His Grace Bishop Benjamin recently traveled to Corvallis, Oregon to lead the
people of St. Anne Church in the celebration of their Patronal Feast, the
Dormition of the Holy and Righteous Anne, on July 25th. He was accompanied
by Archpriest John Pierce, Dean of the Pacific Northwest.

Prior to the parish’s festal celebrations, Bishop Benjamin toured the Family
Tree Relief Nursery in neighboring Albany on the afternoon of July 24th. The
Relief Nursery was founded by St. Anne Church in 2003 as a community-based
non-profit to work with at-risk families in the prevention of child abuse
and neglect. St. Anne parishioners have continued to serve on staff and on
the board of directors for the Nursery ever since.

That evening His Grace attended a parish council dinner at the home of Fr.
Stephen and Mona Soot, which was then followed by the All-Night Vigil for
the Feast of St. Anne at the church. (The parish meets in the historic, 100
year-old Lewisburg Grange Hall, purchased by the church back in 2003.)
Bishop Benjamin served at the Vigil and was assisted by Archpriest Stephen
Soot (Rector), Archpriest John Pierce, Priest James Baglien of St. Martin
Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR) of Corvallis and Deacon Stephen Dyer, of St.
John of Shanghai Serbian Orthodox Church in Eugene.

His Grace officiated at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy the following
morning and he and the other clergy present the night before were joined by
Priest Gerasimos Markapolos of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Eugene.
There were about 100 people present for the Divine Liturgy and a banquet
afterward hosted by the parish in its hall was also well attended. To
conclude the Feast Day celebration, all guests were invited to gather under
one of the enormous spruce trees on the church’s property for a photograph
with the bishop and other visiting clergy.