The destruction of St Barnabas Broadway, one of Sydney’s oldest and most loved Anglican churches has resulted in an out-pouring of sadness and sympathy for those touched by this congregation’s ministry.
Sydneyanglicans.net records their enduring memories, thoughts and feelings here for all to share…
Michael Jensen
Wow, yes, Rob and Kath Brown's wedding, Rob and Bec Miller's wedding, Al and Ruth Lukabyo's, Mark and Anya Williamson's, the baptisms of Sacha and Matilda (and my own!), the funeral of Hope O’Brien, the funeral of Kylie Crain (which I missed)... Truth is a Person mission 1989, week in week out GREAT preaching from Katay Powell Forsyth and co, fellowship, the music of Steve Crain and Nicki Chiswell, running around there as a kid with Michael Blanch, Chang the homeless guy who slept next to the church for years, Charlie Fulham… being EU vice-president and photocopying all day long… Dorothy Tremlett (the last of the old ladies)... the wooden pews you used to snag your clothes on…
John Anderson
It was ‘only a building’. But God touched the lives of many people in that building, myself included. My seven years at Barneys were probably some of the most important years to my walk with Christ. I enjoyed fellowship with many incredible people, received ministry and ministered to others, was inspired and challenged by teaching that was true to God’s word, and comforted in tough times by faithful friends. And I know that my experience was not unique.
My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this traumatic event. They are also with those who are faced with the task of doing the church’s work between now and when the rebuilt Barney’s is opened again. It is ‘inconvenient’, but I know that even this cannot and should not keep you from your ministry.
Chor Yin Ho
Though faraway in Singapore, our thoughts and prayers are with the leaders and members of Barneys.
Indeed, Barneys have been faithful in proclaiming God’s Word in this part of the world and have done it in its own special way for the past 150 years.
Being a student of Sydney Uni. I still could remember walking into Barneys on that first Sunday morning for service and fond memories of my baptism on 26 Nov 2000 before I headed home after spending 3 wonderful years at the church.
Thank you, Barneys, for being there for us overseas students all these years and Rob is right that Barneys will be built up again to continue to reach out to the community.
Even at this difficult time of losing the building, remember that the Lord our God is with us even to the ends of the earth. I will remember you guys in my prayers.
Jill Hamer-Wilson
Twelve years ago (almost to the day) I travelled from Ottawa Canada to invest three months in student ministry with EU at Sydney Uni. My first jet-lagged Sunday I went to Barney’s and was warmly welcomed by so many people there. I felt right at home.
I clearly remember where I was standing at Barney’s the Sunday when I met Jono Wilson, the evening service band leader. We connected straight away, and despite the challenges of a long-distance relationship were married at Barneys on May 4, 1996.
We have been living in Ottawa all these years, but continue to remember Barney’s with gratitude - a great place to connect and celebrate with fantastic people. We hold the people of Barney’s in our heart and prayers.
Grace & Peace -
Jill (& Jono, Jonah & Tavian) Hamer-Wilson
Campus Minister
Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship
Tim Patrick
I came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus through the ministry of Barney’s. I first joined with God’s family at Barney’s. The Holy Spirit grew my passion for the gospel at Barney’s. I learned the Bible at Barney’s. I met and married my wife at Barney’s. I made my decision to work in gospel ministry during my time at Barney’s. I have so much to thank God for in Barney’s.
But though I have many precious memories of the place, I’m already feeling interested - dare I say excited - in what God’s plans might be for Barney’s over the next 150 years. Christian life is all about praising God for what he’s done in the past and looking forward to the future he’s prepared. With God in charge, we should always expect great things!
Tim Patrick
Evangelism Minister
St Jude’s, Carlton, Vic
Douglas Forbes
Although I am now back in Scotland, Barneys always has and will have a special place in my life. Less than an hour after first setting foot in Australia I was driven past Barneys and it was described as ‘the main student church for Sydney Uni.’ Because of my own preconceptions and experiences I can remember consciously thinking, “I won’t be going there then…”! It was a shock to find God used my 18 months (2001/02) at Barneys to blow away my fixed mind set, and cause me to grow in a way that I had never done before.
