In Memory of John W. Baros-Johnson (1948-2022)

John Wingood Johnson was born in Jasper, AL on April 28, 1948. He grew up in and around Charlestown, SC, until the age of 10, where his father was a printer. After his father died, John moved to Jasper, Alabama, and lived with his grandparents while his mother attended college to become a music director at the Methodist church and at Walker County High School. He did well in school, wrote poems, joined the library club, and acted in plays. While working, a librarian said he sounded like a Unitarian. Thereafter, he took the Greyhound Bus to Birmingham for Sunday services. At least once, the door was locked because of a KKK bomb threat in the integration era. In 1972, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Religion Studies from the University of Alabama. During the Vietnam era, he served in the U.S. Navy for ten months, so when John attended Woodstock, he had a buzz haircut.  At Woodstock, John talked people down from bad LSD trips.

After being taught by Murray Bookchin in New York City, he attended Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ. He took courses in theology and philosophy and participated in student governance. After serving as youth adviser to the Liberal Religious Youth group at Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, he married Irene Patricia Baros and moved to Syracuse, NY. For the next ten years, he worked as Office Manager of the Syracuse Interreligious Council, as the intern minister/custodian of the May Memorial Unitarian Society, as a psychiatric counselor, and as a computer consultant. Throughout these years, he met frequently with area Unitarian ministers. In 1987, he went to Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. He completed the requirements for a Master of Divinity degree in 1990 and earned his D. Min in 1991. His dissertation is titled: Faith’s Body: A Hermeneutic Examination of Recent UU Theology. Later he wrote a Philosophical Autobiography. The poetic Faith is a Thinking was revised and became Meditations II: Liturgical Elements for a Thoughtful Faith (1997).

Rev. Dr. Baros-Johnson was ordained by the May Memorial Unitarian Society of Syracuse, NY on September 16, 1990. As intern minister in Portland, Oregon, he traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to deliver the eulogy for his brother Richard Stoneyton-Reed Johnson who died in a motorcycle accident.  Richard was press adviser to Coretta Scott King and the eulogy was delivered at the Ebenezer Baptist Church.

From 1991 to 1992, he served as a part-time minister to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, VA, and the Jenkins Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, VA. For the Fredericksburg congregation, he conducted Sunday worship services, organized adult education groups on UU History, initiated Long Range Planning Committee, and conducted the congregational goal-setting workshop. He led a workshop on “Raising UU Children” and supported and encouraged a new choir. Similarly, at Jenkins Fellowship, he worked to explore improvements in race relations.

Rev. Dr. Baros-Johnson was an interim minister for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta, GA for two years (1992-1994). During his tenure, he worked to strengthen Adult Education programs on World Religion, Christian Scriptures, Ethics, and Comparative Religion. He produced the Unitarian Universalist Radio Hour for local broadcast and encouraged Long Range Planning Committee, initiated the Children’s Choir, worked with the pledge campaign, performed at pledge campaign dinners, and supported LGBTQ+ organizations. He met with Baptist ministers, encouraging interracial discussions. During interim ministry in Yakima, Washington state (1996-1997), he reoriented the Worship committee to try out alternative services and encouraged innovation and experimentation in other church committees. He also revitalized adult education and youth programs. With his encouragement for the expansion of lay leadership and alternative styles of lay leadership, the church showed very healthy dynamics and a good balance of listening and doing.

In 1997, he accepted a call from the Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada where he would serve until 2006. His tenure included introducing the annual Thanksgiving meal, topical programs, and helping start the Afterchoir band, which plays at some church services and memorials.

Rev. Dr. Baros-Johnson encouraged the spiritual growth and sensitivity of each of the members of the congregation that he served. He strongly supported denominational activities both through personal participation and by encouraging church members to attend. He served on the Meadville Lombard Philosofest Committee (1990-1991) and was a member of the St. Lawrence District UUMA and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada. 

John delivered the 2003 Confluence Lecture at the Canadian Unitarian Council’s Annual Meeting in Winnipeg Manitoba, titled A Thoughtful Faith; Understanding UUism as a Faith Tradition. 

In community, John served as Chairman of the Parents’ Advisory Committee of Bright Horizons Learning, Center, Williamsburg, VA, (1991-1992); as an associate chaplain at the Eastern State Hospital, VA (1991) and as a board member and secretary of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Society of Augusta (1993-1994).  As a Fellow of the Medical College of Georgia, he was one of the authors of a medical ethics book. In Halifax, he was a member of the South End Clergy and gained respect as Coordinator of the Interfaith Council.

In his spare time, he enjoyed chess, Go, table tennis, pool, guitar, electric bass, drumming, and computers.

He retired because of early onset dementia.

John is survived by his wife Irene and son Nicholas.

A memorial service was held at 2 pm Atlantic Time on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at the UU Church of Halifax, 5500 Inglis Street, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 1J8.

Donations in John’s memory can be sent to the endowment fund of the UU Church of Halifax, 5500 Inglis Street, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 1J8, or sent by e-transfer to treasurer@uuch.ca.

Notes of condolence can be sent to Irene Baros-Johnson, 985-2313 Gottingen Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3K 3B8, or phone at 902-422-8641.