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The Episcopal Church has its roots in the Church of England, or Anglican Church, which is positioned theologically in the complicated space between the Roman Catholic Church and the various Protestant denominations. When we are at our best, the Episcopal Church is the best of both Catholic and Protestant thinking and practices, which means many, many people find it a safe place to call home.
When the United States began the Revolution to gain independence from Great Britain, The Episcopal Church took the Prayer Book of the Church of England, marked out the prayers for the King, and with very few other changes, continued the worship we inherited. The Episcopal Church still choses to align itself with the Church of England, under the umbrella of what is known as the Worldwide Anglican Communion. Although there is no official religion of the United States, most of the founders of this nation, and many of the leaders through the years, identified themselves as Episcopalians.
Records suggest that the first Episcopal worship service in historic Apponaug was January 27, 1867 in the Council Room of the Old Town Hall. There were occasional Episcopal worship services from then until the summer of 1880 when regular Episcopal services were conducted in the Odd Fellow’s Hall. This was the official beginning of St. Barnabas Church. On June 25, 1882 was the ground breaking for a church building. The cornerstone was laid August 24, 1882, and the first service in the new building was the Sunday before Christmas in 1882. By January 1883, St. Barnabas was debt-free, and starting to grow, becoming one of the prominent parishes in the Diocese of Rhode Island.
March 24, 1911, a devastating fire destroyed the old wooden church. Years later, a new stone church was built, and as the membership grew, so did the building. Beautiful stained-glass windows adorn our space, and there are several paintings by the famous Rhode Island artist, Karl Rittman.
In 2009, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church of Warwick Neck joined the community of St. Barnabas. The two storied pasts now share a promising future together.
Today, St. Barnabas continues to be an integral part of the community in and around Warwick. It is a place where everyone is truly welcome. So, come! Explore the mystery and beauty of the Christian life.
