Deaconess Rhys Andrews Returns to Canada

Reverend Rhys Andrews at Church of the Americas

The Reverend Deaconess Rhys Andrews and her husband, Bobby, have left Reno to return to Canada via Idaho. The news came suddenly to us, but Rhys’s health, which requires her to take advantage of her Canadian health benefits, as well as her need to be closer to her three sons, who reside in British Columbia, dictated that she leave Reno at this time. Rhys will be in communication with us from Canada on a regular basis. She is looking forward to continuing her studies and to a well-deserved rest, as well as to assisting the Head Bishop in establishing a Canadian office for The Community. She and Bobby will be staying with friends in Idaho until arrangements can be made for their residence in Canada.

Rhys enrolled in The Academy in June 2005 while she resided in Montana. In June 2006, when she and her husband were in a state of transition, her preceptor recommended that Rhys would be a great asset to The Community in Reno. Since that time, Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. began working toward making it possible for Rhys to move to Reno. A few months later, in August 2006, Rhys and her husband took up temporary residence in the East Wing of the Rectory-Abbey on Carmel.

During the years that she resided in Reno, Rhys’s duties expanded and diversified to include important tasks in several Church departments. Rhys acted as Director of Vestry, overseeing care and transportation of vestments, as well as repairs and tailoring, and she was assigned to the Chapel of the Holy Child as sacristan and sexton. At the Chancellery, she worked as a personal assistant to the Head Bishop, contacting members and making special phone calls in addition to organizing and maintaining Chancellery files and student dossiers. She also assisted with posting the accounts for The Church and served on the Finance Council. Her special duties included arranging flowers for Chapel services and special events and working as one of the care-taking staff at the Rectory, where she and Bobby resided, first at the Rectory East Wing parsonage and later in an apartment at the Rectory-Abbey. Rhys was also a volunteer chaplain at nearby St. Mary’s Hospital. She loved her ministry there and looked forward to her weekly chaplaincy duties.

During the four years that Bobby resided in Reno, he worked through the Building Department in the area of maintenance and was attached in this capacity to the Rectory, where he resided. He oversaw upkeep of the Rectory and Chancellery as well as the weekly deep cleaning of the spa facilities at the Steamboat Healing Center. Over the years, Bobby assisted with many renovation projects at all three locations, as well as some of the projects at the Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary.

The 4^th of July barbecue held at the Rectory-Abbey this year also served as a surprise bon voyage party for Rhys and Bobby, who left on the first leg of their journey two days later on the morning of July 6.

We wish Rhys and Bobby a safe journey with our thanks for all of their hard work and dedication over the past four years, and we look forward to a continuing relationship with them as we move toward opening a Canadian office for The Church. They will be missed by Community residents in Reno.