History
St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church: A History
An excerpt by Mary Wilson May and Brigadier General Retired Albion W. Knight
In the late 1950's, Northern Virginia was growing rapidly. The Bishop of Virginia, Robert F. Gibson, asked the clergy of the area to form a strategy committee to advise him as to the best locations for new churches. The Diocese hoped to obtain adequate property before the land values further increased. The Diocese purchased seven acres of land on Annandale Road, but Bishop Gibson told the strategy committee that the Diocese had only enough money to build the building. He could not provide a full-time clergyman for another two years. The Assistant Rector at St. Paul's, Baileys Crossroads volunteered to assume responsibility for forming the congregation and for overseeing the construction of the building on a part-time basis at no cost to the Diocese.
The first Service was held September 2, 1962. Bishop Samuel Chilton, the Suffragen Bishop of the Diocese, was present at the first Service. There were approximately seventeen adults and twelve children present. Twelve of the newcomers became members. Several weeks later, Bishop Chilton asked Virginia Theological Seminary to assign a seminarian to assist with the conduct of service. The Seminary sent Donald C. Little, a recently-retired Army Colonel who was then attending the Seminary.
