COMMUNITY COMMUNIQUE
Volume 51, Number 4, Winter 2007-2008

< Read or download Winter 2007-2008 Communique PDF here. >

IN THIS ISSUE

2 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Winter Weather Woes
By Gary Robert Buchanan

3 FOLLOWING THE SACRED CALENDAR
News on the Season’s Holy Days

7 FEATURE STORY
Church Celebrates Installation of New Head Bishop
By Gary Robert Buchanan and Sean Savoy

8 SPECTRUM
Reports from Church Departments & Offices

9 SERVICE LISTINGS
A Quarterly Register of Liturgical Observances
(Listings begin on this page and continue through the issue.)

12 SPECIAL REPORTS

     FROM THE ARCHIVE
Compiled by Robert Petrovich

     INSIGHT
By Ileana Isfan

14 FROM THE PULPIT
Messages from the Episcopal Oversee

15 EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

< Read or download Winter 2007-2008 Communique PDF here. >

Previous: < FALL 1996 TO FALL 2007 >

Next: < SPRING 2008 >

Film maker Peter Sorcher filmed Community members in Reno for his upcoming feature-length documentary film. The provisional title for the film at the time was “The Earth Was Flat.” The film came out in 2011 under the title Eat the Sun. Sorcher’s crew filmed interviews with Community members on site at the Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary on Sunday, May 23rd and with Bishop Savoy and his sons Gene and Sean at the Rectory-Abbey at Carmel in Reno on Monday, May 24th.

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The Andean Explorers Foundation’s documentary film “Lost City in the Clouds,” produced with Discovery International, premiered in the United States on May 15, 2003 on the Travel Channel.

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On Sunday, July 11, 2004, members of the congregation were given an on-site lecture and training session on what to do in case fire should threaten the Sanctuary. On Friday, July 23, 2004, fire swept across the Temple Mount at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary. The volunteer crew of Community members aided professional fire fighters to control the blaze and, on the following day, performed a mop-up operation.

Chief Red Hawk

Installation of the new water tank to supply the deer drinkers took place during the month of January 2004.

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On February 21, 2014, Rev. Gene Savoy Jr. toured the new regional facility houses for the Church of Latter Day Saints. The storehouses and services offices are designed to aid the needy in the congregation.

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On February 24, 2004, Roger Weld presented a lecture on “Steamboat Springs and Environs” at historic Gold Hill Hotel in Gold Hill, Nevada near famous Virginia City. (I wish we had pictures—ed.)

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The Foundation Orchestra Foundation held its annual Spring Concert on April 12, 2003, at the Eldorado Hotel Showroom. The two-hour “Northern Lights” Concert featured Cherokee Chief Red Hawk and The Sierra Nevada Balalaika Society.

Gene Savoy Sr. PHOTO: Roger Weld

On Friday, August 1, 2003 the Church celebrated in Sanctuary the 22nd annual observance of the anniversary of the appearance of the New Light of God. At sunrise on August 1, members of the Church gathered in special recognition of God’s Confirmation of the Active Principles of Divine Law. The event is recorded in Second Advent scripture in The Book of God’s Revelation.

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Reverend Gene Savoy Jr and Robert Petrovich attended the inaugural mass at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church on Saturday, August 2, 2003.

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On August 15, 2003 at 7:21 PM a baby girl weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce was born to Simona and Gene Savoy Jr. (She was later named Sabrina.)

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On Tuesday, August 26 at 8:15 PM, Mrs. Erica Wilsey, the daughter of Reverend Barbara Whitney, gave birth to a 9 pound 2 ounce son. (The child would later be named Jamie.)

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On Saturday, September 13, 2003 Miles Aaron Walters and Amanda Marie Walters, the children of Amy Buchanan Rodriguez, were confirmed in a public ceremony in the University Chapel that recognized them as members of the Church congregation. The two were scheduled to receive religious instruction in preparation for their reception into the Minor Order of Acolytes.

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On Saturday, October 4, 2003, during Chapel Service, the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr delivered the following message to the resident congregation regarding his father, The Most Right Reverend Gene Savoy Sr:

“Most of you know that these past couple of months, the Bishop has not been feeling well. He has had severe swelling in his legs, liquid in the lungs, poor appetite, and has not been sleeping well. We have just learned this week that he has been diagnosed with a heart condition known as ‘congestive heart failure.’ It appears that he may have suffered a silent heart attack. While the cause of this and the prognosis have yet to be determined, we do know that this is a serious medical condition. Rest assured, however, that the Bishop is presently under the care of one of the best cardiac specialists on the West Coast, and that he is expected to make a full recovery. This may take some time, however. His physician is limiting the Bishop’s activities at this time, and he is resting well.

“We thought it would be appropriate to inform you of the Bishop’s condition—not to alarm you, but so that you might be well informed. Please keep him in your daily reflections. In light of his need for rest, the family asks that he have no visitors at this time. Rather, we ask for your positive thoughts and prayers to assist with his speedy recovery. Please know that everything possible is being done by the family and Rectory staff to ensure the Bishop’s well being. . . .

“In view of the Bishop’s present state of health, his schedule and participation at the upcoming Convocation will be limited; however, he intends to lecture and officiate services to the extent he feels he can and in accordance with his doctor’s orders. . . .

“At this time, the family requests that everyone allow the Bishop his privacy and peace and quiet. This will enable him to recover faster.

