The Community’s mission in Japan, led by Bishop Yukinori Matsushita, continues to work and function on a regular basis with sunrise services, meetings, classes, and public outreach offerings.

Bishop Matsushita is also translating many of the books of The Church into Japanese. Meanwhile, Jamil, Child of Light: Messenger of God is also being translated into German by the Right Reverend Reano Castell.

During the late winter and early spring, scheduled services were held in Japan on the following dates:

January 29, Thursday: Chapel service. Attending were Bishop Matsushita and all members: Koshu Kawahara, Keiko Inoue, Miyuki Okayama, Syouko Ouba, Eriko Ueno, Yaeno Sanada, and Shinobu Uwataki.
7:00 P.M.: Memorial ceremony for Jamil. Officiating: Bishop Matsushita.
7:55 P.M.: Listening and study of the recordings of Jamil: The Child Christ.
9:00 P.M.: Reading of Jamil: The Child Christ by turns.
Midnight service: Bishop Matsushita officiating.

February 1, Sunday: Services. Attendance: all members.
7:20 A.M.: Sunrise service. Officiating: Bishop Matsushita, Koshu Kawahara, and Shinobu Uwataki.
8:15 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer, Bishop Matsushita.

February 2, Monday: Sunrise service at Mount Koura.
Attendance: Bishop Matsushita, Koshu Kawahara, Keiko Inoue, Miyuki Okayama,
Eriko Ueno, Yaeno Sanada, and Shinobu Uwataki.
7:20 A.M.: Sunrise service. Officiating: Bishop Matsushita, Koshu Kawahara, and.Shinobu   Uwataki.

February 6, Friday: Chapel service. Attendance: all members.
9:30 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer. Officiating: Bishop Matsushita, Koshu Kawahara, and Shinobu Uwataki.

February 8, Sunday: Services. Attendance: Koshu Kawahara, Shinobu Uwataki, Yaeno Sanada, Keiko Inoue, Miyuki Okayama, Syouko Ouba, and Eriko Ueno.
7:00 A.M.: Sunrise service: Koshu Kawahara, Shinobu Uwataki, and Yaeno Sanada.
7:20 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Koshu Kawahara, Shinobu Uwataki, and Yaeno Sanada.

February 15, Sunday: Services. Attendance: Shinobu Uwataki, Yaeno Sanada, Keiko Inoue,                           Syouko Ouba, Eriko Ueno, and Koshu Kawahara.
7:05 A.M.: Sunrise service: Shinobu Uwataki, Yaeno Sanada, and Keiko Inoue.
7:25 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Shinobu Uwataki, Yaeno Sanada, and Keiko Inoue.

February 22,  Sunday: Services. Attendance: all members.
7:00 A.M.: Sunrise service. Officiating: Bishop Matushita, Shinobu Uwataki, and Yaeno Sanada
7:36 A.M.: Eucharistic Prayer. Officiating: Bishop Matushita, Shinobu Uwataki, and Yaeno Sanada.

March 1, Sunday: Services. Attendance: all members.
6:50 A.M.: Sunrise service: Yaeno Sanada, Shinobu Uwataki, and Eriko Ueno.
7:25 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer. Yaeno Sanada, Shinobu Uwataki, and Eriko Ueno.

March 3, Tuesday: Chapel service. Attendance: all members.
7:10 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Bishop Matsushita, Yaeno Sanada, and Keiko Inoue.
March 7, Saturday: Chapel service. Attendance: all members.
4:10 P.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Keiko Inoue, Eriko Ueno, and Miyuki Okayama.
March 8, Sunday: Services at Mt. Koura. Attendance: all members.
6:50 A.M.: Sunrise service: Bishop Matsushita, Keiko Inoue, and Eriko Ueno.
7:15 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Eriko Ueno, Miyuki Okayama, and Syouko Ouba.

March 15, Sunday: Services. Attendance: Miyuki Okayama, Syouko Ouba, Koshu Kawahara,  Keiko Inoue, Eriko Ueno, Yaeno Sanada, and Shinobu Uwataki.
6:20 A.M.: Sunrise services: Miyuki Okayama, Syouko Ouba, and Koshu Kawahara.
6:45 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Miyuki Okayama, Syouko Ouba, and.Koshu Kawahara.
March 16, Monday: Services at Mt. Koura. Attendance: Syouko Ouba, Shinobu Uwataki, Koshu Kawahara, Keiko Inoue, Eriko Ueno, Miyuki Okayama, and Yaeno Sanada.
6:15 A.M.: Sunrise service: Syouko Ouba, Shinobu Uwataki, and Koshu Kawahara.
6:45 A.M.: Euchristic prayer: Syouko Ouba, Shinobu Uwataki, and Koshu Kawahara.

