Our History

The history of St. Barnabas has been one of growth and renewal, of steps taken forward in faith and a reverence for the history and traditions of the Episcopal Church and of this parish family.  These influences can be seen not only in worship and outreach at St. Barnabas, but in the architecture, art and music. 

Beginning years:  From mission to parish St. Barnabas began as a Mission Church in 1953. A small group of people met in a variety of locations in Scottsdale, including a Quonset Hut (pictured) located at 132 W. Main. Our first Rector, The Rev. Paul L. West was appointed in 1954 and the Mission held its first service on Ash Wednesday of that year.  Seeking a permanent home, the Mission that was to become The Episcopal Parish of St. Barnabas on the Desert began looking for property in the Scottsdale area. Mr. & Mrs. Fowler McCormick donated the present church property located at 6715 N. Mockingbird Lane on January 4, 1955. Parish status was granted on All Saints Day in 1955. The Arizona Corporation Commission issued a Certificate of Incorporation to St. Barnabas on May 2, 1958; and that same year Arizona, formerly a Missionary District, became a Diocese of the Episcopal Church.

Early construction In 1960, a contract to build the Sanctuary, Chapel and Education Building was awarded to the architectural firm of T.S. Montgomery at a cost of approximately $400,000. Montgomery’s design envisioned graceful, rhythmic columns and arches, a high ceiling and a raised circular altar. The result, expressed in Mediterranean Contemporary style, is a light and wonderfully proportioned space. The first service in the new Sanctuary was held September 10, 1961. On November 12th of that year, all of the newly completed buildings were dedicated.  

Finalizing the original master plan for the campus, the Great Hall (now known as Hutton Hall) was built in 1964 at a cost of $123,900. Each Vestry Member pledged $10,000 and signed a note to serve as collateral to secure the mortgage—an investment of themselves & their futures into the future of their church home. St. Barnabas was debt free, and in 1973, the mortgage was burned. The Rt. Rev. Joseph Harte, S.T.D., Bishop of Arizona, consecrated St. Barnabas on February 1, 1973. The first internment in our beautiful and serene Memorial Garden occurred on February 26, 1976. Under the leadership of Fr. Hutton, an office addition on the southeast corner of the main Church building was completed in 1984. The bookstore also opened that year. The Learning Center and playground were constructed in 1988 and Hutton Hall was remodeled at the same time.

Recent projects On All Saints Sunday 2005, Saint Barnabas celebrated its 50th anniversary with the dedication of the Gwen Harris Music Building (including the carillon—the only one of its kind in Arizona!), a new Book & Gift Shop and a coffee lounge aptly named ‘The Other Cup’. Each of these new spaces reflect the parish’s commitment to community, beauty and outreach. The Rt. Rev. Kirk S. Smith, VIII Bishop of Arizona, dedicated the new buildings. 

The Gwen Harris Music Building is a 6,300 square foot building equipped with a 123-seat rehearsal and performance hall built with state-of-the-art acoustics.  This new home for our music programs has become a beautiful multi-use space for the whole congregation. The carillon is both playable & programmable and a new guild of Carilloneurs has come to life thanks to it! The Book & Gift Shop (see the bookstore link on the left) carries a wide selection of books, cards, jewelry, and other items from around the world, many of which are made in rural communities as a source of income. The Other Cup provides the parish with a casual and welcoming space much like that of commercial coffee shops and plays host to meetings, small groups and various functions throughout the year.

From 1964 to 2010, their 18-by-44-foot tapestry, Ode to Joy, hung behind the altar, screening the organ pipes.  The tapestry was removed and stored in 2010 because exposure to daylight had weakened portions of the fabric. In 1964, the church received donations of antique furniture in the Chapel and a 15th Century oil painting by Francesco Zaganelli, which still hangs behind the Chapel altar.  In 2006, the parish commissioned Toronto stained glass artist Sarah Hall to create 36 clerestory art glass windows for the Music Building.  The installation, Desert Crossings, was honored that year by Ministry and Liturgy Magazine.

Most Recently From January to September 2010, the parish undertook a major remodeling project in our spiritual home: the Sanctuary.  While the most visible aspects of the project focused on a new organ and artwork in an expanded east end of the building, the renovation also made the worship space more energy efficient, more accessible to people with disabilities, better equipped to weather the desert climate, safer and more comfortable for worshipers.  Because the building had not been significantly changed since its opening 45 years earlier, many of the improvements were necessary to meet modern building and safety codes.  The project included upgraded cooling and heating systems, extensive upgrades and repairs to the roof, energy-efficient lighting, new double-pane glass for the Sanctuary's north and west windows, spaces for people using wheelchairs, improved acoustics and seating for the choir, new paint, pews & carpeting and a new audio & video system. 

Our long-time friends at Casavant installed a new, larger, 52-rank organ, the Opus 3881.  The new organ comprises 2,929 pipes and includes 40 stops. The need for this improved instrument is what spurred the renovation as a whole. Our faithful parishioner, Mary Dell Pritzlaff, donated this, the third organ from her family to St. Barnabas, in memory of her beloved husband, John.  

As part of the Sanctuary remodeling project, Sarah Hall returned to St. Barnabas and designed a mosaic glass artwork for the east wall of the church that encompasses some of the pipes of a new Casavant organ and replaces the Ode to Joy tapestry.  The artwork is entitled Wondrous Love.  Though organ pipes and mosaic art have been commonplace in churches for centuries, the parish believes this may be the first time these two art forms have been combined in a single work. These additions and remodels have provided the people of Saint Barnabas with a highly functional campus able to provide Sunday worship to all who come, fellowship in a rich variety of settings and a wide range of events all through the year.