a family and a home to come home to. He was an amazing person, and I am grateful and proud to be his daughter. Now in spirit, he will be serving in a different capacity until we meet again.”     — Elisabeth Weilharter

Ann Mellen, a Consociate of the Community who contributed toward the establishment of the Jamilian Parochial School in the 1980s, passed away earlier this year. We recently received word of her passing from her husband, Albert, who told us that Ann’s connection to The Church was very important to her and that she discontinued direct participation with us only because of financial difficulties. The Church lost contact with her for some time because the couple moved often and did not always inform our offices of their changing address. He thought to contact The Church at this time because he is still grieving for Ann and he knew that The Church meant so much to her. Albert also expressed his hope that our Church will grow in the future.

The obituary that follows appeared in the Ocala Star-Banner:

Ann Elsie Mellen, 95, of Ocala, FL passed away on Friday, February 18, 2011 in Ocala, Florida..

Ann was born in England on September 19, 1915, daughter of the late Arthur and Annie Tracy. She came to Canada at the age of ten with her father, a professional champion boxer and mother and moved to Detroit, MI later. She entered the convent of Immaculate Heart of Mary to become a nun at the age of fifteen. She was given a teaching assignment in River Rouge, MI at the age of 17. She continued teaching and going to college and being a successful, obedient servant of God until the age of 52.

At the age of 53 Ann met her beloved husband, Albert A. Mellen and also continued teaching until retirement in 1981 from the Birmingham School System in Birmingham, MI. After retiring she supported her husband’s teaching in public schools and community colleges in various locations. Ann and Al moved to Ocala, FL from Tampa, FL in 1998. She then became a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church, where she attended regularly.

Ann is survived by her husband of 43 years, Albert A. Mellen, Ocala; brother Arthur Tracy, Ocala and a sister Joan Kievet, Lecanto, FL and many nieces and nephews. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, March 4, 2011 at 8:30AM at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Ocala. Cremation arrangements are under the care of Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, TimberRidge location, 9695 SW 110th St., Ocala. Memorial Contributions may be given to Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent, Munroe, MI.

The 66th Annual Reno/Sparks NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, held on the evening of Saturday, May 14, 2011, at the Atlantis Resort Grand Ballroom, was attended by nearly 200 individuals, members and nonmembers of the NAACP. The banquet, titled “Building Nevada’s Future,” to celebrate the accomplishments of the local branch of the NAACP, to remember the Rev. Onie Cooper of Second Baptist Church and Dr. Milton Glick, President of the University of Nevada-Reno, and to award college scholarships to several worthy high school and university students from the Reno/Sparks area. A program of music and speakers, including keynote speaker, life coach Ondra Berry, preceded the awards. Messages of recognition for the event were presented by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, United States Senator Harry Reid, Reno Mayor Robert Cashell, and Sparks Mayor Geno Martini.

NAACP President Lonnie Feemster. PHOTO Stephan Fuelling

A letter addressed to NAACP President Lonnie Feemster by Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. memorialized the life and work of Rev. Onie Cooper. The letter was read at the program by Rev. Rebecca Willis in the absence of Bishop Savoy, who was traveling in Japan.

Rev. Rebecca Willis reads Bishop Savoy's address at 2011 NAACP Freedom Banquet. PHOTO Stephan Fuelling

The body of the letter follows:

“It is a great privilege for me to have been invited by the Reno-Sparks branch of the NAACP to say a few humble words on behalf of my friend and colleague, the late Reverend Onie Cooper. Unfortunately, I am not able to be physically present with you this evening; however, there certainly is no lack of participation in spirit!

“Onie was a great friend to all of us. Indeed, he was not only a friend of this community, which he loved so dearly, but a friend of all humanity. I came to know Onie Cooper many years ago when the Advocates for Religious Rights and Freedoms, an association that seeks to preserve, protect and defend religious freedom and expression, honored the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I immediately saw in Onie Cooper something that I admired. I now know that what I saw in him was his incredible championship of and for the rights of man and woman. He fought for liberty, justice and equality of every person, not only here in northern Nevada, but everywhere. In this way, he followed in the footsteps and in the great traditions of Dr. King, the Mahatma Gandhi, the American Transcendentalists, and, yes, even Jesus the Christ.

“It was an extreme honor for Reverend Cooper to personally extend his hand to me and ask me to continue the work which he so ardently labored for in this community for so many decades. To be honest, at the time I was speechless! However, I do know that we, you and I, have an incredible legacy to carry on – a great work in order to keep the dream alive.

“So I say to you this evening, I know that we must – and will! – go on to do great things together. That will make Onie Cooper proud of all of us. I again thank you for the opportunity of being with you this evening. God bless.

“Most sincerely yours,

“The Right Reverend Gene Savoy, Jr.
Bishop, International Community of Christ
President, Nevada Clergy Association
Chairman, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Committee”

The event was supported by the International Community of Christ Church with a patron table. Attending from the Church were The Revs. Rebecca Willis, Robert Petrovich, Robert Anderson, Barbara Whitney, Michael Tamburello, Thomas Lee, Amanda Buchanan, Stephan Fuelling, Claudia Grady. Radheka Patel was expected to attend but was prevented by an illness in her family.

Second Advent Church members at patron table. From left to right, Rev. Amanda Buchanan, Dr. Stephan Fuelling, Rt. Rev. Rebecca Willis, Mrs. Claudia Grady PHOTO Stephan Fuelling

The Healing Place is very pleased to present two days of special classes:

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Saturday April 30th 10AM to 11:30AM

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Sunday May 1 10AM to 4PM

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The Northern Nevada Biannual Interfaith Clergy Luncheon on April 14, 2011 was hosted by Volunteers of America Family Shelter in downtown Reno.

