Parishioners brighten St. Barnabas grounds

By PETE FONTAINE

Posted 6/26/20

They came armed with gloves, rakes, brush and plant cutters and their masks. This was Saturday morning outside St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, located at 1257 Post Road in the Apponaug where Rev. Scott R. Lee welcomed a dozen proud

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Parishioners brighten St. Barnabas grounds

READY FOR REOPENING: Stephanie Van Patten, the Rodrigues family – Ashley, Joe and Heather – Stanley Schofield, John and Jim Mixner and Rev. Scott R. Lee are all smiles during Saturday’s clean-up for the official July 5 outdoor re-opening of the Episcopal Church in Apponaug.

Warwick Beacon photo by Pete Fontaine

MARILYN’S MOMENT: Marilyn Davis works on trimming one of the many green bushes outside St. Barnabas Church during Saturday’s clean-up in Apponaug.

Warwick Beacon photo by Pete Fontaine

CHAD’S CORNER: St. Barnabas parishioner Tom Chadwick takes a break from trimming the one of the many beautiful and colorful bushes outside the Apponaug-based Episcopal Church.

Warwick Beacon photo by Pete Fontaine

Posted Friday, June 26, 2020 11:57 am

By PETE FONTAINE

They came armed with gloves, rakes, brush and plant cutters and their masks.

This was Saturday morning outside St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, located at 1257 Post Road in the Apponaug where Rev. Scott R. Lee welcomed a dozen proud parishioners for a once-postponed mini-beautification project.

“The more volunteers we have, the easier the work,” Father Lee wrote in an invitation-communication for Saturday’s work session which was officially known as the Church Grounds Clean-up. “We would love to have the grounds looking beautiful in the hopes of being able to gather again for services in the future.”

Although churches throughout the state were officially allowed to hold masses and services back on May 30, St. Barnabas – as well as other Episcopal parishes – has not resumed in-door services until officials feel it’s safe to do so.

Father Lee has not announced an official in-door re-opening date; however, an outdoor service will be Sunday, July 5 and held outdoors which is why St. Barnabas scheduled Saturday’s clean-up that was wiped out earlier in the spring because of the on-going COVID-19 crisis.

Thus, many church members of all ages, headed by Junior Warden Heather Rodrigues, performed a myriad of duties that included mowing the lawn, cutting and trimming bushes, as well as weeding and raking the grounds.