PHOTO: Roger Weld

What has been going on at the Sanctuary these past few years? This is a question a number of nonresidents have been asking lately.

Below is a list of 25 developments. They appear here in no particular order, just as they popped into the memory of resident caretaker Ted Staver and on to paper:

1. Removed all of the old equipment in front of the maintenance shed

2. Found a new home for the llamas and cleaned up the pasture area

3. Began the foundation for a future park by installing swings and a fountain

4. Built a screened-in garden in the park area

5. Landscaped the front of the Chapter House and removed the old greenhouses

6. Rocked in the parking lot island and areas around the Chapter House with over 25 tons of rock

7. Purchased a recreational vehicle and placed it on the Sanctuary grounds as a guest house with permanent wiring and sewage service

8. Converted one part of the Chapter House into a separate living quarters and thus was able to add one more permanent resident at the Sanctuary

9. Working on completing another living quarters later this year so that one more permanent resident will be living at the Sanctuary, for a total of 4 people

10. Installed a 1-kilowatt wind generator to provide power needed by the added number of people

11. Repaired the Church of New Pentecost and landscaped the area with rocks

12. Repaired the steps at the Cathedral Church of the Americas and stained the table and other key areas

13. Installed transformers to the upper level of the Sanctuary so that the Refectory and Cathedral Church now run on solar power

14. Planted 450 trees at the Church of the Christian Churches and upgraded the irrigation system to accommodate them

15. Removed tons of stone rubble at the parking lot of the Church of New Epiphany

16. Gave the entrance to the Church of New Epiphany a face lift, and it is now the first Church on the Sanctuary grounds to have its name at its entrance

17. Replaced the Communion table at the Church of New Epiphany and repaired the bell choir tables

18. Replaced the 15-foot cross at the Church of the Christian Churches

19. Painted all the crosses in the South Sanctuary (Sanctuary of Prophecy)

20. Repaired the vestment racks at the Churches in the South Sanctuary

21. Painted the Communion tables in the South Sanctuary (Sanctuary of Prophecy)

22. Repaired and permanently fixed in place the cross at the Church of the Americas

23. Completed all but the final phase of the water project (There is way too much to list here. See other Communiqué articles dealing with the Sanctuary water project specifically)

24. Restored the cross and table at the Church of New Philadelphia

25. Placed vestment racks at all the Churches in the Northland (Sanctuary of Revelation)

A lot of lesser projects are not mentioned in this list, but the above twenty-five projects represent the major developments of the past couple of years.

The Jubilee Service held on September 30 was the closing liturgical event of the 2012 Convocation. The  Service was performed in Sanctuary at the Cathedral Church of the Americas. Several members of the Northern Nevada interfaith group participated.

Ordained resident and nonresident congregation members were vested. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

A vocal performance was provided by the Japanese congregation present, singing a liturgical hymn. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Ms. Roya Galata (center) performed a Persian Baha’i hymn. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Jim Eaglesmith (center) performed a Zuni sunrise song. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Susanna Bair (center) offered an original hymn. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Visiting Japanese congregation with Noriko and Rob Roy. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

PHOTO: Tom Fee

MONDAY–TUESDAY 9/24–25/2012
The 2012 Annual Convocation of Consociates of the International Community of Christ/Cosolargy began on Monday September 24, with, as usual, two days of marathon residence training classes for those Consociates who needed to fulfill these requirements. These were held in the Chapel of the Holy Child.

2012 Residence Training II attendees. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

WEDNESDAY 9/26
All Consociates gathered on Wednesday morning at the Chancellery vestibule for registration and orientation and then proceeded to Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary for Counsels Lectures on liturgical theology and liturgical training techniques by the Right Reverend Gene Savoy Jr. at the Sanctuary’s Monastery Gardens. The weather was inviting, and a refreshment tent had been set up adjacent to the lecture area.

Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. delivers 2012 Counsels lecture. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Following Rt. Rev. Savoy’s morning lecture, attendees made their way over to the outdoor refectory for a wonderful luncheon prepared by Convocation Coordinator Francine Petrovich and aides. After a relaxing lunch break, attendees reassembled at the Monastery Gardens for the afternoon lecture and an introduction to some advanced solar techniques.