“I don’t think I need to stress the importance of us being together, unified and of good cheer. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. The Bishop extends his love to all of you.”

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The Annual Convocation was held from October 6-12, 2003.

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Visiting Consociate Clint Cole received Second-degree Ordination on Saturday, October 11, 2003, following Chapel Service of Communion and Fellowship.

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Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr and other members of the Congregation attended the eighteenth annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Eve Service held at St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in Reno on November 26, 2003. Rev. Savoy also served on the planning committee and took part in the processional.

The Foundation Orchestra Association held a concert at Harrah’s Plaza in downtown Reno. This was a free community concert to close the Cinco de Mayo Reno celebration. A post-ceoncert reception was held at Harrah’s Reno.

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Reverend Amanda Buchanan performed the invocation for the University of Phoenix commencement ceremony at the Reno extension on May 12, 2003.

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A community softball game was held over Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, May 24, at Idlewild Park Field. A potluck barbeque followed.

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The 22nd annual celebration of Second Advent Pentecost was held on June 6, 2003 at the Cathedral Church of the Americas. Pentecost, celebrated on the fixed date of June 6th in the Second Advent Calendar, means that God has bestowed upon the Community in Sanctuary the Divine Presence—the Image and Word that nurture the spirit and soul with life and wisdom.

Pentecost is an old Christian celebration commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples seven weeks after Easter. In the old Hebrew calendar, Pentecost—”Shavout” or the Festival of Weeks—commemorated the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. In the Second Advent, the Church was given at the Sanctuary, on the Temple Mount, New Laws revealed for a new age under God at the Second Coming.

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Reverend Gene Savoy Jr attended the memorial service for Reverend Monsignor Robert Bowling held at St. Therese Church of the Little Flower on June 18, 2003.

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A Memorial Service was held on Saturday, June 28, 2003 for our sister in Light, Deacon Dorothy Daniels, who passed into the Light on Monday, June 16th at the age of 97. The service was officiated by the Most Right Reverend Gene Savoy and a eulogy read by the Right Reverend Ileana Isfan.

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The Most Right Reverend Gene Savoy resumed lectures in the Divinity series on Fridays in June and July of 2003. This would be the final series of lectures delivered by Bishop Savoy in his lifetime.

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Over the weeks of summer in 2003, beginning in July, the women of the Church assisted in Sunday Sanctuary work crews by painting fence posts around the four-mile perimeter of the South Sanctuary of Prophecy.

Since the Church completed the 40th year of the Second Advent Calendar in 2003, the Sacred Liturgy began to be performed to a fuller extent. On Saturday, February 1, 2003 the Church inaugurated the Pannuches Meal Rite, which was celebrated by Jesus during the so-called Last Supper. Every seventh Saturday, according to the ancient tradition of the Essaei, members of the Church continue to assemble in Chapel for a special Communion of bread and wine.

The Pannuches Rite is a private ceremony for Consociates of the Community and the services are not open to the public. Jubilee Sunrise Service is held on the Sunday following the Pannuches Service. Sunday, February 2, 2003 was the first Jubilee Sunday in the Church’s history. On that day, the forty-first anniversary of the Birth of the Sun of Righteousness was held at the Cathedral Church of the Americas.

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Reverends Gene Savoy Jr and Robert Petrovich attended the bi-annual interfaith clergy luncheon at the Salvation Army on February 20, 2003.

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On April 18, 2003 the Church observed the 22nd annual celebration of Second Advent Easter with Communion of Fellowship and Sunrise Divine Service. During the morning’s Communion Service, congregants partook of bread and water in memory of Jesus and in symbolic representation of the True Communion of God’s Image and Word.

April 18th was celebrated as True Easter in a twofold manner. First, the Church commemorates Jesus’ spiritual resurrection on this date in keeping with the solar calendar, which is fixed. Second, the Church remembers the Revelations received in Sanctuary on this date in 1982, an event that serves to confirm the importance of April 18th in the Sacred Calendar of the Church. (Revelations given on this date may be read in The Book of God’s Revelation.

A baptism for Sabrina Josephine Savoy, daughter of Rev. Gene Savoy Jr. and Deacon Simona Savoy took place at the University Chapel on Saturday, November 1, 2013 at 12:00 Noon.

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Equipment and supplies were moved out of storage and into the new production facility at Steamboat Hot Springs on Sunday, November 9, 2013 and put in place the following week.

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Deer drinkers were installed at the Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary on November 16, 2013.

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Miles Aaron Walters and Amanda Marie Walters were anointed on Saturday, November 15, 2003 in private ceremony and presented to the congregation on that day as new members of the Minor Order of Acolytes.

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Rev. Gene Savoy Jr. became more active in regional ecumenical and interfaith services, serving for the first time on the interfaith committee that planned and performed the annual Thanksgiving Eve Service in 2003 and attending installations of clergy at various Reno congregations.

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Rev. Gene Savoy Jr. delivered the Benediction at the Martin Luther King Jr. Remembrance Service at Second Baptist Church for the first time on January 18, 2004. Rev. Robert Petrovich and Felix Provost attended.

Rolland Melton, longtime Reno journalist and friend of the Church, passed away on January 13, 2002.

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The geothermal tank at Steamboat Healing Center required emergency work crews from December 2001 through January 2002 to replace and repair failing parts and leaking walls.

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In January 2002 the Church joined others in a petition to oppose the building of a cat-litter plant in Hungry Valley to the East of Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary—and won.