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.

Religious studies for the youth of The Church will commence in September. The young people will be divided into two groups—e.g., primary and high school—and classes will be taught by the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. on weekends.

Also during the spring, acolyte Amanda Marie Walters continued her work as chairperson of the Nevada Youth Legislature, as well as maintaining her position on violoncello with the Carson Symphony Orchestra. Walters participated in concerts on February 22 and April 25 while performing works that included Borodin’s Symphony #1 and the Paganini violin concerto. Walters is the daughter of Amy Buchanan-Rodriguez and granddaughter of the Right Reverend Gary and the Reverend Amanda Buchanan.

During the fall, workers at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary installed a small mobile home with wiring and plumbing hook-ups as an additional residence. Located northeast of the chapter house, residence of the Right Reverend Reano Castell and the  Reverend Ted Staver, the new facility will house the Reverend Michael McIntyre, who has been actively assisting in Sanctuary projects.

In April, work crews of The Community began further checking and upgrading the water irrigation lines at the Sanctuary as well as continuing the planting of trees. The area encircling the Church of the Christian Churches is being planted with trees laid out on an enormous schematic of the Second Advent Solar Cross of Enlightenment. Once the evergreens are grown the cross will be visible from great distances and heights.

Each of these projects has been supervised by Castell and Staver, along with the Right Reverend Peter Foust, who has devoted most of his time during the last year specifically to Sanctuary undertakings.

In addition, The Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. has held preliminary meetings this spring with Nevada architects in regard to construction designs for a monastery complex at the Sanctuary (architect Bryan Kernin) and columbarium (Rick LaCotta). Further meetings with various panels of ministers from The Church are being scheduled as well.

On April 4, 2009, during the Saturday evening Pannuches meal rite observed in the Chapel of the Holy Child, the Right Reverend Ileana Isfan was appointed First Matriarch of the Order of the Holy Child.

Following the reading of the “Act of Formation Establishing the Matriarchal Order,” read by the Right Reverend Sean Savoy, the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. offered the following homily:

“We have just read the ‘Act of Formation Establishing the Matriarchal Order.’

“But before commenting on the initial role of the Matriarchs of The Church, I would like to read portions of “The Eighteenth Saying” [of Jamil] relating to the Patriarchs, as the Matriarchs and Patriarchs are to hold the same requirements.” [Reads the Saying]

“Now, I am not reading these words merely as an inspirational message or to pass the time. These are lofty words with a message of great import; and, as with all of our sacred scripture, it contains keys which allow us to better understand the meaning and purpose of the author, which is the Holy and Wondrous Child speaking through the Prophet-Teacher.

“And we may wonder: how are these lofty tasks and ideals going to be accomplished? How are they going to be put into action? I say, they will be accomplished in due time by taking steps now and by making an initial action in accordance with Sacred Law and Sacred Guidelines.

“If we look at the history of this Community over the past fifty years – half a century — we see that accomplishments and designs are realized by perseverance, spiritual dedication, and fortitude. But these accomplishments are also realized by adhering to the disciplines of The Order and by employing the Codes that have been revealed and entrusted into our care by means of the written word, and more importantly by the Word of God inscribed on the tablets and the hearts and minds of our spiritual beings.

“The Sayings mention a ‘preordained’ time when the Patriarchs — and the Matriarchs, as well — will be called out for a holy mission. I believe this is the time — this is the preordained time — to activate both the Matriarchal and Patriarchal Orders of The New Community of Light for a blessing to the sun and for a blessing to the world.

“I have dreamt lately of my father — he comes to me in my dreams every so often — and speaks to me — not in words — never in words — but in gestures and by the look in his eye and the smile or laughter on his face. But we are always conversing in some silent manner. And I contemplate these messages — sometimes for weeks or months, asking the Light for guidance and wisdom to be able to discern the message and make certain determinations concerning our course.