I have so many memories of things God taught me within those walls it is very moving to see them gone. So many solid and long lasting friendships formed and developed there, combined with an overflowing of God’s love. Wonderful memories of helping to organise the Town Hall Debate in 2002. My thoughts and prayers are with the leadership and the current congregations as they do wonderful work under God during this transient time and beyond, and although the building may be different I’m sure the opportunities and serving will be the same.
Mick Pope
Leading homegroups, hearing solid teaching, growing in theological understanding, busting guitar strings, hostel (terraces) insanity, ministry overload, getting married, being rebuked, great times of encouragement and fellowship, and sad times of disappointment. Our time at Barneys was like life really; all manner of things from the highest highs to the lowest lows.
Church is more than buildings but place means something. Something has been lost, yet somethings will never be lost, and God willing, new things will be gained.
Chris and Judy Moroney
It was with great sadness we awoke on Wednesday morning to the news Barneys had been burnt down. At the same time it was encouraging to hear people talk about the church being the people and that would go on and remembering Arthur Stace's conversion through Barney's ministry. Our prayers are with you as you grieve the loss of this building ("family home") that served an ever-changing passing parade of people over such a long period but continued to feel a part of the barney's community. We have fond memories of our time there('83-'86). May God be with you as you meet this Sunday and begin the long and challenging journey of re-building and continuing the ministry of outreach to the community and building up of the church body. May this be an exciting and challenging time.
God bless.
David and Maureen Mulready
Greetings to the Church family of Barney's Broadway,
While my wife, Maureen, and I have never been "regulars' at Barneys, we have been to several services there. We thank God for the faithful ministry eminating from Barneys and pray that God will give you all wisdom as you seek the best solutions for the future.
With love and support from the Diocese Of North West Australia and David and Maureen.
David Mulready - Diocesan Bishop
Diocese of North West Australia
Ian and Leisa Williams
It was with great surprise we saw a burned down Barneys on the news. Of course the church is the people but the building will always hold a place in our hearts too as we met and married in the St Barnabus church building in 1994. I worked in the church office for two years part time and Ian and I worshipped there for three years before moving to Canberra in 1995.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all as you work through this challenge.
Howard Peterson
My 8 year old daughter saw Barneys burning on the news then Rob Forsyth & Ian Powell being interviewed. She said "Daddy why did God let his church burn down?" and I replied the building burned but the church are the believers who meet there together - those who trust that Jesus was dead and then rose to life again. On later reflection though I thought is it correct to say Barneys was just a building " bricks & mortar " "the barn' as it was affectionately known? Keeping the wind and weather off God's church whilst they were at worship together was it's major function?
It doesn't matter that it's burnt down? It's nothing to get emotional about as long as none were hurt! God knows what He's doing and good will definitely come out of today's tragic ashes. A new St Barnabas church building will rise up out of those ashes quickly enough, with more on-site parking than ever previously dreamed of during any of those after-church think-tanks over coffee can become reality. Now, with a clean sheet of paper a new larger multi-storey church complex situated above an underground carpark with offices, hall and sunday school above that again " can optimize use of all the available space. It will be fantastic - but how long before building work can commence? I have repeated these same thoughts several times during the last 5 days since the fire but each time they're missing something and just sound hollow.
Just a roof to keep the wind and weather off is what my head says but this was an important place where I felt secure and comfortable for 25 years. As my church home this was where my family dwelt. It was the place I headed to almost every Sunday between late "78 before I became a Christian and then for those years up to the end 2003 when we finally changed churches. Barneys was where I found I was cared for when the rest of life only seemed to be caring for itself and where I discovered that I needed and could be forgiven because of Jesus Christ's work. The memories that the old Barneys building held for me make it much more now than "just bricks & mortar' to not have any more on the corner of Mountain Street & Broadway.
