Set on a seven-acre property along Brinker Road, two and a half miles west of downtown Barrington, the Presbyterian Church of Barrington has been a steady presence in the Barrington Hills landscape since 1960. The white-clad sanctuary and adjoining fellowship wing sit among mature trees and gardens, with a Memorial Garden tucked into the wooded hill just south of the building. From this quiet corner of Chicago's northwest suburbs, the congregation carries out a ministry that has earned it a reputation for warm hospitality, robust music, and a deeply intergenerational approach to worship and faith formation.
From Living Rooms to a Sanctuary on the Hill
The Presbyterian Church of Barrington was organized on Easter Day, April 17, 1960, with 185 charter members. The story began two years earlier, when a group of local residents in Barrington Hills became convinced the area needed a Presbyterian presence. They approached the Presbytery of Chicago, which agreed to sponsor a new church development. For several months in 1958 and 1959, the nucleus of about fifty families met in homes scattered around the area. In July 1959, the Reverend Mr. Paul Winchester arrived from Lawrenceville, Illinois, to lead the fledgling group, and a temporary council of twelve was formed. By November 1959 the worshiping community had moved into Countryside School, and the following month a Church School opened for sixty-six children ages four through thirteen.
Within a year of its founding, the young church began planning for a permanent home. Faulkner, Faulkner and Associates were retained as architects in November 1960. On April 1, 1962, the congregation authorized construction of a new building on an initial seven-acre site on Brinker Road, at a cost of $290,000. The congregation moved in on February 24, 1963, and the cornerstone, containing the names of charter members, copies of early worship services, building plans, and a Bible, was laid on December 15 of that year.
The Reverend Dr. C. Victor Brown began his ministry on November 1, 1964, and over the next seventeen years guided a period of growth that included a Christian Education wing, a Moeller pipe organ dedicated in 1968, an additional five acres of land, and a staff that grew to include Associate Pastors for Education and Pastoral Care. By 1983, membership had reached 1,083. The Reverend Dr. John Schmidt succeeded Dr. Brown in 1982 and served until 1998, when the Reverend Dr. Jeffery O'Neill served as interim. The Reverend Dr. Curtis T. Baxter began his ministry in January 2000 and led the church through a visioning process, the creation of the Memorial Garden, and a strategic discernment that shaped new directions for ministry. The Reverend Anne E. Fisher followed as interim from 2012 to 2014, a period in which the church began video recording and livestreaming its services. The Reverend Joseph Dorociak, known to the congregation as Pastor Joe, arrived in 2014, launching programs such as the Friday Morning Men's Bible Study and Wednesday evening Theology on Tap. The Reverend Jae Cho joined in 2021 as Associate Pastor. After Pastor Joe's retirement in May 2022, the Reverend Dr. David Ezekiel was named Transitional Pastor in the fall of that year, helping the congregation assess its future and chart a path forward.
Worship on Sunday Morning at Ten
Worship at PCB is fairly traditional but not stiff. Each Sunday at 10:00 a.m., the congregation gathers in the sanctuary for a service that includes hymns and prayers, music and confession, a Proclamation, a time of giving, and a benediction. The order of worship follows a three-fold flow: assembling in God's name, listening for God's Word, and responding to God's Word. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, and all who trust in Jesus are welcome at the table; children may participate at whatever age their parents decide.
For those who cannot be in the sanctuary, every service is livestreamed on YouTube, and the day's bulletin is posted online. The livestream is also shown inside the Nursery and Family Room, so parents stepping out with a young child do not have to miss a moment of worship.
Visitors arriving at the front or side entrance are greeted by volunteer ushers who hand out bulletins, point out restrooms, and help with the layout of the building. Hymnals and Bibles are in the pews, the order of worship is on monitors at the front, and a marker at each standing point makes it easy to follow along. After the benediction, the Pastor waits in the narthex to greet worshipers, and everyone is invited to a coffee hour in the Fellowship Hall, which moves outdoors to the courtyard in good weather.
There is no dress code. On any given Sunday you will see suits and dresses alongside jeans and sneakers; the only expectation is to come and engage in worship.
The Grace Space and a Commitment to Intergenerational Worship
PCB takes seriously the conviction that children belong in worship, not separated from it. The church's intergenerational approach is rooted in the words of Jesus: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Children are welcomed as ushers, greeters, liturgists, offering collectors, and bulletin-cover artists. The Time with Young Disciples, a regular feature of Sunday worship, gives kids a chance to ask and answer questions in front of the congregation as a way of preparing everyone for the sermon.
