St. Barnabas Episcopal Church is a Christian community which encourages sharing our faith and ourselves. We strive to enhance spiritual growth through regular corporate worship, stewardship, education and outreach to all people through unity with Jesus Christ and each other.
OUR HISTORY
On St. Barnabas Day, June 11, 1973, Bishop Willis Ryan Henton dedicated our first worship space as St. Barnabas Chapel. This chapel was an outreach ministry of St. John’s Episcopal Church and was part of St. John’s two-site parish providing a west side and east side Odessa presence. In his dedication Bishop Henton envisioned a periodic review and believed the chapel, itself, would one day become a parish. More than two decades later that vision became a reality. At the Annual Diocesan Convention on October 29, 1995, St. Barnabas was recognized as a congregation. The next year on October 26, 1996, the Diocese granted us Mission Status and the following year on October 26, 1997, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church became a Parish in the Diocese of Northwest Texas.
OUR BUILDINGS
The land for the St. Barnabas facilities was purchased in 1969 and groundbreaking for Phase I, the Parish Hall and St. Barnabas Chapel, was in 1972. Dedication of this building was June 11, 1973. In 1975 a bookstore opened in a converted mobile home on the property between the Parish Hall and 42nd street. In 1995 the original Fellowship Building was expanded to the east and south taking in a walkway. The bookstore was relocated to this new area; however, it was closed in 2008. The Columbarium now occupies that space. Phase II, the Sanctuary and Carillion, began construction in 1977 and the building was dedicated by Bishop Henton on December 3, 1978. Within this building is the Deacon’s office, a choir and acolyte robing area and a beautiful Sickler/Moller pipe organ. Even though a Phase III building plan had been envisioned as early as 1992, it was not until 1999 that ground was broken for the Education Building. Bishop Wallis C. Ohl officiated at the dedication of this final phase on January 21, 2001. This building includes our church offices, a nursey, library and classrooms.
OUR CLERGY
On October 4, 2020 we welcomed Father Ricardo Lopez to St. Barnabas as our newest priest-in-charge. Having previously served as a Missionary in the Roman Catholic Church, he is a native of Odessa and after having served all across the U.S, Mexico, Zambia and Bolivia, he now comes home to serve St. Barnabas and the Episcopal presence in Odessa. We are excited he joins us in our spiritual journey. Since 2009 our community has also been served by Deacon Leroy Morrison who arrived in Odessa after having served in the Diocese of Central New York. He has faithfully lived into his call as a Deacon as he serves the St. Barnabas community.
We remember with fondness the clergy who have served St. Barnabas in the past: The Rev. Donald Hungerford, rector (1966-1989); The Rev. Bill Nix, curate (1975-1977); The Rev. Hugh Magers, curate (1975-1976); The Rev. Jim Porter, curate (1977-1979); The Rev. Charles McIntyre, associate rector (1981-1992). The Rev. Gary Hamp, rector (1990-1993); The Rev. Gordon Morrison, interim rector (1993-1995).
In June 1996, The Rev. Michael A. Jasper became the first Vicar (and then Rector) of the St. Barnabas’ mission. In November 2001 Fr. Jasper accepted a call to be the Rector of Resurrection Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. During Fr. Jasper’s tenure Judy Cobb was ordained to the diaconate at the Diocesan Convention in October 2000. And although she is retired, she continues to inspire Christian service to the St. Barnabas community and to others beyond our walls.
Retired Canon to the Ordinary David Veal served as Interim Rector in 2002. In 2003, the Vestry called the Rev. David J. Mossbarger of Llano, Texas to be the second Rector of St. Barnabas. A New Testament scholar, he brought with him great knowledge and wisdom as he served the community in holiness and generosity. He and his wife Debbie were active citizens around Odessa. Father David was highlighted in the Odessa American in 2014 for his participation in the theatrical community in Odessa. He was also recognized for his dedicated service with the Family Promise Ministry. He served from January 15, 2003 until July 15, 2020 when he retired.
