The church purchased a new vicarage for the Smuckers on Owens Court. John Smucker was very interested in social causes, and involved himself as much as possible in those things. He also served the diocese in its mission to the deaf, having taken Special Education to learn the techniques. While he was with us, President Kennedy was assassinated and Rev. Smucker held a Memorial Service at St. Barnabas for him. In that same year, Stuart and Hazel Booker left Chelsea to spend their retirement in Beaufort, South Carolina. The mission owes them a tremendous debt, for without them there would be no St. Barnabas.
In 1966, the Episcopal Church Women asked the Bishop’s Committee for permission to start a pew fund as we were tired of the chairs. We were given permission and expected it would take a long time to raise the money. However, the idea took hold quickly, and the fund grew so fast that it became the pew and furniture fund! A woman named Eslee Green, who lived in Brighton, and had attended St. Barnabas a few times, talked to her lawyer about leaving $2000 to St. Barnabas for pews, but it had not been put into her will when she died suddenly. Her lawyer persuaded each of her two heirs (she had no children) to contribute $1000 each to this fund. Before we were finished, the entire amount for the pews, chancel furniture, carpeting, curtain, altar, screens and more was contributed, besides the work done by the members to make the chancel as beautiful and complete.
Twenty-two pews were donated by the Harold Wallers, the Wojciehowskis, Ramps, Eatons, Virginia Everham, Lauhons, Rossiters, and William Whites. The baptismal font was the gift of the Harold Wallers, the Beaumonts gave the lectern, the altar was a memorial to Deane Rogers and the dossal curtain a gift of the Eatons.
The new sanctuary platform was given and built by William and Charlotte White, the material for the organ screens was given by the Shippys and built by Eugene Garvey. The rewiring was done by Mr. Wadsworth. Money gifts came from Jean Colquhoun, Mabel Brown, Joan Taylor, Ann Kayser, the Donkins, Dorothy Shippy's mother, Mrs. S. M. Taft, and Miss Ivadel Moore, of Dearborn, Helen Goltra, and the Almonds.
New prayer books and hymnals were given by Virginia Myers, Jessie Ramp, Ruth Schenk, Verne Salsbury, Dorothy Shippy and Charlotte White. Charlotte was also instrumental in getting the redwood cross in the front of the church (currently over the sanctuary door).
By December, the furniture was installed and in the undercroft, the floor tile laid by Ed and Barbara Lauhon.