LINCOLN, RI, September 25, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to honor A. Ralph Barlow with inclusion in Who's Who in the World. An accomplished listee, Mr. Barlow celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. Barlow is renowned as a community leader and retired minister celebrating nearly 40 years of service to his congregation and to the larger community of Providence, Rhode Island. His journey toward ministry began while studying at Haverford College, from which he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1956. At the suggestion of his chemistry professor, he began attending Weekend Work Camps sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee. Finding himself transformed by the experience of fellowship and service, he recognized his calling to ministry, and enrolled at Yale University, where he would obtain a Bachelor of Divinity in 1959. Later that same year, Mr. Barlow was ordained to ministry by the United Methodist Church and was appointed as the pastor of Faith United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh.
From 1960 until 1961, Mr. Barlow completed an internship with the Cleveland Inner City Protestant Parish, and accepted a pastor position with Millvale United Methodist Church, in which he would remain for the next year. He would lead the congregation of Lawrenceville Community Church from 1962 until 1963, at which point he relocated to Rhode Island. In 1964, he graduated with a Master of Sacred Theology from Yale University, and found success as a teaching minister and a pastor at Beneficent Congregational Church of Providence, Rhode Island for more than 30 years. In 1997, Mr. Barlow was granted pastor emeritus status, and remains active in his religious activities.
Mr. Barlow's early spiritual awakening with a Quaker service organization left him with a career-defining focus on racial and social justice and a dedication to maintaining the church as an active member of the larger community. Under his leadership, the Beneficent Congregational Church was engaged in a decades-long dialogue about equity, spirituality and restitution with leaders from Providence's Black community following a 1969 encounter with an organization known at the Black Reparations Group. Since 1964, he has been a member of the Rhode Island Conference of the United Church of Christ, and has served on their literacy committee, environmental committee and committee on ministry in addition to a term as the chairman of the church and society committee. Mr. Barlow formerly flourished as the past president and vice president of the Pastoral Counseling Center of Greater Providence, and has held administrative roles in housing and human services organizations including Benficent Commons Housing, Home Health Services of Rhode Island and the Steere House.
Independent of his affiliation with his church, Mr. Barlow has maintained his commitment to community development as a member of the board of directors of Citizens United Renewal Enterprises, the Mouthpiece Coffee House and on the advisory council to the Providence Public Library. He has participated in Yale Divinity School alumni campaigns, and was presented with a 1997 Alumni Board Award for his efforts and career accomplishments. He is noted as the former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Expanding Horizons, and has contributed numerous book chapters, articles for publication in professional journals and in mainstream print media. Mr. Barlow's written work is included in the 2017 anthology "Collection from the Pulpit, the Press, the Media, the Journals, and the Discussion Table" as well as in the archives of the Beneficent Congregational Church.
Mr. Barlow credits much of his success to the constant support of his late wife, Evone, and to the mentorship of Haverford College professor Martin Foss. In his retirement, he enjoys devoting his time to stamp collecting, a lifelong hobby. Likewise, Mr. Barlow remains affiliated with Rotary International, who recognized him as a Paul Harris fellow, the Beneficent Order of the Spike, the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Ministers' Association of the Rhode Island Conference United Church of Christ.
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