The luncheon this Spring addressed the issue of homelessness in the Truckee Meadows. The Nevada Clergy Association will be working with Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County to encourage religious and business leaders to support the campaign. A meeting was planned with Reno Mayor Bob Cashell, Sandy Isham of Volunteers of America, and Bishop Gene Savoy, Jr. Representing the International Community of Christ at the event were the Rt Reverends Gene Savoy Jr. and Sean Savoy, and the Rev. Dr. Bill Bartlett.

In conjunction with the project to encourage community leaders to address the problem of homelessness in the Reno area, an article on this campaign by Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. appeared in the Reno Gazette-Journal on April 12.

Presenters at 2011 Hindu Baccalaureate (Rev. Robert Roy, back row, second from right) PHOTO Debbie McCarthy

The fourth annual Hindu Baccalaureate Service was held at the University of Nevada-Reno on the evening of April 17, 2011. The Service was organized by the Indian Student Organization in collaboration with Rajan Zed to bless the graduating class in traditional Hindu style according to Vedic scripture.

Among those who read prayers of blessing was the Reverend Robert Roy of the International Community of Christ, who read the following blessing:

May the God of salvation bless you with every good
And keep you from all evil,
And enlighten your spirit with the wisdom of life,
And grant you eternal knowledge,
And turn His face of mercies towards you for eternal peace.
May you walk in the spirit of God,
Consisting of healing and abundance of bliss
With length of days and fruitfulness;
And all blessings upon you without end
And eternal joy in perpetual life,
And a glorious crown and garment of honor
In everlasting Light.
Amen

Photo of Rev. Onie Cooper displayed at his funeral PHOTO Bilde

A funeral for the late Reverend Onie Cooper was held on the morning of Friday, April 15, 2011, at Second Baptist Church in Reno, Nevada. Rev. Cooper passed away at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center on April 6 at the age of 86.

A two-hour program of scriptural readings, special presentations, song, and family reflections celebrated the life of Rev. Cooper with a crowd of attendees that stretched out of the church sanctuary, onto the stage, and into the hallway.

Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. addressing funeral congregation. PHOT Bilde

Among the special presenters was The Right Reverend Gene Savoy, Jr., president of the Nevada Clergy Association and chairman of the Northern Nevada Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Committee, who was asked to make a few remarks on behalf of Reverend Cooper, at the request of Rev. Cooper’s wife, Mary.

Mary Cooper reflecting PHOTO Bilde

Reverend Onie Cooper and Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. became good friends over the years. Bishop Savoy was invited by Revrend Cooper to serve on the Holiday Committee in January 2009. In November of that same year, as Rev. Cooper’s health began to fail, he asked Rev. Savoy to take his place as chairman. Since that time, through the auspices of the Nevada Clergy Association, Bishop Savoy has carried on the tradition, begun by Rev. Cooper, to honor the life, work, and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by planning the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service and Memorial Caravan, which drives the 21-mile stretch of US Highway 395 named after Dr. King.

It is of interest that Rev. Cooper was first introduced to the International Community of Christ in 1999, when the Advocates of Religious Rights and Freedoms enshrined Dr. King as an Advocate of Human Spiritual Rights. At that time, the late Most Right Reverend Gene Savoy Sr. also forged a friendship with Rev. Cooper. At Bishop Savoy’s funeral in 2007, Rev. Cooper was among those who spoke in recognition of Bishop Savoy’s work.

On Sunday, April 3, 2011, Bishop Savoy and two other members of the Nevada Clergy Association, the Reverends Bill Bartlett and Robert Petrovich, both of the International Community of Christ, made a trip to Sacramento, California to attend a Sunday Celebration Service at the Spiritual Life Center. The purpose of the trip was to meet with the minister conducting the service, the Reverend Michael Moran.

During the March meeting of western region interfaith leaders at the Western Regional Interfaith Leaders Conference, March 7-8, 2011, Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. met Unity minister Rev. Michael Moran and was impressed with what he had to say about the interfaith movement. Based on their religious and theological conversations during the conference, Bishop Savoy offered to visit Rev. Moran in Sacramento. Following the Sunday celebration April 3, Bishop Savoy was able to speak with Rev. Moran. Bishop Savoy invited Rev. Moran to attend a sunrise service in Reno and gifted him a copy of Jamil: Child of Light.

More than 50 members of the International Community of Christ and the Satya-chetana Movement gathered in Reno at the Chapel of the Holy Child at 4:00 PM on Saturday, March 19, 2011, to hold a special service of intervention to help prevent the recurrence of earthquake and tsunami disturbances in Japan and to arrest immediately the threat of nuclear explosion. Similar services were held simultaneously in India at the Sri Kalahasti Temple near Tirupathi in the state of Andhra Pradhesh and in Japan in Kurume, south of Fukuoka City, on the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan.

Fr. Stephen Karcher performing Divine Service at St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church PHOTO St. Anthony web site

A reception to welcome the new pastor of Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church, the Reverend Stephen Karcher, was held by the Reno-Sparks interfaith community on March 14, 2011, at the India Kabob & Curry Restaurant. Approximately 35 clergy and other religous leaders attended. Bishop Gene Savoy, Jr. was asked to speak on behalf of the community in welcoming Father Karcher and his wife, Olga, to Northern Nevada. All those in attendance were welcomed as guests by the restaurant’s owners.