Following the conclusion of Counsels lectures (around 3 p.m.), an optional tour of the Sanctuary’s newly completed water project was given by the Reverends Ted Staver and Herman Aggenbach, who have coordinated the project over its development over the last several years. The water distribution system that has been installed makes both water and electrical power available at most locations in the Sanctuary Southland, thus allowing for the building of homes for those Consociates who choose to live on the property in the future. The tour lasted about three hours, after which Consociates returned to their homes or hotels. The evening was free for scheduled visits to the Steamboat Hot Springs Spa.

THURSDAY–FRIDAY 9/27–28

Jim Eaglesmith presents during 2012 Cosolargy Conference. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Thursday morning found Convocation Consociates and members of the public gathering at the Emerald Room of the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa in south Reno for the Third Annual Spiritual State of the World Conference hosted by Cosolargy International. The theme of this year’s conference was the Dawn of the Golden Age of Light: Transformation through Cosmic Solar Intelligence. At 9 a.m. the conference was opened by Master of Ceremonies Francine Petrovich, who gave a welcome and introduced the keynote speaker, world-renowned biophysicist Dr. James Oschman, who gave a multimedia presentation on “Cosmic Thinking and Being.”

The second presentation of the morning was given by the husband-and-wife team of Puran and Susanna Bair, founders of the Institute for Applied Meditation and the University of the Heart. Their theme was the coming times and the culture of the heart. Time was then taken for a lunch break.

After a luncheon in the Napa Bistro on the premises, which the hotel opened just for the conferees’ convenience, the afternoon session began with Dr. Stephan Fuelling’s presentation on synchronicity, intent, and conscious creation. It was followed by Dr. Gary Buchanan’s take on the future of healing, and how his Sonatherapy® and Cosolargy will play a part. The first day’s presentations were concluded with Dr. Jacob Liberman’s presentation, titled “Stop Looking and Start Seeing.” Thus ended the first day of the conference, and the evening was free for spa visits, socializing, reflecting on the day, or whatever one felt moved to do.

Friday morning began at 9 a.m. with Dr. Karl Maret’s multimedia presentation on living in an electric universe. It was, as usual, packed with information and quite fascinatingly presented.

Next came a hands-on presentation by artist Dr. Rowena Kryder, who talked about consciousness aspects of the new Golden Age of Light and gave the participants some exercises to do to help focus consciousness, including the use of a new set of “consciousness cards” that she designed and makes available in book form under the title Soul Fire.

After another pleasant luncheon in the Napa Bistro, the final presentations were delivered by Sean Savoy, who spoke on linking oneself with the New Sun to activate Consciousness; singer/songwriter, storyteller, and native culture enthusiast Jim Eaglesmith, who shared some of his music and chants, including one in Aramaic in which the audience participated, along the theme of “we are one in 2012”; and finally, the concluding presentation by Gene Savoy Jr. on the Golden Age of Light.

Gary Buchanan opens the 2012 "Spirit of Exploration" Banquet as Master of Ceremonies. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

On Friday evening, after a break, Consociates had the option (which most took) to attend the annual banquet of the Andean Exploration Foundation and Ocean Sailing Club, held at the Atlantis Hotel’s Paradise Room. The evening included a bagpipe memorial tribute to members who had died; slide presentations of Project X expeditions to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Korea, and Japan; and the awarding of medals of participation and support for foundation members. During the meal, attendees were treated to Indian sarod music and Japanese traditional dance.

Saturday 9/29

2012 Chapel Communion Service. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Saturday was a full day, beginning with Communion Service in the Chapel of the Holy Child at 10 a.m., followed by first- and second-degree ordinations in bishop’s chambers, followed by a reception in the vestibule. Lee Ann Baum, Frank Gadsen, Humberto Garcia, Scott Ripke, and Saeno Tokuaga received first-degree ordination, while John Bowd (who, in his seventies traveled from Australia), was ordained a deacon (second-degree ordination).

Five newly ordained members of the Order. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Almost right afterward, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., was the annual health fair and open house at Steamboat Hot Springs Healing Center, followed at 6 p.m. by the Pannuches Meal Rite (celebrated every fifty days) held at the Chapel of the Holy Child with a special extended celebration at the Rectory-Abbey on Carmel.

Sunday 9/30

Vested Consociates after Sunrise Divine Service during Convocation, 2012. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

The day began before dawn with Jubilee Sunrise Divine Service (the “Jubilee” referring to the concluding celebration of the Pannuches rite), a concelebrated service wherein all ordained members were vested. The service was also an interfaith service and held at the Cathedral Church of the Americas, as is customary during Convocation. After the service the Reverend Diana Carragher received third-level ordination (to the presbyterate). The services were followed by a grand breakfast buffet at the open-air Refectory.

