About St. Barnabas Episcopal Church

Our History

Founded first as St. Barnabas Mission in 1949 by the Reverend Francis H. Ball, St. Barnabas held its first services Christmas Eve, 1951, and was consecrated in 1953 as the first Episcopal parish west of downtown Portland. We then formed two mission churches - St. Bartholomew's in Beaverton, and St. James in Tigard.

St. Barnabas has since been the spiritual home of many in the Hillsdale and Multnomah neighborhoods. Many fondly remember the Rev. Robert F. Grafe, who served here for over 35 years. In December of 2013, we installed the Rev. Sean Wall. As of October 2021, Rev. Bonnie Stewart is serving as interim rector.

Extended history

A Place for Everyone Around God's Table

We believe in a loving, liberating, and life-giving God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As constituent members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, we are descendants of and partners with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church, and are part of the third largest group of Christians in the world.

We have a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God's love for every human being; women and men serve as bishops, priests and deacons in the church. Lay people and clergy cooperate as leaders at all levels of the church. Leadership is a gift from God, and can be expressed by all people in our church.

We believe that God loves you - no exceptions.

To learn more about the Episcopal faith, visit the websites of the national church or the Diocese of Oregon.

St. Barnabas is proud to be a member of the Believe Out Loud network.

What do Episcopalians Believe?

Our Staff

Priest-in-Charge

The Reverend Bonnie Stewart

rector@saintbarnabaspdx.org

Reverend Bonnie Stewart was ordained to the Diaconate in December of 2012 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, CA. She received her Certificate of Anglican Studies from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in May of 2019 and was ordained to the Priesthood in June of 2019 at the Parish of St. John in Portland, OR. Bonnie and her wife Megan moved to Portland from Oakland, California in 2014. She is an avid baseball fan (S.F. Giants) and enjoys playing golf and kayaking.

Associate Clergy (Retired)

The Reverend Jeff Frost

associate.clergy@saintbarnabaspdx.org

The Reverend Jeff Frost is a retired priest, previously serving in Oregon, Texas, Idaho, and California. During his diverse ministry of 30 years, he served small and large congregations in rural, suburban, and urban areas. His experience and training include: congregational development, transitional/interim ministry, and spiritual direction for groups and individuals. He and his wife, Ellen, love being a part of the Saint Barnabas community.

Deacon

Deacon BJ Finch

deacon@saintbarnabaspdx.org

The Reverend Deacon Barbara Jo Finch ("Deacon BJ") is a lifelong member of the Episcopal church; baptized and confirmed at St. Mark Parish in Medford, Oregon. After college at the University of Oregon, she moved to Portland area in 1976 and began worshipping and serving at Christ Church Episcopal in Lake Oswego. BJ was ordained to the diaconate on All Saints Day in 1996. After almost 40 years of service at Christ Church, she moved to St. Barnabas in 2014. "St. Barnabas has a wonderful feeling of inclusion", she says. "The first Sunday I attended worship here felt like coming home."

Parish Administrator

Music Director

Stephen Galván

administrator@saintbarnabaspdx.org

galvan.s@frontier.com

Steve has worked in church music for over 45 years, directing choirs of adults, youth and children along with brass and handbell ensembles and orchestras. He graduated from Point Loma University in San Diego and earned his Masters of Music from the University of Portland.

Steve has a long history of working with community arts organizations, including serving as Vice Chair of the Beaverton Arts Commission, Executive Director for Choral Cross-Ties and Trustee for the Beaverton Arts Foundation, and was instrumental in bringing the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton to life.

Organist / Pianist

David Wills-Ehlers

David played piano and organ in his youth and studied music while attending Reed College. The Episcopalians have always been close to his heart because of their commitment to music and liturgy, and he naturally finds St. Barnabas a nurturing home.

David and his wife, Ashley, were married in 2016 and moved to Gales Creek in 2020. They are working to establish a small farm, find a new community on the west side, and are parents of two children.