Pastor DeBorah Florence Barnwell lived a remarkable life defined by unwavering faith, dedicated service, and a profound commitment to human connection. Rooted in a home where faith, integrity, and Godly principles were taught and lived daily, she embraced those values early in life and reflected them in every aspect of her personal and ministry journey. The youngest of five children born to Pastor Odell, Sr. and Missionary Clovis Barnwell, DeBorah was affectionately called “a jewel” by her sister, Anne Allen. Another sister, Lydia Lewis, recalls how although a shy youngster, DeBorah blossomed into the most outgoing and social among the siblings.
Barnwell’s journey combined academic excellence with deep spiritual devotion. She earned a degree in business administration and marketing from North Carolina A&T State University, followed by a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education, Ethics, and Pastoral Counseling from Gammon Theological Seminary. Answering her call to ministry, she served the United Methodist Church across Virginia and beyond, extending her compassionate spirit as a police chaplain, counselor, and vocational rehabilitation specialist, guiding countless individuals toward healing and hope.
Ministry Committed to Compassion
Pastor Barnwell’s ministry was rooted in compassion for the brokenhearted and a deep commitment to uplifting others. Her sisters remember her being concerned about community members who were most vulnerable and marginalized. That remained at the heart of her motivation to gain the credentials she needed to help and guide people toward restoration and getting back on their feet.
Honoring a family-wide desire to establish a scholarship in her parents’ memory, Pastor Barnwell chose Africa University as the place to bring her legacy to life. Her estate gift establishes the Pastor Odell, Sr. and Missionary Clovis Barnwell Endowed Scholarship Fund. This visionary act blends faith, scholarship, and service, ensuring her family's foundational values continue to bless others. It also ensures her legacy will give rise to empowered students and reflect a lifetime devoted to enduring impact.
You Can Start Your Own Legacy
Your financial contribution can also become a legacy for your descendants. By creating a scholarship to help World Service Special Gifts’ you can help fund several needed causes such as Africa University Endowment Fund, the Leonard Perryman Communications Scholarship for Ethnic Minority Students, the Methodist Global Education Fund, the National Anti-Gambling Project and the Lay Missionary Planting Network.
story by Josefa E. Bethea Wall, Director of Planned Giving, Africa University Development Office
This story shows the impact of the World Service Special Gift to strengthen the mission and ministries of The United Methodist Church around the world. Gifts support global programs in education, health, leadership development, disaster response, and social justice—helping the Church respond to real needs and share God’s love in tangible ways.
When your church or you give to the World Service Special Gift, you join the connectional Church in making a lasting difference in communities near and far.
