On January 4, 2026 , St. Barnabas Episcopal Church welcomed The Rt. Rev. Dr. Susan Brown Snook , Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego , for a Sunday afternoon service marked by celebration, welcome, and shared purpose. Before the service began, The Ven. Cindy Campos , Archdeacon of the Diocese of San Diego, introduced herself and shared brief updates on diocesan ministry. She spoke about work beyond the border, including Comunidad de Luz in Tijuana, which serves migrant women and children through education, care, and support. She also highlighted the Emergency Air Conditioning program, a St. Barnabas initiative serving the Borrego Valley with support from a diocesan grant. Ahead of the service, Bishop Susan met with those being baptized and received, offering guidance on how the service would unfold and setting a welcoming, pastoral tone for the afternoon. During the 3:00 PM service, one person was baptized and seven individuals were received into the Episcopal Church. As clouds moved across the sky outside, moments of sunlight filtered into the sanctuary, gently brightening the space as the service progressed. Bishop Susan delivered the sermon which emphasized the ways that hope springs from times of extreme distress. She welcomed the new members, and celebrated communion, joined by Fr. David L. Madsen, Rector, Fr. Michael Plekon and lay leaders Jan Naragon Llouise Jee and Paula Huls, reflecting the shared leadership of the parish. St. Barnabas choral musicians provided music throughout the joyful service, supporting congregational worship and bringing tears to more than one person’s eyes. The ensemble was led by Naomi Madsen and included Sherry Harapat, Dick Helvig, Jeanne Plekon, and Llouise Jee. Following the service, the celebration continued with a shared meal, conversation, and time together, marking a meaningful day in the life of the St. Barnabas community. Photos © Susan Forsburg. All rights reserved.
A low-cost spay and neuter clinic hosted by Animal Action League took place on Monday, December 22, 2025 , at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church , located at 2680 Country Club Road. The clinic offered affordable veterinary services for cats and dogs, including spay and neuter procedures, vaccinations, and microchipping . These services help reduce unwanted litters while supporting the long-term health, safety, and identification of companion animals in the Borrego Springs area. While pets were being cared for, the church remained open to those waiting. Coffee was available thanks to Fred Jee , creating a warm and welcoming space during the morning hours. Those who missed this clinic are encouraged to check St. Barnabas Episcopal Church’s website, social media accounts, and event calendar for information on future animal welfare clinics and other upcoming community events hosted at the church.
We hear this word when someone has had an amazing experience or a breakthrough revelation. Coming down Yaqui Pass at sunset years ago, Jeanne had an epiphany about Borrego. That is why we got here and remain. There was an indescribable beauty to the sunset on the Santa Rosa mountains. Little did we know what would await us here, St. Barnabas, and so much more. The word is Greek and it means exactly what I just wrote, a seeing something you had never seen before, a revelation. On January 6, twelve days after Christmas, there is the feast of Epiphany. Scholars note it is a feast older even than Christmas, likely also tied to the new year and the beginning of longer days, more light. At first it was a celebration of the coming of God into the world, into space, time and humankind, what we now celebrate at Christmas. There were three important moments of revelation or showing that became linked with Epiphany. The first is the arrival of the wise men or three kings, following a star, at the place where the child Jesus, Mary and Joseph were staying. They were likely scholars from Persia, who saw in the star that they followed a sign of something wonderful happening. When they found the child Jesus, they worshipped him as God, offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were later linked to Jesus being both king and priest, the myrrh a foretelling of his death, as it was a burial spice. The wise men were not from Israel, they were outsiders, Gentiles. So, this was also a revelation of Jesus to the whole world beyond his own Jewish people. The second moment was the epiphany that occurred when Jesus was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist. There was a voice from heaven that said “You are my beloved Son,” and a dove also appeared overhead. John realized as did some of his followers that this was no ordinary teacher but the one chosen to save the world, Jesus. That’s what “Jesus” means. Usually on the Sunday after Epiphany one or another account of Jesus’ baptism is read. Lastly, the first of Jesus “signs” is part of Epiphany. This was his changing water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee. Somehow, they’d run out of wine on the first day of the feast, a really horrendous situation. Mary, Jesus’ mother tells him of the embarrassment and pain, and Jesus tells the caterer to fill six huge stone jars with water and then take it to the head caterer. When he tastes, he exclaims this is the best wine ever. So, the revelation is that with Jesus’ arrival, we have God with us, as one of us. God’s ways or kingdom are going to be put into practice, first by Jesus, then by us all. While these are beautiful moments, there are epiphanies every day too many to number: that you made someone smile, fell cared for, forgiven. That food was shared, that you lent an ear to someone’s pain, shared someone’s worry, or their joy. What a good way to start the new year --Epiphany
