To the Saints of Saint Barnabas,

With hearts lifted in gratitude to God, I write to share joyful news in the life of our parish. After a season marked by prayer, holy listening, and careful discernment, we trust that the Spirit has led us to call The Rev. Dr. Robyn M. Neville to serve as our next rector.

Rev. Robyn currently serves as Director of the Center for Spiritual Formation and Senior Associate Rector at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Boca Raton, Florida. Ordained to the priesthood in 2003, she brings a deep love for Christ and the Church, shaped by years of pastoral ministry, spiritual wisdom, and theological reflection. She will begin her ministry among us in April.

Her academic journey reflects a lifelong devotion to the life of the mind and the life of the soul. She holds a BA in religion from the College of William and Mary, with further degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary, Harvard Divinity School, and Emory University. Her scholarship explores spirituality, mysticism, and the rich history of the Church — fields that nourish faithful living and deepen our walk with God.

Throughout her ministry, Rev. Robyn has faithfully accompanied individuals and communities through the joys and challenges of discipleship. She has served congregations in Georgia, Massachusetts, and Virginia. At the heart of her vocation is a passion for spiritual formation, congregational life, and helping people attend to God’s presence in every season.

As we give thanks for this new beginning, we also offer deep gratitude for those who have guided us faithfully to this moment: for Trish Refo and the Search Committee for their prayerful and devoted work; for the beloved ministry of the Rev. Jim Clark; and for the steady, grace-filled leadership of our Priest-in-Charge, the Rev. Robert Berra, whose care continues to bless and shape our parish.

In calling Robyn, we believe God has entrusted Saint Barnabas with a rector who is grounded in tradition, attentive to the Spirit, and deeply compassionate in pastoral heart. We look forward with hope to welcoming her and to discerning together how God is inviting us to grow, serve, and love more fully.

Please hold Rev. Robyn in your prayers as she prepares for this transition, and pray for our parish, that we may step into this new season with faith, generosity, and joy.

Faithfully in Christ,

Don Henninger
Senior Warden

Dear Saint Barnabas family,

Warm greetings to you in the name of Christ. It is with great excitement and joy that I am writing to you, to introduce myself to you as the new Rector of Saint Barnabas. Hooray!

My husband, Damian Reeder, and I are so excited that through prayerful discernment by all, I have been called to serve you. We could not be more thrilled. Here’s a little something about me:

I have been an ordained priest of the Episcopal Church since 2003. It has been my privilege to serve parishes in Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia, and Florida. Each call has strengthened not only my faith, but my talents and skills in unique ways. I have a passion for congregational development, and I am excited to talk with you about the wonderful ways we can grow together. I hope to bring all my knowledge, my enthusiasm, and my love for people to bear in my call to Saint Barnabas. I am truly honored to be called to serve God with you, and I can’t wait to get started!

My husband and I will be moving to Scottsdale in March. We will be bringing along our beloved English bulldog, Miss Mango. We are so looking forward to making our home in Scottsdale. We plan to rent first before we buy a house, so we can get a sense of the area. My first Sunday will be on April 19, which will be here before we know it!

I am so eager to meet each one of you and to become part of the Saint Barnabas parish family. I do have an important request for all of you: it’s a great help to me if you wear your name tags, and not just on our first Sunday. Damian and I learn names and faces best when we can see your name as we meet. We promise that we will wear our name tags as well. People often ask what to call me as a female priest. I’m great with just being called Robyn. If you prefer to use a title, I prefer Reverend Robyn or Dr. Neville.

Until we can be together in person, please know that I am holding you in my heart and praying for you and for the whole extended Saint Barnabas community. Please pray for us as we plan our move. We look forward with great joy to being with you. We are so full of gratitude, so full of hope, and so full of awe at the beautiful grace of God, the grace that brings us to you with open hearts, ready to know you and love you with the heart of Christ.

Wishing you bright blessings and kind regards,

Robyn +

The Rev. Robyn M. Neville, Ph.D.