A Beacon on North Broadway
Set at 15 North Broadway, just north of Main Street in the heart of Irvington, the Church of St. Barnabas has shaped the rhythm of this Hudson River village for more than 170 years. The congregation calls itself "an open, involved, and family-friendly village church," drawing parishioners from Irvington and the surrounding Rivertowns. The name Barnabas means "Son of Encouragement," and the parish takes that description to heart. As the rector, the Rev. Gareth C. Evans, puts it, "We are not a club, but a church that is open to all seeking to walk in love with Jesus Christ in their lives."
The Gothic Revival building, with its Renwick-designed tower, seventeen stained glass windows, and lych gate at the entrance, is one of Irvington's most recognizable landmarks. Inside, worship runs on a steady weekly schedule, music is taken seriously, and a network of small groups, classes, and outreach efforts connects the parish to the wider community.
From 1853 Chapel School to a Village Landmark
The story of St. Barnabas is woven into the early history of Irvington itself. The Rev. Prof. John McVickar, founder of the original chapel school and parish, was a close friend of Washington Irving, the writer for whom the village is named. Other early figures associated with the parish include Gen. Phillip Schuyler, the grandson of the Revolutionary War general of the same name, and Isabel K. Benjamin, known affectionately as "A First Lady of Irvington."
The original Chapel School was dedicated in 1853, and the congregation began its transition from a school chapel into a parish church in 1858. McVickar designed the building in the Gothic Revival style, basing its proportions on St Martin's Church in Canterbury, the oldest church in continuous use in England today.
By the early 1860s the chapel school had become too small for the growing congregation. In 1863 the firm of Renwick and Sands, led by James Renwick Jr., was commissioned to add the square Norman tower, transepts, and chancel that today form the nave, the main body of the church where the majority of the congregation sits.
Tiffany Windows, a Lych Gate, and a Parish Hall
The sanctuary is filled with colored light from seventeen stained glass windows, the parish's "crown jewels," which date from 1880 to 1999. The first of two Tiffany windows was installed in 1896, and the collection also includes work from LaFarge and Lamb studios. All of the windows were restored by Femenella and Associates of New Jersey in 2018, thanks to gifts from parishioners and friends of the parish.
Other notable additions include a lych gate and the parish hall, both completed in 1902. The parish hall was designed by local architect Albert J. Manning, who also built the village hall next door. The Luke Memorial Chapel, added to the north side of the sanctuary, was designed by the well-known firm of Delano and Aldrich and built in 1945. The office and Sunday school wings were added in the 1960s, completing the building's footprint.
Today the interior includes Colwell Hall, the parish hall where coffee hours, community suppers, and senior gatherings take place, and McCormack Lounge, the smaller room where the Sunday morning Bible study meets between services.
Two Sunday Services of Holy Eucharist
From September through June, the parish gathers for two traditional services of Holy Eucharist each Sunday. The 8:00 a.m. service is a quieter liturgy that runs about forty-five minutes. The 10:00 a.m. service is the main service of the week, held in the sanctuary with the choir and organ, and runs about an hour and ten minutes. Children from the Sunday School join the 10:00 a.m. service before the congregation takes communion, and a social coffee hour follows in Colwell Hall.
Holy Eucharist is celebrated at every service, and all who are baptized in any denomination are welcome to receive the bread and wine. Those who would prefer a blessing are encouraged to come forward to the altar rail, where a priest will offer a prayer. Baptized children of any age are welcome to receive the sacrament; receiving the bread alone is considered sufficient.
During July and August the schedule shifts to a single service at 9:00 a.m. In July the service is held at St. Barnabas, and in August the parish joins Irvington Presbyterian Church next door for an ecumenical 9:00 a.m. service.
An Anthem Choir, an Open Sing, and Free Vocal Coaching
Music is a defining part of life at St. Barnabas. The musical program is led by Jesse Goldberg, the Director of Music and Organist, who is also a trained vocal coach. The program combines two groups: a robed Anthem Choir and an Open Sing Program. Both groups rehearse together at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays and sing in four-part harmony at the 10:00 a.m. service. Anthems are often sung a cappella and are chosen to represent a wide range of composers and arrangers, while still leaving room for the congregation's favorite melodies. African-American spirituals from the hymnal "Lift Every Voice and Sing" are regularly part of the musical diet.
The Open Sing Program is open to anyone seated in the pews. Participants join the robed choir in rehearsal and for choral anthems during the service, including the Offertory and Communion, then return to their seats. Those who arrive at 9:00 a.m. are invited to a fifteen-minute vocal warm-up led by Goldberg. Parishioners who stay for coffee hour are also welcome at a second rehearsal around 11:30 a.m. that previews the music for the following week and any special musical events on the horizon.
Goldberg also offers free, one-on-one vocal coaching sessions to parishioners of all levels. A weekly sign-up is available to anyone in the congregation.
