The Rev. Gareth Evans serves as the fourteenth rector of St. Barnabas. He is married to Frances Bean and they have three children — Cassie, Charlie, and Jamie. He is a seasoned parish priest who brings significant pastoral experience, a depth of reverence to worship, and a relatable preaching style.
Ordained in 1996, Gareth has almost thirty years of parish experience, serving churches in England and the Dioceses of Massachusetts and New York. He holds degrees from Oxford and Harvard. His wife, Fran plays a key role in church life, leading programs for women and parents as well as teaching Sunday School. She holds degrees from McGill and the University of Massachusetts.
Gareth is committed to nurturing and exploring faith in an open and unpretentious way that leads to a deeper walk with God and builds inter-generational community. He serves on the Village of Irvington’s iAsk Board and the Community Advisory Board focusing on teen wellness and safety issues related to alcohol and drug use. He is also committed to Interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding between different religious traditions. He serves on the Episcopal Diocese of New York’s Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, co-hosts a monthly interfaith discussion group at the Shames JCC in Tarrytown and co-leads Generation Forward, an interfaith (Jewish/Christian) Youth Group that is focused on community service, group reflection and friendship building among teens from St. Barnabas and the JCC. He loves spiritual conversation about matters of the heart, mind and spirit all the while bringing an openness, sense of humor and curiosity to small group and one-to-one meetings. He is a massive Beatles fan, a busy dad and enjoys the challenge of staying fit and healthy in the context of solo pastoring and church leadership today.
Drop-in Hours: Wednesday 1:00-3:00 pm
For appointments or pastoral care Call the office on 914-591-8194 or contact us. The rector’s sabbath (day off) is Monday, beginning at sundown on Sunday night.
Jesse Goldberg is a passionate collaborative pianist, educator, and administrator based in New York City. She has worked with vocalists and instrumentalists at many, diverse venues in the City, including Carnegie Hall, the German Consulate, the Czech Cultural Center, the Roxbury Arts Group, the Fisher Center, Juilliard’s Paul Hall, as well as theaters in Italy, Greece, and Brazil.
In addition to collaborating with both singers and instrumentalists, Jesse enjoys working with composers in the new music scene. In this capacity, she has premiered several song cycles at festivals that include Fordham Lincoln Center’s Voices Up and the Mannes Sounds Festival.
As a founding member of a New Music Collective at Bard College, she has premiered instrumental works at SUNY Purchase, Bard, and other venues in the Hudson Valley region. Jesse performed the music of Robert Carl on the CD “New Heartbeats” released in 2021 and was described as a “superb partner” in that recording by Fanfare magazine. As one half of the Zaffre Duo, she and her percussion partner commission and perform works from both local composers and international colleagues. She accompanies recitals and lessons at Mannes, Manhattan School of Music, the Juilliard Evening Division, and Bard, while also maintaining a robust private teaching studio.
Jesse received her Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from Mannes School of Music, completed an Artist’s Certificate in Collaborative Piano at Bard College’s Conservatory, and holds a BA in Anthropology, Literature, and Music from Bard. In addition to her role as Music Director and Organist at St. Barnabas, she also is the Director of Special Events and Donor Stewardship at Manhattan School of Music, and the accompanist for the Westchester Choral Society.
