REV. ALCIDE BARNABY JR.

 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Cloud of Witnesses: The Rev. Alcide "Al" Barnaby, Founder of Integrity's RI Chapter

On May 19th, the Rev. Alcide Barnaby, Jr., was one of the honorees at the 30th Annual AIDS Candlelight Memorial, held at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Rev. Barnaby, who died June 28th, 2012, was the founder of the Rhode Island Chapter of Integrity in 1996 and served as its Convener, among many other gifts to the LGBT community, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and the church.

Among his accomplishments, Rev. Barnaby was the first openly gay and partnered priest in the Diocese of Rhode Island.  He and his partner of 30 years, Daniel Harvey, son of Arthur Harvey and Gertrude Parisien, were married at Trinity Church in Canton, Mass., in 2011. Al, as he was widely known, volunteered at various times with many organizations including the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, Episcopal Relief & Development, St. Mary's Home for Children, AIDS Quilt Rhode Island, among others.

Rev. Barnaby was active in church governance at all levels, serving on Diocesan Council and numerous committees.  He served as a Deputy to General Convention in 2003, an alternate in 2006 and a volunteer in 2009.  He also served as a clergy representative to Province I, the New England dioceses of the Episcopal Church.

"Al, and I were among the few  'out' members of Integrity on the Province 1 Provincial Synod for many years," said Margo McMahon, a Integrity Lifetime Member from the Diocese of Western Massachusetts.  "I got to know Al and Dan through various Integrity events and especially through serving as Deputies together at General Convention and hanging out together. I wish you could have had the pleasure of knowing this wonderful person, now walking among the other saints of Integrity in God's Kingdom."

"When I think of Al, so many things come to mind..... He was a pioneer in the Diocese of Rhode Island for inclusivity, challenging the Church to embrace fully the LGBT community," said Kit Tobin, Integrity's Diocesan Organizer - Rochester NY.  "(I remember) the Deans' meeting with Bishop Wolfe in the 90s, when Al stated he would continue to bless same sex couples, and of course he did!"

"My 'memory picture' of Al with a twinkle in his eyes and a broad smile on the platform for the closing blessing at Integrity's General Convention Eucharist," Tobin continued.  "He was a mentor for me when I was 'in process' - always encouraging, the one who was there for me when others seemed to be putting up barriers. A deeply spiritual, loving man with a great sense of humor - always reaching out his hand to any and all who he sensed were in need.  He is sorely missed. I hold him in my heart."

Our Mission & Vision

Our Mission

Integrity USA's mission is to inspire and equip the Episcopal Church, its dioceses, congregations, and members to proclaim and embody God’s all-inclusive love for LGBTQ persons and those who love them.

Our Vision

Integrity's vision of its success is that The Episcopal Church thrives as a beacon of love, justice, and compassion, where ALL PEOPLE are equally embraced and empowered.

Référence: http://walkingwithintegrity.blogspot.com/2013/06/cloud-of-witnesses-rev-alcide-al_18.html

Obituary

Calling hours Thursday 3-5 and 7-9 pm in the Robbins Funeral Home. His funeral service will be held Friday at 10 am in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 50 Park Place, Pawtucket.

In lieu of flowers: donations can be made to the following charities:

Episcopal Conference Center - 872 Reservoir Rd., Pascoag, RI 02859

Episcopal Charities - 275 No. Main St., Providence RI 02903

St. Mary's Home for Children - 420 Fruit Hill Ave., No. Providence RI 02911

The Reverend Alcide Barnaby, Jr. gently and peacefully passed on to his great reward on Thursday, June 28, 2012, surrounded by friends and his life-partner of 30 years, Daniel Harvey of Providence, RI. The couple was married in an Episcopal Church ceremony at Trinity Episcopal Church in Canton, MA, in Oct. 2011.

Rev. Barnaby was born at Pawtucket Memorial Hospital (RI). He was the only child of Alcide Barnaby and Gladys (Evans) Barnaby. Cousins from Massachusetts and Florida survive him.

He attended local schools, including Broadway Elementary, Joseph Jencks Junior High School, and William H. Tolman Senior High School (1961). He graduated from RI College with an undergraduate degree in secondary education with major in English and minor in social studies in 1965.

Rev. Barnaby graduated from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University with bachelor's degree in sacred theology in 1968. This degree was translated to a Masters in Divinity in 1971. He was ordained to the Diaconate 6/24/68 and ordained to priesthood 3/6/69 at the Cathedral of St. John.

He served the following parishes in RI:

1968/69 - Church of the Messiah, Olneyville with an additional hospital chaplaincy for one year.

1970 Curate at St. Barnabas Church, Warwick, RI

1971-81 - Rector of Church of the Holy Spirit, Charlestown, RI

1993-2009 St. James Episcopal Church, No. Providence, RI serving as the first openly gay and partnered priest in the Episcopal Diocese of RI.

During his years with the Episcopal Diocese he served on various commissions and committees - the most recent concerned a reorganization of the Discernment Program for the Commission on Ministry in which he was the clergy co-director of a program for individuals exploring the possibilities of new ministries and career choices. He was also an Episcopal Diocese Cursillo member.

He served on Diocesan Council, and on the Boards of Directors for Episcopal Charities and St. Mary's Home for Children, North Providence, RI. He was the local coordinator for a number of years for Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), a non-governmental relief organization.

He was also the clergy representative to Province One, the coordinating committee for the Episcopal Dioceses of the New England states of The Episcopal Church. He was a member of the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition (NEAC), a volunteer with the Pastoral Care Committee of AIDS Action, Boston in its first years, and a member of Integrity, a grass-roots non-profit organization for LGBT Episcopalians. He helped to establish a local chapter of Integrity in RI.

On the national level, he was a deputy to the 2003 General Convention of the Episcopal Church and participated in the vote that confirmed the election of V. Gene Robinson as the first openly gay Bishop in The Episcopal Church. He was an alternate deputy to General Convention 2006 in Columbus, Ohio where The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected the first female Presiding Bishop of the United States. He volunteered at the 2009 General Convention in Anaheim, CA.

The Reverend Barnaby used his educational skills from 1981-1989 where he taught at The Prout School in Wakefield, RI. He later employed these skills implementing the usage of a Montessori-based church school model called "Godly Play," which was used in the St. James Parish.
In addition to his ministry he worked as a social worker. He was employed from 1989 to 1993 as the social services director at Nickerson Community Center.

Reverend Barnaby was involved in a number of community ministry and efforts concerning civil rights and social issues. He was a steering committee member of the RI Chapter of The Names Project - AIDS Memorial Quilt during the 90's, which later became AIDS Quilt RI. He worked on RI legislative and advocacy efforts in the 90's to establish equal rights for lesbian, gay citizens in Rhode Island.

Reverend Barnaby was an avid counted-cross-stitch needle worker, had interest in sacred icons, and in the British monarchy.

Référence:      https://www.robbinsfuneralhome.com/obituary/Rev-BarnabyJr