Children, Sunday School, and a Joint Youth Program
Children are central to the life of the parish. Nursery care is provided for children three years old and under during the 10:00 a.m. service, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the nursery. The StoryMakers Sunday School curriculum, designed for children in kindergarten through seventh grade, begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Sunday School Wing, which is reached through the Parish Hall. Children rejoin their families in the sanctuary partway through the 10:00 a.m. service before communion. Sunday School meets every Sunday from September through June, except on holiday weekends.
The youth program is shared with the parish's neighbors at Irvington Presbyterian Church. Activities are announced to youth and parents, and Confirmation is offered to eighth graders and above, led by the rector. Adult Confirmation and reception into the Episcopal Church are also available on request.
The Irvington Children's Center, an after-school program for children in the Irvington school system, is housed in the church building on school days.
Adult Formation, Small Groups, and the Bread & Banter Table
The rector leads a weekly morning Bible study on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. A separate Sunday Bible study meets between the 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. services, from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. in McCormack Lounge, giving worshippers at both services a chance to gather.
Beyond Bible study, the parish offers a wide menu of small groups and programs for adults and families. Connected Parenting is a monthly gathering hosted by the Rev. Gareth Evans and his wife, Fran Bean, for parents who want to reflect together on the art of raising children. The group meets at the rectory next door to the church, with dinner and childcare provided. The St. Barnabas Book Group meets on Zoom to discuss works of fiction and non-fiction. The parish is also part of REPAIR, the Rivertowns Episcopal Parishes Action on Inclusion and Race, an inter-parish organization dedicated to racial inclusion and justice.
Fellowship is taken seriously. Bread and Banter is a monthly luncheon for members and friends aged fifty-five and over, hosted by the rector, with a complimentary meal and a curated tasting menu from a different local restaurant each month. The Community Supper is a monthly dinner in Colwell Hall, a chance for parishioners and their friends to share a meal. The parish also supports a Women's Group and a Men's Group that meet regularly.
Pathways to Worship is a special worship service designed for neurodiverse parishioners and anyone who finds a traditional service overstimulating. It is being modified to create a more relaxed and friendly place of worship.
Clothing Sales, Midnight Run, and a Million Dollars in Giving
Outreach is one of the defining features of St. Barnabas. The parish actively supports two local food pantries: the Community Food Pantry in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, and San Andres Episcopal Church in Yonkers. Through the Midnight Run program, parishioners make sandwiches and deliver food and other needed items to homeless men and women on the streets of New York City; middle and high school students are especially welcome to help pack sandwiches or go on the run.
The parish also supports refugee family resettlement in the New York tri-state area, providing practical help to families starting new lives. The Pastoral Care Committee is on call for parishioners who need spiritual, social, or practical assistance, including communion, prayer, transportation, and visitation.
The single most visible outreach effort is the parish's twice-yearly Clothing Sale. St. Barnabas has hosted Fall and Summer Sales for more than thirty years, and the sales have enabled the parish to donate more than 1.1 million dollars to charitable organizations throughout the area. Proceeds are distributed through an annual grant committee, and unsold clothing is passed on to other charities that can use it directly. The sale accepts donations of gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories for women and men, but does not accept children's clothes or household items. Recent Fall Sales have run from Wednesday through Saturday in mid-November at the parish.
The parish has also opened Colwell Hall to the wider community, hosting the Irvington Senior Center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings while the senior center's own building on Bridge Street is being renovated.
Rector Gareth Evans and the Parish Team
The Rev. Gareth C. Evans serves as the fourteenth rector of St. Barnabas. Ordained in 1996, he has nearly thirty years of parish experience in churches in England and in the Dioceses of Massachusetts and New York. He holds degrees from Oxford and Harvard. He and his wife, Frances Bean, have three children, and Fran plays a key role in parish life, leading programs for women and parents and teaching Sunday School.
The rector serves on the Village of Irvington's iAsk Board and on a Community Advisory Board focused on teen wellness and safety. He serves on the Episcopal Diocese of New York's Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, co-hosts a monthly interfaith discussion group at the Shames JCC in Tarrytown, and co-leads Generation Forward, an interfaith youth group that brings together teens from St. Barnabas and the JCC for community service and reflection. Drop-in hours at the church are on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
The parish staff also includes Jesse Goldberg as Director of Music and Organist, Sue Stanley as parish administrator, and Ron Lillo as sexton. The wardens are Kate Taylor and Paul Zumbro, who serve alongside a vestry that includes Katherine Lark, Jennifer Oakes, Scott Sykes, Susan Robinson, Cathy Hansen, Dodie Maillet, Catherine Palmieri, Jeannie Elder, Denise Ciccio, Tania Moore-Barrett, Jason Oke, and Melita Love.
Joining the Parish
Visitors who want to learn more can call the parish office at (914) 591-8194, Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or send a message through the parish's online contact form. Newcomers and those who have joined in recent years are invited to a periodic Welcome Lunch, a chance to gather over a meal, learn about parish ministries, and meet other newcomers. The 10:00 a.m. Sunday service is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, and a sermon archive is available for those who want to revisit a recent message. Giving is supported through Realm, the parish's online platform. There is no dress code for worship, and the parish's ushers and greeters are on hand at the door to answer questions and help first-time visitors find their way.