Our annual spring Adopt-a-Highway cleanup will take place on Saturday, May 12th. Participate in this highly visible ministry while beautifying our area and being active outdoors!  We will meet at 9:00 at the South Canyon exit of Interstate 70. Please wear a hat, work gloves or rubber gloves, and sunscreen. Be sure to bring water that you can carry with you. We’ll have lunch at the historic Little Red Schoolhouse in Canyon Creek.

All are welcome to join us for worship services during Holy Week.

This morning, Father Harrison offered the imposition of ashes on the sidewalk in front of the Garfield County courthouse in downtown Glenwood Springs. Forty-eight people stopped by to receive the ashes. Many circled the block in search of a parking place before returning to take part in the sacred ritual and receive a blessing.

Father Harrison offers the imposition of ashes.

Busy folks could stop by to receive ashes during their work day.

On Sunday, January 29, the annual congregational meeting will be held following the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Reports from the priest, the treasurer, and others will be brief but informative!  After the meeting, we will have a pot-luck lunch. Bring a dish to share.

The Longest Night, an interfaith worship service offered by the ministers of the
Mennonite, Methodist, Lutheran (ELCA), Episcopal, and Congregational churches will be held at the United Methodist Church, Bethel Chapel, Glenwood Springs, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 7:00 p.m. This gathering features a more quiet, reflective and candle lit space for those who may be living in the darkness of grief or loss during the Christmas season.

On Saturday, December 17th at 7:00 p.m., join us for a Festival of Lessons and Carols. The event features choir, chamber orchestra, and carols for everyone to sing.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Our Christmas Eve service will be at 7:00 p.m. on December 24th. Bring the whole family for a beautiful evening of worship and song, including candle lighting.

Because Christmas falls on a Sunday, we will also have a quiet service (with no musical accompaniment) at 9:00 on Christmas morning.

Father Harrison, along with vestry member Mike and parish administrator Christine, attended a small conference at Cathedral Ridge, a camp and retreat owned by the Diocese. As the snow swirled outside, ideas swirled inside. In addition to Saint Barnabas, three other churches were represented, from Denver, Fort Collins, and Estes Park. Canon Missioner Lou Blanchard and the Reverend John Wengrovius, who are both congregational development consultants for the Diocese, provided training and facilitated discussions. What is the best size for our church? What is God calling us to do in our community? (more…)

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. We will begin our worship by lighting the first of the Advent candles. During this four-week season, the choir will sing special music during the candle lighting, adding a verse every week with each new candle. Join us, and watch this blog for more information about the meaning of Advent.

Our Sunday school children are decorating grocery sacks to remind you to donate non-perishable food items to Lift-Up. Items always needed are canned fruits and vegetables, rice, dried beans, pasta and pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, soup, and tuna. Pick up a bag and do some grocery shopping for this important community outreach. Bring your filled bag back to the church, and it will be taken to Lift-Up.

It’s difficult to say who blesses whom at a service of Blessing of The Animals. St. Barnabas celebrated the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment, blessing more than 25 dogs, cats, a pet rock (painted in the likeness of a cat, aptly named “Rocky”), Rodney the wonder horse, and the photo of a cat on a cell phone. There’s no doubt, our pets are precious to us and are deserving of a special blessing to recognize their unconditional love and constant companionship—the same sort of blessing that St. Francis brought to all he touched and served.

For more pictures,  see the Animal Blessing gallery.

Father Harrison blessed Michelle's seven dogs.