Upcoming Service
Ingathering & Water Communion
September 13, 2026 - 10:00 AMAs we return for a new congregational year, we gather for our annual Ingathering and Water Communion, bringing together water that symbolizes all that has shaped us on our journeys. As we begin a new ministry together, we’ll explore our interdependence, mutual transformation, and what can emerge when we come together in community. We are greater than the sum of our parts. Who might we become because we have encountered one another? Our minister, the Rev. Dr. Emma Farrell, will lead the service.
Join us in person or online.
Inspire

Heal

Belong

Who We Are
Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist is a religious community that confirms, challenges and supports a diverse membership that spans all age groups, faith traditions, and an array of ethnic, political and economic experiences. We think that diversity enriches us all as we talk about a reality that none of us can possibly know completely.
What We Do
Our purpose is as complex as it is simple: We unite to strengthen the bonds of kinship among all persons, to promote human dignity and increase reverence for life’s creating, sustaining and transforming power through worship, study and service. –The Countryside Church Covenant

What We Believe
Our church is unique in that we do not have one set of beliefs that everyone must share in order to join. Rather, we believe in pluralistic religious ideas and the freedom of their expression. We believe that individual reason and conscience are the arbiters of religious truth. And we believe that seeking that truth is a never-ending journey.
Recent News
Kits of Care Donation & Assembly Events
Countryside Church UU, Partners for Our Communities (POC), and Indivisible Barrington are collaborating to collect donations and assemble three kinds of kits for local families
Adult Faith Development Fall Offerings
Registration is now open for fall adult classes. For additional information, contact the facilitators listed or contact our AFD coordinators, Pat Wydell and Susan Auld,
From Our Board President
Dear Fellow Countryside Members and Friends – It’s September, so that means we will soon begin having our regular minister lead Sunday services after a
From Our Minister
Dear Beloved Community, My heart is still full from the extraordinary welcome you offered me in my first month here. Thank you sincerely to everyone
Upcoming Events
Open Forum Discussion
September 13, 2026- 9:00 AM
Please join us Sunday mornings at 9 am to discuss “the issues of the day” while respectfully welcoming different perspectives....Green Sanctuary Meeting
September 13, 2026- 11:30 AM
The Green Sanctuary Committee promotes awareness, appreciation, and action in support of the environment on which we all depend. We...Tending the Spark: An Evening Gathering
September 13, 2026- 5:00 PM
Tending the Spark is held the 2nd Sunday of the month and is a monthly gathering of intentional movement, singing,...Young Adults: Building Community, Shaping Our Future
September 13, 2026- 6:00 PM
Let's take a moment to pause and consider how we can continue to grow, strengthen, and sustain the CCUU Young...Living Well
September 16, 2026- 10:00 AM
Living Well meets monthly to explore the concept of a blue zone through discussion of broader questions concerning our physical,...
Building Calendar
Our Prairie
Nature is a spiritual wonder. The interconnected web of life is in full expression in prairies.
Countryside maintains a small prairie to remind us we’re part of the reciprocal circle of life. We recognize our future is intertwined with the flourishing of the natural world. Our members are deeply involved in community restoration groups as stewards and volunteers. Having a connection with nature brings everyone so much joy. Our small prairie, with its growing number of plant species, is a symbol that our faith community is committed to a glorious mutual flourishing of all living things.









