St. Paul UCC is a diverse and open community of the Christian faith committed to growing spiritually and serving others in justice and mercy. Located in the historic village of Barrington, Illinois, we are a community that warmly welcomes all people regardless of gender, age, race, ability, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
Congregational life at St. Paul is all inclusive, with an insistence that Christ's communion table is open to all who wish to receive God's grace and sustenance, and that God's claim upon us at baptism is a gift that can never be taken away.
Persons who participate in the life of St. Paul are free to believe as their faith, mind and conscious dictate. We believe in celebrating life together through shared worship, study and fellowship, stressing the care, nurture and growth of the whole person in body, mind, heart and soul.
At St. Paul we share in a faith heritage that is over 2,000 years old, yet we believe that faith heritage is still relevant and vibrant in the 21st century. Persons are encouraged to openly explore their faith journey and to remain attentive to an ever-deepening commitment to living the way of Jesus in the world. We do not ask anyone to adhere to a certain creed or prescribed doctrine. Instead, spiritual growth is encouraged through asking questions and thinking to discover and claim a deepening relationship with God.
St. Paul encourages free inquiry, believing that it is only through our curiosity and willingness to ponder new information that we can hear God speaking words of new life through the ancient scriptures.