“All of you have experienced similar situations, and I know that each of you also ask the Light and angelic beings for guidance. And in time you receive an answer or are afforded an insight. And I know that our late Teacher comes to many of you and speaks to you in similar manner. It is unmistakable the times when we feel his presence or see his angelic figure in the sun, for he aids this Community as a patron saint, so to speak. His work here on earth was only the beginning of his work as a Being of Light.

“And we know that these messages — these symbols — are true and right.

“So, after much contemplation on this subject, and on the occasion of The Community’s Golden Jubilee year, it is time to activate these Orders. And this preordained time has to do with a certain maturity The Community has reached over half a century. And it also has to do with the numerology of the number 50 – Nun — and the role that the women of the Ministry play and will continue to play. For let me state that there is no inequality in this Church in any way. This is a Universal Religion, and it is truly open and available to all who seek their spiritual origins.

“Some of you may remember that the Order of Patriarchs was formed in 1991 but never activated, for whatever reason. That is neither here nor there at this point.

“Now is the time to take certain liturgies of the Church to a new height and a more directed level, and the Patriarchs and Matriarchs will do this conjointly — together and with harmony, the female balancing the male, and the male balancing the female.

“This is for one primary reason: As the Saying says that we just read:

‘To live the laws of God and by so doing restore the sun and the earth and the cosmos to goodly order in preparation for the New Creation that is coming!’

“So, we will start by taking an initial action — by taking the first step.

“The Man, Gene Savoy, took an initial step when he began his ministry in 1957. And look where we are at fifty years later. Probably not exactly how he envisioned it, but it’s real and here. The Community is real and here, physically and nonphysically. We took the first step in building this Chapel thirty years ago, and we took a first step when we planted the first cross or erected the first communion table at the Sanctuary. Now look at it. It’s a lot different than it was in 1981.

“Our first step will be to officially call a small number of you into these two Orders — at first, a very small number. And those of you called will be asked to take additional vows, some of which have never been taken by anyone with the exception of the first Patriarch of the Church, the late Head Overseer.

“Second, those called will begin observing certain Canonical Hours, specifically at sunrise, at noon, and at sunset. These will be expanded in time to come. The Ceremonial Christology will also be performed on a daily basis.

“Third, in addition to your personal devotions of inflection and reflection, new liturgies will be introduced and proclaimed daily, and these will be observed as official services of the Church.

“The idea here is to begin a cycle of continual relationship with the Sun — to feed, nurture, and sustain it. This will be the primary purpose of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

“It is of vital importance that the Patriarchs and Matriarchs be free of worldly cares or desires, which is to say they must be free to express their spirituality in a way most cannot do. And although we strive and yearn for this, for most of us this is not possible.

“This is by no means to say that Patriarchs and Matriarchs will be withdrawn from the activities of The Community. On the contrary, they will be more deeply involved, for they will be exemplars of a higher spiritual role.

“But I stress that it is key to begin with those who are free — those who do not have to worry about the problems of the temporal church, about administration and paying bills; those who do not have the burden of toiling for their physical sustenance — for food or for clothing or shelter; those who do not have the weight of the world’s social, political, and/or other ills on their minds. These offices of Patriarch and Matriarch are reserved for those in The Community who come as close to true freedom as one can get in this world. As we read earlier:

‘Making their withdrawal from human society complete, dedicating their entire lives to the service of God and seeking their origins in Light until their final mergence with God.’

“Most of us don’t have that luxury, what with money problems, the stresses of day-to-day living, relationship issues, the raising of children, traffic jams, and so on.

“But let me say that it has to be real and serious. If not, it will make a mockery of the Teachings of Light. So, those initially called will pave the way for others to be called in time to come — so that others may reflect to the Sun of Righteousness on a continual basis. They will be allowing the rest of us to sustain the temporal church, as they relate to the spiritual Church or feed the Sun of Righteousness. That is not to say that the rest of us do not sustain or relate to the spiritual Church or feed the Sun of Righteousness. Not at all. They will be doing it on a more profound level. When one can devote one’s entire day to this undertaking, it becomes a much different thing than spending a few moments each day.

