History of St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church
The roots of St. Barnabas’ Church were established in 1890 when a church school was begun under lay leadership. On December 17, 1890, the Reverend E. H. Eckels, rector of Old St. James’ celebrated the first Episcopal service in Marshallton, Delaware. The first church was organized as Trinity Memorial Chapel as a mission of St. James’ Parish. On October 22, 1892, the cornerstone of a church building was laid at the corner of Kiamensi and Newport Roads. It was consecrated and dedicated to St. Barnabas on May 12, 1893 by Bishop Coleman. In 1898 this building burned to the ground on Christmas Eve. The rebuilding was done by members of the church. The new building (which still stands in Marshallton) was erected and consecrated on June 27, 1899. In 1932 a parish house building was added to the church. St. Barnabas’ Church remained a mission under the leadership of St. James’ Church until May of 1950, when it became a Parish with the Reverend Jack Smith as its first rector.
In 1955, 26 acres of valuable commercial land on Kirkwood Highway was given to the parish by Frederick Bringhurst and this financed the moving of the parish which had outgrown the building. The Reverend Cloud Rutter became the second rector of St. Barnabas’ Parish in 1957. The vestry decided to sell the commercial site and purchased 9 acres in an expanding residential area (the present site), with enough left over for a new building. On October 9, 1960, ground was broken for the new church. The date Stone was laid by the Right Reverend J. Brooke Mosley, Bishop of the Diocese of Delaware, on St. Barnabas’ Day, June 11, 1961. The first service was celebrated on Christmas Eve 1961.
Ground was broken for the Education Wing on June 19, 1977. It was dedicated on June 18, 1978 by the Right Reverend William Hawley Clark. A new administrative wing was dedicated in June, 2009 to the memory of Associate Priest the Rev. William Merrill.
After 26 years of dedicated service to the church, the Reverend Rutter retired in 1983. From 1985 to 1989 the Reverend Edward M. Ranck served as rector. The current rectory was built during his service to St. Barnabas' in 1987. He was followed by The Reverend George Karney, now Rector Emeritus, 1990 to 2000. The Rev. Robert J. Broesler was called as Rector in 2001. The Rev. Peter B. Huiner has been serving as Bishop's Vicar since May, 2009.
The church building was designed by Samuel and Victorine Homsey of Wilmington to highlight the new emphasis of the Liturgical Movement. It is built in the traditional cruciform shape and a church-in-the-round with the free- standing altar in the center. It is set with the jeweled cross of sacrifice, being offered to God by the people on all sides, holding it aloft to the skylighted roof. This type of worship is reminiscent of the early Christians who worshipped around their altars.
The very structure of the church underlines the key words of our parish philosophy—Worship, Education, Fellowship, Participation. As the surrounding area develops further, St. Barnabas’ Church continues to grow through strong leadership of both clergy and laity.
