Rev. William Baum, the pastor at St. Barnabas Church, left, Bishop Robert Rimbo, and Councilman Eric Ulrich attend the rededication of the Howard Beach parish. Ulrich was honored at the event. Kate Bubacz/The Forum Newsgroup
“This is not just a celebration of St. Barnabas, it’s a celebration of the community,” Randy McNeill, a church member at the Howard Beach parish, said to an audience of about 100 people who gathered to commemorate the reopening and rededication of the St. Barnabas sanctuary hall Saturday.
Almost exactly one year after Hurricane Sandy, the damage done to the church has been repaired, something certainly worth celebrating.
“It’s important that St. Barnabas is back,” said state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach). “They open their doors to everyone.”
The church is famous for its generosity. The ruined sanctuary hall is as much community space as any other, being used by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and for civic meetings, Kiwanis club meetings and the annual rummage sale. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, St. Barnabas acted as a shelter for tourists that were stranded. They continued to serve their community in the wake of Hurricane Sandy when they opened their doors and held services.
“We had no heat and light but were still able to be here on Sunday,” said Rev. William Baum, the pastor at St. Barnabas.
“During services, we could see our breath,” Deacon Chris Jones said of the services in the days and weeks after Sandy.
The continuity was important for Baum, who said, “people needed to be together.”
It was not just St. Barnabas that provided help. The list of contributors to the recovery of the church goes for four pages in the days program; too many to name aloud. By their orders, the parish cannot ask for donations but contributions still poured in from other parishes across the country.
Of the 12 churches in Bishop Robert Rimbo’s synod, he estimated that St. Barnabas was hit the worst in Queens in terms of physical damage. As unprepared as Howard Beach was for Sandy, the Bishop was not surprised by the reaction.
“The congregation rose to the occasion” he said. “I know the church and pastor, and the congregation is strong and committed to community”
That commitment showed itself throughout the sanctuary hall on Saturday. John Scheper, an electrical contractor and a volunteer on the church’s building committee, helped to oversee the installation of the main electric, which was moved upstairs after the hall took on four and a half feet of water.
“We learn from mistakes,” Scheper said.
The new paint on the walls was applied as a part of an Eagle Scout project. Another Eagle Scout rebuilt the ruined stage. The refinished floors gleamed and the tables were all set, ready for the next community meeting. The new piano, a donation from a fellow parish, had arrived the day before the reopening and still had a bright red bow on it when the audience filed into the new hall for coffee and snacks and communal catch-up after the service.
“This church is a symbol for the community resiliency, and the strong recovery that they have been able to make in one year,” Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) said.
During Saturday’s program, Ulrich, Addabbo, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Rockaway Park), Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton, and West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jonah Cohen were honored.
“A year ago today, it was such a mess. Who would have thought that it could be so beautiful?” Reverend Baum said.
By Kate Bubacz