At 1 p.m., the annual Spiritual State of the World Conference was concluded back at the Atlantis Hotel with a roundtable discussion with the conference presenters and invited guests, after which a brief closing reception was held. Thus ended another successful, inspiring Convocation and World Conference marking the auspicious year of 2012.

Speakers and guests prepare for 2012 roundtable discussion. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

submitted by Robert Anderson

PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

August 1 Confirmation of Divine Law
Monday August 1, 2012, was the 30th anniversary of the Appearance of the New Light of God in Sanctuary, confirming the Active Principles of Divine Law. Communion of Fellowship and Sunrise Divine Service were held at the Cathedral Church of the Americas to commemorate this observance.

God’s Confirmation of the Active Principles of Divine Law occurred on August 1, 1982. That event is recorded in Second Advent Scripture in The Book of God’s Revelation with commentary relating the event to the revelation received by the Church on April 18, Easter in the Second Advent Calendar, and the further revelations received on June 6, the Second Advent Day of Pentecost.

Among the revelations received on June 6, 1982, the Church received instruction on the New Act of God, God’s conception of the Newly Created Light, a New Light that renovates the whole of creation. The Church also received instruction on the Four Newly Created Intermediary Lights that manifest through this conception.

Scripture tells us that through the manifestation of these Four Intermediary Lights, God has fixed the Four Newly Created Tables of the Law to be taught to the Ordained in the Holy Institutions of Learning, and so that the unwritten Code of the Law may be codified on earth for the emancipation of the human race, God has decreed Twelve newly created Active Principles of Divine Law of His New Covenant, which are subordinate to the Lights of God and to the Tables of the Law, yet are instruments of the Divine Plan for human redemption.

With the revelation given on June 6, God decreed these Twelve Active Principles to be in force upon confirmation. And on the first day of August 1982, “The New Light of God appeared over the face of the sun, confirming the Active Principles of Divine Law.” Celebrating and recalling that event of confirmation is the purpose of the special commemoration each year on this date.

Pannuches Meal Rite
The Seventy-Second Pannuches Meal Rite was held August 11, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Child. This is a private ceremony for members of the Order. The Jubilee Sunrise Service was held the following morning in Sanctuary. The Jubilee Sunday is a day of fasting. The elderly are exempt from fasting on that day if they choose.

The Seventy-Third Pannuches Meal Rite was held Saturday September 29, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Child. This is a private ceremony for members of the Order. Since this celebration coincided with the annual Convocation, the entire congregation was invited to attend a light repast at the Rectory-Abbey on that evening at 7:30 p.m.

The Jubilee Sunrise was held the following morning in Sanctuary at the Cathedral Church of the Americas. Ordained resident and nonresident congregation members were vested. Vocal performances were provided by the Japanese congregation present, singing a liturgical hymn; Ms. Roya Galata, singing a Persian Baha’i hymn; and Jim Eaglesmith, performing a Zuni sunrise song. A breakfast was served at the Refectory following Divine Service. The Jubilee Service on September 30 was held as part of the 2012 Convocation, with special members of the Northern Nevada interfaith group as participants.

Some of the new residents of the Community in Reno have been asking for the names and locations of the various Churches in the Southland Sanctuary of Prophecy and the Northland Sanctuary of Revelation.

We found these old maps, hand-drawn by Gary Buchanan, from the Summer 1984 Community Communiqué. The names of a few places have been changed in the Sanctuary of Prophecy. What was in 1984 called the “Basilica” is now called the “Cathedral Church of the Americas” and what was called the “Forum” is now called the “Refectory.” “Monte Viejo” refers to a mountaintop designated for the Southland Sanctuary Abbey. The names of the locations in the Sanctuary of Revelation, all of them Churches, remain the same.

Below each of the photo images of the maps you will find a PDF of the map that you can print for yourself.

Map-Churches of Prophecy

Map-Churches of Revelations

Completely outfitted lift pump station PHOTO: Ted Staver

The Sanctuary water and power system is up and running. During this year’s Convocation, following the annual Counsels lectures delivered at the Monastery Gardens, attending Community members were invited to a complete tour of the water project to get a firsthand look at the various structures involved that put it all together and make it work.