“And what this does, as I’ve said, is to allow the younger people — even those of you in your fifties and sixties who can still work — to build the Church. And it is something to look forward to as we progress in years. We will find in age that our lives are not over; they are not useless. On the contrary, it will give purpose to one in older years and comfort in knowing that service and dedication continue until transfiguration into Light at the end of the earthly journey.

“And let me blunt and say that you may be asked to do things you may not necessarily want to do. But it will be essential to the realness of this endeavor and indicative of the success of the Order and your own personal success, as well, for it will be the setting of an example to others.

“More will be developed in the days and weeks to come, and we will see if The Community is ready to jump to the next level. I believe that it is.

“Let me say, on another note, that I appreciate your hard work and dedication. We are all experiencing troubling times materially, but this, too, is paving the way for a different world, and we must all learn to cope. I urge us to be unified, to stick together, to be positive, and to continue our work in physical and nonphysical realms for the sustenance and perpetuation of this Community.”

A special meeting of the Sacred Oversee of the International Community of Christ, Church of the Second Advent, was held on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, in the chambers of the Sacred Oversee, to discuss future development at the Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary, especially as that development relates to availability of water and water rights.

As the first matter of business, Bishop Savoy requested consensus on the next proposed project at Red Rock, the next stage of development at the Church of the Christian Churches. This project, he said, would put our water rights to use and would replace the old asymmetrical cross design with a new Second Advent Cross design. In this project, Revs. Staver and Foust would follow the new mathematical figures put down by Rev. Buchanan based on the correct gematria. It is possible to undertake this project now, Bishop Savoy said, because The Church had fulfilled the five-year federal requirements for development of the deer-feeding project and so The Church was now again free to take development of the Church of the Christian Churches to the next level.

While the federal requirements were no longer applicable to Sanctuary development, the state of Nevada has been getting stricter on water use, Bishop Savoy said, and the Christian Churches project would allow us to use our water rights within the guidelines already set. Bishop Savoy went on to explain the situation of The Church and the Sanctuary regarding its water rights and water availability. A summary follows:

Each parcel in the northland and the southland retains its own individual domestic water rights, which can be used either by drilling a well on each parcel or by having a single well on one of the parcels from which water is distributed to all the other parcels so long as it is from the same water basin.

In addition to domestic water rights, The Church has reserved to it 17.144 million gallons/year of additional water rights, which are presently distributed between two water basins: Antelope Valley, which serves the southland and half of the northland, and Biddel Flats, which serves the other half of the northland.

The primary point to this discussion of water rights is that The Church is at present not using enough water for beneficial use to keep its water rights without filing extensions, and if The Church cannot prove beneficial use for the additional water rights reserved to it, the state of Nevada has notified The Church that it will give those water rights to someone else. For the time being, undertaking the proposed Christian Churches project would allow The Church to prove beneficial use for its additional water rights; there was consensus among the members of the Sacred Oversee to undertake this project. However, questions arose regarding future water rights.

The present additional water rights of The Church are distributed over two water basins, Antelope Valley and Biddel Flats. The language of The Church’s water rights permit at present distributes those rights over these two water basins but does not indicate how much from each water basin. The state has asked The Church to determine how much of the 17.144 million gallons it wants to take from each basin so that the old combined permit can be put aside and two new permits issued in order to clarify use.

In addition, for The Church to maintain its water rights in the Biddel Flats water basin, The Church needs to drill a well in the northland that pulls water from the Biddel Flats basin. Initially, the state gave The Church until 12/27/09 to drill this well; later the state said it would give The Church until 2010 to drill the well since The Church would be unable to undertake the expense of a well while undertaking its other water projects in the southland. The decision The Church has to make is whether it wants to split use between the two water basins or put all its rights into the Antelope Valley water basin, since the state of Nevada is going to split the present permit in any case.

