Priest-in-Charge, Congregational Letter – April 17, 2026

Greetings, friends!

This is my last letter to you as your Priest-in-Charge, and it feels a little strange to be writing it.  I arrived at St Barnabas in July 2020, right in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic, and the six years in between have gone by faster than an Artemis rocket.

At the farewell luncheon following my final service on June 28, I’ll take time to thank the many people who have helped me serve you during my time as your priest. But for now, I would like to highlight some of the events and ministries that I know will stay long in my memory after my departure.

I knew very quickly that I would be joining a vibrant and resilient congregation. I was impressed at how easily everyone adapted to Coronavirus life: we wore our masks and sat six feet apart in church, occupying every other pew, and I remember on one occasion distributing communion wafers using tweezers while wearing a Michael Jackson-style glove in the hope of not contaminating you.

It was fun to worship outside in the summer; audio equipment and furniture were hauled onto the parking lot along with Fred Mengers’ altar, Julia’s keyboard, a vase of flowers, and the Gospel book. I remain grateful for the way everyone pulled together to make things happen. Even the blaring siren from a passing firetruck and the curious looks of motorists passing by on Forsythe Road didn’t detract from our worship.

A special highlight was the 150^th anniversary celebration in June last year, which the Bishop attended along with Archdeacon Denise Schiavone, whom we like to claim as one of our own – “a daughter of St. Barnabas.” The service, including confirmation and the official reception of people into the Episcopal Church, went off without a hitch, and the celebration in the parish hall afterwards was memorable.

I am proud that during my time here we opened up our parish hall for use by three AA groups and also began a biweekly ministry to the residents at Copper Ridge, a memory care facility about a mile away from our front door. Along with our food pantry, thrift shop, blanket and bead ministries and volunteering at the Historic Colored School House, E.S.C.A.P.E ministries and the shelters in Westminster, we do what we can to address the needs of the communities around us. We have “Hearts to love, hands to serve, Minds to think.”

Many churches pride themselves on being places of welcome, but I think St. Barnabas stands out in this regard. To my knowledge, no one has ever attended a service here without being greeted warmly and receiving what they need to participate fully in the liturgy. This generous and welcoming spirit has become part of St. Barnabas’ DNA over the years, and I hear a lot of comments about it from visitors.

We are blessed to be a financially stable church with excellent lay leaders, office staff and wonderful music. Attendance has remained steady over the past few years, and we have also attracted a few newcomers. Because we are a “liturgical church,” i.e. using a set order of worship each Sunday based on the Book of Common Prayer, our worship style doesn’t appeal to everyone, but when people come to us, they usually stay.

Obviously, we have an older congregation, and generous givers who leave this world for the next are hard to replace. That is a challenge that we and all other churches face – how to sustain the financial and human resources required to “be church” in the 21^st century. I urge each of you to do what you can to ensure that the kingdom of God continues to be confidently and joyfully proclaimed from this little church on Forsythe Road.

I leave you in good hands and with much love and admiration!

Tim+

The Rev. Timothy H. Grayson
Priest-in-Charge