Our Staff
St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church is served by a priest-in-partnership, and a host of volunteers who care for the ministry and outreach of the church.
Priest in Partnership - Rev. Jennie Anderson
Jennie Anderson is the Priest-in-Partnership of St. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church. She is the 23rd rector or priest in charge of the Norwich Episcopal congregation since 1833. She began her ministry here on January 3, 2016. Jennie brings to her ministry a heart of compassion and justice. She is devoted to preaching the love of God within the traditions of the church, while recognizing that we must bring our faith into the world . . . and our neighborhood. She studied for the priesthood at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, graduating in 2007.
Jennie was born in Boston, Massachusetts and earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the UMass-Amherst, in wood science and technology. She is a carpenter, pile driver and welder and a trade union member. At the St. James School, a faith-based middle school in the Episcopal tradition in Philadelphia, she served as superintendent of buildings and grounds and unofficial chaplain to children and staff.
While there are few children in our church, Jennie encourages their full participation, joyfully introducing a seven-year old to read one of the scripture lessons and offering a Suzuki “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” cello postlude from another.
Upon her arrival in Norwich, she recognized the church’s special location on the Appalachian Trail, organized a hiker hospitality committee in the church, and began to provide welcome food and shelter to hundreds of hikers throughout the summer months. She connects with hikers empathically, having hiked the Long Trail through Vermont. Hearing the need of a community member to learn how to use tools, she organized and teaches carpentry classes for women. She engages with the community beyond our walls by singing in the Dartmouth College Gospel Choir.
To supplement her income as a part-time minister, Jennie drives a school bus for the local school district.
Jennie has a son and daughter-in-law and grandchild who live nearby in Vermont. Her Labrador Retriever, Friese, who is her constant companion, has persuaded the parish to be dog-friendly.
The Rev. Geoffrey T. Smith
Deacon Geof was ordained to the deaconate in Chicago in 1996. He has since served in churches in Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York City and Connecticut before coming to serve at St. Barnabas and the three other parishes in the constellation: St. John’s, Randolph, St. Martin’s, Fairlee, and St. Paul’s, White River Junction.
Geof describes his mission as a deacon as being like a firefighter: he runs toward the burning issues of the community to build a congregational response. This has taken him into facilitating a support group for the loved ones of those with HIV/AIDS, essentials pantry, shelter and feeding ministries, Safe Church training, deacon formation, and building community awareness and engagement in recognizing and learning the history and stories of enslaved individuals in colonial Connecticut.
Geof has a BA in Economics from the University of Connecticut, and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago. As deacons are not paid by the church, he worked much of his career in the filed of risk management. In 2017 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer for the Episcopal Church, working with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. He retired from that position in 2022 and he and his wife moved to Etna, New Hampshire where they can be closer to their two children and three grandchildren.
The Vestry: Patti Files-Rodriguez and Robert Waters co-wardens; David Krimmel; Jon Felde and Emmett Norton are treasurers and ex officio members of the vestry.