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. The Rev. Bonnie Stewart served as Priest in Charge from October 2021 until November 2024.