On January 4, 2026 , St. Barnabas Episcopal Church welcomed The Rt. Rev. Dr. Susan Brown Snook , Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego , for a Sunday afternoon service marked by celebration, welcome, and shared purpose. Before the service began, The Ven. Cindy Campos , Archdeacon of the Diocese of San Diego, introduced herself and shared brief updates on diocesan ministry. She spoke about work beyond the border, including Comunidad de Luz in Tijuana, which serves migrant women and children through education, care, and support. She also highlighted the Emergency Air Conditioning program, a St. Barnabas initiative serving the Borrego Valley with support from a diocesan grant. Ahead of the service, Bishop Susan met with those being baptized and received, offering guidance on how the service would unfold and setting a welcoming, pastoral tone for the afternoon. During the 3:00 PM service, one person was baptized and seven individuals were received into the Episcopal Church. As clouds moved across the sky outside, moments of sunlight filtered into the sanctuary, gently brightening the space as the service progressed. Bishop Susan delivered the sermon which emphasized the ways that hope springs from times of extreme distress. She welcomed the new members, and celebrated communion, joined by Fr. David L. Madsen, Rector, Fr. Michael Plekon and lay leaders Jan Naragon Llouise Jee and Paula Huls, reflecting the shared leadership of the parish. St. Barnabas choral musicians provided music throughout the joyful service, supporting congregational worship and bringing tears to more than one person’s eyes. The ensemble was led by Naomi Madsen and included Sherry Harapat, Dick Helvig, Jeanne Plekon, and Llouise Jee. Following the service, the celebration continued with a shared meal, conversation, and time together, marking a meaningful day in the life of the St. Barnabas community. Photos © Susan Forsburg. All rights reserved.
A low-cost spay and neuter clinic hosted by Animal Action League took place on Monday, December 22, 2025 , at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church , located at 2680 Country Club Road. The clinic offered affordable veterinary services for cats and dogs, including spay and neuter procedures, vaccinations, and microchipping . These services help reduce unwanted litters while supporting the long-term health, safety, and identification of companion animals in the Borrego Springs area. While pets were being cared for, the church remained open to those waiting. Coffee was available thanks to Fred Jee , creating a warm and welcoming space during the morning hours. Those who missed this clinic are encouraged to check St. Barnabas Episcopal Church’s website, social media accounts, and event calendar for information on future animal welfare clinics and other upcoming community events hosted at the church.
We hear this word when someone has had an amazing experience or a breakthrough revelation. Coming down Yaqui Pass at sunset years ago, Jeanne had an epiphany about Borrego. That is why we got here and remain. There was an indescribable beauty to the sunset on the Santa Rosa mountains. Little did we know what would await us here, St. Barnabas, and so much more. The word is Greek and it means exactly what I just wrote, a seeing something you had never seen before, a revelation. On January 6, twelve days after Christmas, there is the feast of Epiphany. Scholars note it is a feast older even than Christmas, likely also tied to the new year and the beginning of longer days, more light. At first it was a celebration of the coming of God into the world, into space, time and humankind, what we now celebrate at Christmas. There were three important moments of revelation or showing that became linked with Epiphany. The first is the arrival of the wise men or three kings, following a star, at the place where the child Jesus, Mary and Joseph were staying. They were likely scholars from Persia, who saw in the star that they followed a sign of something wonderful happening. When they found the child Jesus, they worshipped him as God, offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were later linked to Jesus being both king and priest, the myrrh a foretelling of his death, as it was a burial spice. The wise men were not from Israel, they were outsiders, Gentiles. So, this was also a revelation of Jesus to the whole world beyond his own Jewish people. The second moment was the epiphany that occurred when Jesus was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist. There was a voice from heaven that said “You are my beloved Son,” and a dove also appeared overhead. John realized as did some of his followers that this was no ordinary teacher but the one chosen to save the world, Jesus. That’s what “Jesus” means. Usually on the Sunday after Epiphany one or another account of Jesus’ baptism is read. Lastly, the first of Jesus “signs” is part of Epiphany. This was his changing water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee. Somehow, they’d run out of wine on the first day of the feast, a really horrendous situation. Mary, Jesus’ mother tells him of the embarrassment and pain, and Jesus tells the caterer to fill six huge stone jars with water and then take it to the head caterer. When he tastes, he exclaims this is the best wine ever. So, the revelation is that with Jesus’ arrival, we have God with us, as one of us. God’s ways or kingdom are going to be put into practice, first by Jesus, then by us all. While these are beautiful moments, there are epiphanies every day too many to number: that you made someone smile, fell cared for, forgiven. That food was shared, that you lent an ear to someone’s pain, shared someone’s worry, or their joy. What a good way to start the new year --Epiphany