Without mentioning the many names and faces that come to mind over my time there, the ministries that various friendly souls had over me both overtly and quite unassumingly, and which provided a warmth to the structure which is "just the church building' and somehow gave it a life. So this is the loss I feel when I look now at the burnt out shell that was St Barnabas Broadway.
And as one who accompanied the congregation singing on the trumpet I cannot say how sorry I am for the loss of the Hill organ. I loved that exhilarating lift when that grand historic instrument was played with skill, feeling & with the grunt it was capable of producing. Other tracker action pipe organs may be available to replace it from elsewhere but matching them with the acoustics of some new modern structure may be found to be a difficult call if recreating that particular Hill organ sound is the goal.
I will be praying for the Barneys folk: that adequate temporary premises will be found quickly, so as not to disrupt normal church meetings and routines of congregational life. Also I will pray that plans for rebuilding proceed speedily.
Audrey Yuen
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I’ve just read about the fire at Barney’s and am saddened by it. Barney’s was my adopted church during my studies at Sydney Uni in 1997-1998 and I made many new friends at this warm and welcoming fellowship. It was like a second home to us students, especially the OCFers (some of whom also married there) and I also have fond memories of serving in the creche ministry. :)
I am encouraged that everyone is looking ahead and I know that God will provide and will bless you all as He has done so for so many years. Will keep everyone in prayer.
Nicky Chiswell
was so sad to hear ...and then see photo's… of the loss of this old building. I have found myself wandering its nooks and crannies in my mind..the spot where I married….the room where they looked after my kids in crèche…..the spot where I learned many songs and had great times with music (including playing that gorgeous piano)....the place where I had my first proper" gig" ...Friday Morning group ...and of course the place where God taught me to read and ponder his word with depth and insight through thousands of sermons. The building was a backdrop for thousands of coffees and profound converstions. It was the place I talked, prayed, hugged and laughed and cried with my friends as we shared our lives , grieved the loss of those we loved and welcomed the new babies and new people to church. We grew in God in a community with this building as the backdrop.
I kind of already lost Barnies once by moving away 18 mths ago. I have reacted much more strongly to the loss of the building than I thought I would but that's probably why. It was the place I grew up really.
It is good to not put your hope in things that don't last…but it's OK to feel sad about their passing.
But yep…God is rebuilding this place from the ground up in all sorts of ways. I think this process started before the fire. I can't wait to see the kingdom grow more and more and see how God is going to use this unique community of His servants to help that happen.
Lots of love to you and prayers for you as you endure the headaches and hardship of the next few years working out what to do.
"where else have we to go when you alone have words of eternal life?"
Kylie (nee Clarke) & Rod Good, and little Ethan
I was one of the troop of CENEF girls (aka Arundel House ) in 1989, wearing our white, blue and red striped footie jerseys, who would head down past the old Grace Bros on Broadway to the Sunday night service during my Uni days. A bit of a scary walk home in winter time back to Forest Lodge in the dark too…
I have a strong sense of connection with Barneys from my 5 years there as it was my first time away from home (being a country girlie) and the first time I needed to decide to continue my faith away from my Christian family.
I am thankful to so many people at Barneys over those years for their teaching, friendship and time. Our Loving God has used so many people to serve Him and to serve fellow believers at Barneys.
My memories are of sermons with Rob Forsyth, Nicki Chiswell on the guitar out the front, upstairs suppers were always great, a packed church on Sunday nights. Barneys was a time of great growth for me in my faith. Hello to many friends who I haven’t seen for a long time from those years!
I pray that in the near and distant future our Lord God will continue to use Barneys for many more people to know Him and grow strong in their trust in Him.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases his mercies never come to an end ,they are new every morning”. Lam.3 :23
