St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church, the oldest church in the Upper North Platte River Valley, will celebrate its 135th anniversary on June 23rd. The first service in the newly built sanctuary was held on January 10, 1889. Since January is not an optimal time for celebrations in Wyoming, church members chose to celebrate the anniversary closer to June 11th, the Feast of St. Barnabas, for whom the church is named.
The day will begin with a celebration of Holy Communion from the 1892 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. The service will be followed by a presentation on church history by local historian Dick Perue and a reception in the Meditation Garden. In the afternoon, the three buildings on the church property, as well as the Journey Labyrinth and Meditation Garden, will be open for visitors to tour.
An Old Fashioned Gospel Sing at the Saratoga Museum Pavilion at 5:00 p.m. will cap off the day’s celebration. Hot dogs, chips, drinks, and cotton candy will be served. Donations will be used to support the ministries of the Platte Valley Ministerial Association, which sponsors a travelers’ assistance fund, a housing and utilities fund, and the Saratoga Food Pantry.
St. Barnabas’ Church has served as a beacon of God’s love since 1889. In the 1990s, the late historian Gay Day Alcorn Clark compiled information on the history of the buildings on the church property. Her information, printed in italics, is included in the following description of the church’s buildings and the ministries they support.
St. Barnabas' Church
The members of the Church of the Heavenly Rest met for the first time in their new sanctuary on January 10, 1889. Built by local contractor Thomas H. Hood, at an estimated cost of $1,000, it was the first completed church building in the Saratoga and Encampment Valley and was free of debt by March of the same year. The memorial bell, said to be the finest and largest in the state of Wyoming, was cast by the world-renowned S. C. Bell Foundry in Ohio. The new communion set was a gift from an Episcopal church in Philadelphia. The church name was changed to St. Barnabas' Church after the turn of the 20th Century.
The Agape House
The house at the corner of First Street and Main Avenue, also constructed by Thomas H. Hood, was built in 1890 at an estimated cost of $1,600. The first rector of the church was The Rev. Dr. R.E.G. Huntington. He and his family moved into the beautiful rectory at the end of 1890 and lived there until 1904. The Huntingtons entertained with dinners and parties for family, church members, and visiting clergy. As a way of earning money, in 1892, the Women's Guild held an art exhibit at the rectory with 87 works of art on display. Admission was collected at the door.Today, the former rectory is called The Agape House; the word “agape” means “sacrificial love.” The house is used as the church’s parish hall and serves as a hostel for cross-country bicycle riders. The east porch of the house is the home of two ministries of the St. Clare of Assisi Chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King: Clare’s Cupboard and the Giving Tree. Clare’s Cupboard is a little free pantry that provides easily prepared food for travelers and families in need. The Giving Tree is stocked with hats, mittens, and scarves in the winter and with socks and toiletries in the summer.
The former garage of the Agape House has been the home of the church’s Bikes for Kids ministry. This ministry is temporarily on hiatus until we can find people to carry on this valuable work.
A tree at the corner of First and Main becomes the Coat Tree during the winter. Friends of our congregation and parishioners hang clean used coats on the tree branches for those who need a coat.
House of Hope
The house at 106 W. Main was originally constructed in 1899 by the Mowry brothers as an office for Alfred Heath. The building was moved to its present location in 1910. Mr. Heath was educated in England, became the district judge, and was known for his generosity in the use of his office as a local meeting place. When he was in his early forties, he married Laura Huntington, the daughter of The Rev. Dr. R.E.G. Huntington. They had been married only five years at the time of Mr. Heath's death in 1903.Now called the House of Hope, Mr. Heath’s former office was used as the church’s parish hall for many years. Most recently, it has hosted grief support groups, facilitated by our Priest Associate, the Rev. Susan Dyer. The Rev. Mrs. Dyer also is a trained spiritual director; the House of Hope provides a welcoming environment for those who seek spiritual direction.
On the front porch of the House of Hope is the Prayer Fence, another ministry of the St. Clare of Assisi Chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King. People are invited to say a prayer and tie a ribbon onto one of the lattices on the porch of the house.
The “Episcopal Corner” also is home to the Meditation Garden and Journey Labyrinth. The gazebo in the garden has been the venue for ecumenical church services and weddings, while the labyrinth serves as a place of spiritual refreshment for valley residents and travelers.
Parishioners of St. Barnabas’ Church extend a warm invitation to valley residents and visitors to join us for any or all events of our 135th anniversary celebration on June 23rd.
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