March 22, Sunday: Services. Attendance: Koshu Kawahara, Yaeno Sanada, Keiko Inoue, Eriko Ueno, Shinobu Uwataki, and Syouko Ouba.
6:25 A.M.: Sunrise service: Koshu Kawahara, Yaeno Sanada, and Keiko Inoue.
6:50 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Koshu Kawahara, Yaeno Sanada, and Keiko Inoue.
March 29, Sunday: Services at Mt. Koura. Attendance: Bishop Matushita, Eriko Ueno,  Miyuki Okayama, Syouko Ouba, Keiko Inoue, Shinobu Uwataki, and Koshu Kawahara.
6:35 A.M.: Sunrise service: Bishop Matushita, Eriko Ueno, and Miyuki Okayama.
7:05 A.M.: Eucharistic prayer: Shinobu Uwataki, Eriko Ueno, and.Miyuki Okayama.

Consociate Claudia Grady, wife of Deacon Shane Grady, became a naturalized American citizen this spring in a ceremony held in Reno. Claudia, originally from Mexico, and Shane have a daughter, Kendra Jane, who was baptized in The Church in April 2008.

During the spring three young men of The Church began studies in the Academy program. These included Gary Huss Jr., Matthew Madonna, and Ryan Anderson. Both Gary and Matthew are well known to The Community, as they both grew up in the Church in Reno. Gary is the son of the Reverend Gary Huss Sr., and Matthew is the son of the Reverend Michael McIntyre. Ryan is a close friend and working colleague of Matthew. All three were enrolled in the March 1, 2009, class.

The Reverend Deacon Robert Anderson relocated to the center in Reno during the month of March. Anderson has been actively involved in assisting with proofreading and copyediting drafts of the Community Communiqué and Jamilian University theology lectures, participating in work crews, and assisting at Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center & Spa during administrative changes and major renovations.

On the evening of Friday April 20, Swami Vedananda from California presented a talk about the wisdom of the ancient Sanskrit scriptures the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita at the Vajra Temple in Reno. Attending on behalf of the sponsoring Nevada Clergy
Association and The Second Advent Church was the Reverend Dr. William Bartlett.

The Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. attended a lecture at the University of Nevada on Saturday April 20, titled “Jihad: Between Myth and Truth.”

The lecture was presented by Dr. Emad Bayoun and organized by the Muslim Students Association at UNR and the Northern Nevada Muslim Community (Imams Abdul Barghoutti and Abdu Mulla). Dr. Bayoun is widely recognized for his commitment to religious education, especially among youth. As a lecturer for the Muslim American Society (MAS) and as a council member of the MAS Inland Empire Chapter, Bayoun spends most of his free time teaching others about Islam.

A Hindu baccalaureate service was held at the University of Nevada–Reno in the Joe Crowley Student Union on Saturday April 11. Attending on behalf of the Second Advent Church were the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr.  and the Reverends Robert and Francine Petrovich. Bishop Savoy also participated in the planning of the event.

The bishop also gave a blessing on behalf of the International Community of Christ and the Nevada Clergy Association. Others seated on the dais were Imam Abdul Barghoutti (Northern Nevada Muslim Community); Rabbi Elizabeth Beyer; Elder Bruce Brinkerhoff (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints); the Reverend Phil Bryan (Reno Buddhist Church); Elder Ralph Burns (Paiute tribe); Roya Galata (Baha’i faith); Nevada First Lady Dawn Gibbons; UNR provost Marc Johnson; Father John Legerski (Bishop Manogue High School); Reno police chief Michael Poehlman; the Reverend Bruce Taylor (Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church); Swami Vedananda (Vedanta Society of Northern California); Reno Hindu leader Rajan Zed; and UNR vice president Stephen Zink. Jim Eaglesmith gave a musical presentation, and L. Martina Young presented a dance.

On Friday evening April 3, Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. attended the Cultural Image Awards gala at the Peppermill Resort and Casino in Reno. At the request of the Reverend Terry McCray-Hill, pastor of Bethel AME Church, Savoy delivered the invocation for the event.
Individuals in attendance with whom Bishop Savoy conversed included Washoe district court judges Bretn Adams and Patrick Flannigan; Lonnie Feemster, president of the local chapter of the NAACP; Dolores Feemster; Guy Rocha; archivist Gerald Miller of the Reno Gazette Journal; Shirley Rogers of Nevada State Bank; and Alberta Rederford.

On Saturday March 21, head bishop Gene Savoy Jr. visited the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California. Accompanying him were Sonya Savoy, Sabrina Savoy, Sophia Savoy, and Lisamarie Wand.

Organized by Hindu leader Rajan Zed through the Nevada Clergy Association with about twenty Nevada participants, the visit included a tour of the ashram, lunch, a lecture presented by Swami Sitaramananda, and two yoga classes (beginner and intermediate).

During the yoga portion of the visit, Bishop Savoy had tea with the swami and exchanged information. The swami talked about her background and recent visit to Rome. Bishop Savoy discussed Cosolargy, the International Community of Christ, and the Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary. An invitation was extended for the swami to visit the Sanctuary on her next trip to Reno.

On Friday evening March 13, 2009 the Reverend Robert Petrovich attended a lecture titled “Darwin, Dover, and Intelligent Design” at the Temple Sinai social hall in Reno. The speaker was Dr. Kevin Padian, president of the National Center for Science Education and curator of paleontology at the University of California Museum of Paleontology in Berkeley.
The lecture explored a range of topics primarily concerned with “theistic evolution” and “intelligent design.” The lecture was preceded by the traditional Jewish Sabbath service.