History of St Barnabas
History of St Barnabas
St Barnabas began in 1966 as a Preaching Station in Borrego Springs of the Diocese of Los Angeles. It was later abandoned but reestablished by the Diocese of San Diego in 1974 when a retired priest, Rev. Robert E. Lenhard, known as the “Desert Priest”, took up residence in Borrego Springs. Initially services were held in private homes of the small congregation but in 1975 the first service in a church, Eucharist, celebrated on St. Barnabas’ Day, was held as guests at the Methodist Community Church.
St. Barnabas become a Mission in the Diocese of San Diego in 1976 and services moved to St. Richard’s Catholic Church In the following years By-Laws and budgets were adopted, the Women of St. Barnabas was formed, outreach programs were started. and then thoughts began to build a church on By the end of 1984 St Barnabas broke ground on its own church on land donated to St. Barnabas by the Methodist Church and DiGiorgio-Burnand-Kuhrts holdings. The church and Parish Hall were completed in June 1986. Uniquely the church was fully paid for as of the date construction was completed. The church office was added at a later date. The first service held in the new church was held in September 1986 and the consecration was held January 4, 1987.
During the following years services were conducted by visiting priests in the Diocese and from Canada (including Lt Col . Rev. Canon William H. (Horace) McClelland and Rt Rev (Ret) Ronald Francis) For much of this time St Barnabas could be considered a ”Snowbird” church operating primarily during the Borrego “season”. For several years the doors of the church were literally locked against the oppressive heat of the summer months from June through September. Although St Barnabas is now a “year round” church there is still a substantial seasonal fluctuation in attendance with summer attendance being noticeably smaller than during other times of the year.
The Vestry formed a Calling Committee and in 2010 the Reverend Laura Brecht became our Rector and continued until her retirement in 2021. She became a major leader in the larger town community, serving on Rotary and a co-founder of
The Borrego Ministers Association. For all of her tenure, retire priest, Fr. George Keith also served St. Barnabas, along work as artistic director at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center, and the director of numerous plays there. In 2024 he relocated to a care residence in San Diego. Since 2015, Fr. Michael Plekon, a retired City University of New York professor and priest has assisted at St. Barnabas and continues to do so. In 2022 Fr. David Madsen was called as rector, after serving over a decade at St. Alban's, El Cajon and creating the Welcome Ministry, a multiservice outreach to immigrants and the unhoused there.