Led and directed by the Reverends Ted Staver and Herman Aggenbach, the tour took a fascinating three hours to complete. Rev. Aggenbach described the power distribution system and its importance for future expansion of the Sanctuary and explained how easy it will be to expand upon now that all the basic infrastructure is in place. Rev. Staver shared some ideas with the group on potentials of water usage at the pond site for large-scale food production now that electrical power is at that location.

Water tank set up between pond and lift pump station. PHOTO: Ted Staver

All in all, people were quite impressed with what they saw and showed appreciation for the hard work it took to get to this point.

Rev. Staver sent this message to everyone involved in the project: “There are still some minor little details to finish it up, but, hey, it works. Thanks to everyone who contributed. Thank you.”

Rev. Aggenbach promised a three-part series of articles for the Communique that will detail the distribution systems and potentials for future expansion.

PHOTO: Ted Staver

After approximately 10 months of hard work and planning, Phase 2 of the Sanctuary Water Project is nearly completed.

After completing Phase 1 of the water project, the Church’s Building Department first needed to design and build a lift pump, or booster pump, station that would lift the water from the Argonaut well up the hills to the 10,000-gallon reservoir behind the Chapter House. To do this required a little more than 3,000 feet of pipe and a lot of digging with a trenching machine.

PHOTO: Ted Staver

Pipe laid near the lift pump station. PHOTO: Ted Staver

That part of the project alone took a little more than 7 months to complete because, along with the pipe that was laid, electrical wiring for power distribution and signal wire for communications were also placed in the trench.

The photos show that there is a lot of equipment inside the lift pump station: power distribution transformers, motor controllers, a computer for monitoring sensor signals, and a specialized inverter, or power transformer, for converting wind and solar power to run the pump in the future as those things become available.

Herman Aggenbach, who designed and installed the electronics, checks his work. PHOTO: Ted Staver

Ted Staver, one of the main workers on the project from the Church’s Building Department, made some comparisons to give an idea of what these developments will mean for the Sanctuary in the future: “In the past, we were using a diesel generator to pump water for our irrigation system on the upper level of the Sanctuary. That was not very cost effective. To give you an idea of what this means, the diesel generator during the summer months was pumping 60,000 gals of water per month. The lift pump station that we have designed will enable us to pump 1.3 million gallons of water per month, if we choose, to the upper level of the Sanctuary at one-tenth the cost of diesel fuel. It is a major step toward the future growth of the Sanctuary.”

PHOTO: Ted Staver

Completed lift pump station near the Sanctuary pond. PHOTO: Ted Staver

Report provided by Ted Staver

Bishop Gene Savoy Jr performing Pannuches Meal Rite. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Pannuches Meal Rite
The 70th Pannuches Meal Rite was held Saturday, May 5, 2012. Jubilee Sunrise Service was held the following morning in Sanctuary.

The 71st Pannuches Meal Rite was held Saturday, June 23, 2012. Jubilee Sunrise Service was held the following morning in Sanctuary.

Predawn view of the east on Pentecost 2012. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Second Advent Pentecost
On Wednesday, June 6, 2012, Second Advent Pentecost was observed with a celebration of Communion and Sunrise Divine Service at the Cathedral Church of the Americas at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary. The service was photographed by a professional photographer. A light breakfast was served at the outdoor Sanctuary Refectory afterward.

Pentecost in the Second Advent Church means that God has bestowed the Divine Presence upon the Community in Sanctuary, the Image and the Word that nurture the spirit and soul with Life and Wisdom. The old First Dispensation Christian celebration commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples seven weeks after the Resurrection. 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, New Laws have been revealed at the Temple Mount for a new age under God at the Second Coming. Revelations given on this date are recorded in The Book of God’s Revelation.

Preparing for Sunrise Divine Service on Pentecost 2012. PHOTO: Stephan Fuelling

Red Rock Sanctuary view of Consolatory and Cathedral Church of the Americas with Temple Mount in the background. PHOTO: Roger Weld

The Community is offering for sale 40 acres of open land near our Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary property in Red Rock Estates. The Sanctuary and available land is in Antelope Valley, 20 miles north of downtown Reno, NV. For information you may contact Bishop Gene Savoy Jr. at gsavoyjr@communityofchrist.org or call 775-786-7827.