Canon Roy Barker, Dean of the Cathedral of St Michael and St George in Grahamstown from 1980 to 1992, passed away in Bristol, England, on Friday 28 October. He will be remembered with affection and admiration by many of his former parishioners, as well as by those members of the wider Grahamstown community whose lives he touched.
Canon Roy Barker, Dean of the Cathedral of St Michael and St George in Grahamstown from 1980 to 1992, passed away in Bristol, England, on Friday 28 October. He will be remembered with affection and admiration by many of his former parishioners, as well as by those members of the wider Grahamstown community whose lives he touched.
He was born in 1933 in Shrewsbury, England and studied theology at Kings College in London after feeling a calling to train as a priest. After his ordination and some time in the UK he was invited to become chaplain to students at the University of Cape Town in 1966. He pursued this task with flair until 1973, when he became sub Dean at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town.
1980 brought Barker to Grahamstown as the ninth Dean of our cathedral where he regarded his mission as, "the building up and nurturing of a worshipping, caring and loving community." It is a vision that shone through his preaching, pastoral, administrative and outreach roles. As a fine preacher, he chose apt words and images to put across his messages from the pulpit or in the parish newsletter that, in his day, became The Spire. "You are here," he would say to his congregation, "because God loves you".
As a pastor Barker had a particular gift for ministering to the sick and dying, and of encapsulating the life of a person most beautifully in his funeral sermons. His pastoral care extended beyond those with special needs to everyone, and, during his time a neighbourhood visiting scheme for the parish was set up.
As a leader in the structures of the church, Barker was firm and wise. He could show disappointment when people did not fulfil their duties, but affirmation rather than criticism was his way of dealing with such problems. At the same time he agonised over the distress of others and, often, over what he saw as his own shortcomings.
His care extended to the fabric of the cathedral, and, it was during his time that major restoration work had to be undertaken when it was discovered that the spire was cracked and that the copper roof of the chancel needed to be replaced. "I regret," he wrote, "the necessity for vast expense, but we have a responsibility to accept it. There’s a need not only to create more beauty in our environment and in our lives, but also to preserve what we have."
His regret for this necessity arose out of his deep concern for what was happening in South Africa. The 1980s were crisis years when opposition to apartheid practices was reaching boiling point and laws were becoming more and more draconian. In 1983 Barker spearheaded the formal establishment of a branch of the Dependants’ Conference for this area. Information about civil rights was circulated, visits of family and friends to detainees arranged and financed, food parcels for families provided, and a supportive presence in court cases offered. He was sometimes castigated for his views and involvement but he courageously stood firm.
In 1992 Barker and his wife, Margaret, returned to their home country, although their ties with South Africa remained strong. Barker ministered in parishes in Bristol, with the same wise, loving, often humorous touches Grahamstonians had known. In latter years he was handicapped by a severe back problem, and had to celebrate the and preach from a seated position. A few months ago he was diagnosed with cancer, and, on Friday died peacefully at his home.
Barker was a loving and supportive family man and our sympathy extends to Margaret, whom many will remember for her important contribution to the life of the church and the community in Grahamstown, especially as manager of the GADRA school feeding scheme, and to their four children and seven grandchildren.
There will be a celebratory memorial in the Cathedral of St Michael and St George on Wednesday 9 November at 11 am.