Following this summary of points delivered by Bishop Savoy, members of the Sacred Oversee raised questions and proposed courses of action regarding the matter of water rights. Ultimately, three basic courses of action were suggested: (1) to keep all the special use water rights in the Antelope Valley basin and give up all water rights in the Biddel Flats basin, (2) to keep  nominal rights in the Biddel Flats basin and the vast majority in the Antelope Valley basin, or (3) to split the rights equally between the two basins. Suggestions (2) and (3) were made with the understanding that any claim to water rights from the Biddel Flats basin would require that The Church drill a well, meter the use, and pump water from it with proven beneficial use.

Two other questions were also raised: (1) If The Church gives up its rights to water from the Biddel Flats basin under the present permit, could The Church apply for a new water rights permit for the Biddel Flats basin? (The thought here was that by applying for a new permit, all the old extensions filed by The Church would be discounted and The Church would have the chance to tackle the problem of water rights in the northland anew.) (2) If The Church gives up its rights to water from the Biddel Flats basin, can it create a new point of diversion in the Antelope Valley basin by drilling a new well in the northland that draws from the Antelope Valley basin permit and distributes water over the entire northland?

Bishop Savoy said that he would speak to Mike Buschelman, water rights consultant, and Doug Cannon, water rights attorney, on these matters to get their opinions on all the questions and proposed courses of action brought up during the meeting before he would get back to the Sacred Oversee to make a final decision.

On Thursday evening, April 9, 2009, Holy Thursday was observed with a communion service and homily in the Chapel of the Holy Child. Officiating was the head bishop, the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr., assisted by the cardinal bishop, the Right Reverend Sean Savoy.

Traditional Easter Sunday was observed with a Sunrise Divine Service at the Cathedral Church of the Americas at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary on April 12. The Right Reverend  Gene Savoy Jr. officiated. The concelebrant was cardinal bishop Sean Savoy, assisted by the canons of The Church — the Right Reverends Peter Foust, Robert Petrovich, and Ileana Isfan.

On Saturday April 18, the True Easter of The Second Advent Church, a special communion and New Divine Service were celebrated at sunrise at the Cathedral Church of the Americas at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary.

Head bishop Gene Savoy Jr. officiated, the Right Reverend Sean Savoy was concelebrant and was assisted by the canons of The Church, the Right Reverends Roger Weld, Reano Castell, and Ileana Isfan.

It was on Sunday April 18, 1982, that those assembled for Sunrise Divine Service at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary received confirmation of the Second Appearance of God through revelation when Jesus, as the Angel of the Lord, manifested in visible form at the Sanctuary of Revelation and entrusted The Church with the keys to open the seals of the Book of Revelation.

The fixed date of April 18, as Second Advent Easter—i.e., following the Sacred Solar Calendar of The Church—is celebrated annually with Sunrise Divine Services at the Sanctuary, as that date was established by the late Most Right Reverend Gene Savoy Sr., as The Man, following a series of revelations received on April 18, 1982, as he climbed the Seven Mountains of Metal at the Sanctuary. All of these events are recorded in The Church’s publication The Book of God’s Revelation.

This year, as is the tradition, fellowship and refreshments followed the service at the Sanctuary’s chapter house.Commemorative services honoring the First Advent calendar were held during the spring season.

In April, the International Community of Christ issued new editions of The Essaei Document and Project X.

On Saturday morning, April 4, 2009, a Rite of First-Degree Ordination as an Initiate of the Order of the Holy Child was held for the Reverend Dr. William Bartlett in the head bishop’s chambers. Officiating was the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. and the Right Reverend Sean Savoy. Assisting was the Reverend Deacon Rhys Andrews. Following the ordination Rev. Bartlett was greeted by the entire Church congregation in the Chancellery narthex. All were delighted to welcome him into the Second Advent Ministry.