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St. Brendan the Navigator Mission in Astoria, OR had its Thriving Parishes Project (TPP) Retreat on Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18. Priest Andrew Smith trained the Church Health Team (CHT) on Saturday and gave the parish-wide presentation at the end of Coffee Hour on Sunday. Great Vespers was served on Saturday evening by the Archpriest Kevin Lien, priest-in-charge. Fr. Andrew and the CHT met for dinner in town afterwards for more bonding time. The Divine Liturgy on Sunday was concelebrated by Frs. Kevin and Andrew, assisted by Dn. Cuthbert Downs of Holy Annunciation Church in Milwaukie, OR. Fr. Andrew gave the homily.
The community had just celebrated its patronal feast on Friday, May 16, and so the fellowship at coffee hour was particularly festive. St. Brendan cookies were distributed and the whole congregation sang the secular song “St. Brendan’s Fair Isle” before Fr. Andrew addressed the parishioners.
The parish of St. Brendan was incorporated only in 2017, though it began its history as Holy Nativity Eastern Orthodox Mission in Kelso, WA. In 2012 it moved to Hammond, OR, before landing in Astoria. The community originally formed to serve the spiritual needs of the Orthodox faithful along the north coast, a need it still serves today.
The town of Astoria itself was founded as far back as 1811, and boasts of being not just the oldest city in the state of Oregon, but indeed the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountain Range. Its location on the mighty Columbia River and about ten miles from the Pacific Ocean meant that it experienced many decades as a vital shipping and fishing port. Due to this nautical history and the vaulted shiplap ceiling of the church building the parish purchased, the community prayed about changing its name of Nativity and chose St. Brendan the Navigator as its heavenly patron.
May God guide this enthusiastic community growing on Oregon’s ruggedly beautiful north coast, by the prayers of St. Brendan!
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The Diocese of the West is the geographical district of the Orthodox Church in America consisting of the Western United States. The diocese has active parishes in Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii. San Francisco is home to the diocese’s cathedral, Holy Trinity, as well as the Chancery offices. The diocese is led by His Grace Vasily, Bishop of San Francisco and the West.
