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St. Barnabas Episcopal
Church was founded on April
23, 1975 by retirees who settled in Borrego Springs as part-time
residents.
For the first 10 years the St Barnabas
community did not have a house of worship to call its own.
As Frances Brainerd wrote on the first 20 years of our history:
“April
23, 1975 the first 11 committed members met at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Edward Fletcher III... On June 11, 1975 the first service in a
church was the Holy Eucharist, celebrated on St. Barnabas day, in
the Methodist Community Church at the invitation of the Reverend
Albert E. Jansen, pastor... In April of 1976, at the invitation of
Father Lawrence Gatt, worship in St. Richard’s Catholic Church began.”
 St.
Richard's was our
temporary home until 1986
when our
present beautiful mission style church was built. Designed by
architect Robson C.
Chambers *(1901-1999), who was a member of the congregation, the
church became a Parish in 2001.
There is a connecting Parish Hall,
with a fireplace, where many events take place such as Bible studies,
Cursillo, receptions, coffee hour and is available for community group
meetings.
We have a connecting kitchen to the Parish Hall where
many fine goodies are prepared for our events.
The grounds are
kept with the
desert landscaping. We are very proud of our
Labyrinth which was completed in 2002 and prayer garden and palapa.
 *
ROBSON C. CHAMBERS
(USC class of 1941), of Borrego Springs, Calif.; died June 18, 1999,
at the age of 80. A career as an architect began during World War
II, when Chambers, then in the U.S. Marine Corps, helped design Camp
Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif. After the war, he established an
architectural firm in Palm Springs, Calif., with the late Albert
Frey.
In addition to many residences, they designed the Palm Springs City
Hall as well as the former
Tramway gas station with its massive flying and angular roof which
is now home to the Palm Springs Visitor Center. It greets motorists
entering Palm Springs from the east, and is near the entrance to the
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
Chambers was later appointed campus architect for UC Santa Barbara.
Upon retiring, Chambers moved to Borrego Springs, where he designed
many residences, as well as the Episcopal Church, of which he and
his wife, Helen, were active members. |