For families with very young children, a new feature called the Grace Space debuted at the end of summer 2026. Tucked into the front corner of the sanctuary near the piano, the Grace Space offers a rug, small child-sized tables and chairs, coloring sheets, foam blocks, fabric books, and soft toys. Children can see everything that is happening in worship while having a place to wiggle, draw, and play. A family-friendly guide, posted in the Worship Resource Center in the lobby, also includes fidget toys, faith-at-home ideas, books, and "Pew Pals," plush stuffed animals washed monthly and available for adoption.
For those who prefer a quieter option, the Nursery and Family Room on the lower level is available every Sunday for children from six months through age eight, with the livestream of the service playing in the room so parents do not miss a thing.
A Music Ministry Marked by Two Decades of Growth
Music is woven into the fabric of PCB's life. The music program is led by Kirsten Hedegaard, Director of Music, who in 2026 marked twenty years of service to the congregation. In April 2026, the PCB Sanctuary Choir joined guest professional musicians to perform Elaine Hagenberg's choral masterwork "Illuminare" in the sanctuary, an event that doubled as a celebration of Kirsten's two decades of leadership and a featured installment of the church's Music on the Hill concert series.
Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University, a Master of Arts from the University of California (where she served as conducting assistant to Paul Hillier), and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois, where she studied choral conducting with Andrew Megill and orchestral conducting with Donald Schleicher. She is also Associate Professor of Music at Loyola University and Director of The EcoVoice Project, a nonprofit that uses music and the arts for climate change education and action.
The Sanctuary Choir is the heart of the music ministry. Made up of volunteers from the congregation, the choir rehearses Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and sings at the 10:00 a.m. service every Sunday from September through June. Their repertoire ranges from medieval chant to contemporary choral music, and they often perform with the Bell Choir and guest instrumentalists, with one or two extended works each year accompanied by orchestra.
The Bell Choir rehearses on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and plays for worship seven or eight times a year. Members learn to read music, ring with proper bell technique, and play a three-octave set of Schulmerich handbells.
Andrew Luzwick, the church's permanent organist as of July 2025, joined the staff after serving as Organ Scholar beginning in January 2024. A freelance musician based in Chicago, Andrew is also the bandleader of the Dynamix, a cover band in the Chicagoland area, and a multi-instrumentalist trained in piano, all the saxophones, clarinet, and flute. A Choral Scholar Internship program offers several high school students each academic year the chance to participate in the music ministry and earn a scholarship toward future music studies.
Music on the Hill: Concerts for the Whole Community
Music on the Hill, often referred to simply as MOTH, is a free community concert series offered annually at PCB. Now in its current form, the series features many of Chicagoland's top professional musicians in genres ranging from classical and jazz to folk, bluegrass, and world music. The concerts take place in the sanctuary, the Fellowship Hall, and on the PCB lawn, depending on the program, and are open to the public at no charge. Recent and upcoming seasons have included Beatles Songbook jazz with Chris Madsen and Alyssa Allgood, Holiday Joy performances with choir, brass, and bells, a St. Patrick's Day party with the Langen-Conneely Quartet, a festive Easter-season choral performance with the Sanctuary Choir, and a Bluegrass Under the Stars concert by the Old Town Bluegrass Trio on the church lawn.
Children, Youth, and Family Life
Faith formation for children, youth, and families is the work of Raechel Sowa, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. A Christian educator with more than thirty years of experience in Sunday School classrooms, nurseries, confirmation classes, and youth groups, Raechel describes her ministry as "Sunday Supper" - the idea that when a community gathers around a table, members get to know one another, learn from one another, and see God in each other.
Children from PreK through fifth grade are welcome in worship and invited into a range of age-appropriate formation activities. Younger children use the Grace Space, the Nursery and Family Room, and a Worship Resource Center stocked with monthly-updated worship bags, sketch books, fidget toys, and "Pew Pals" stuffed animals. Sunday School classes meet during the program year.
For sixth through twelfth graders, the church offers a full slate of programs. Confirmation is offered to eighth graders and any high schoolers who have not yet been confirmed, using a curriculum called "Changing the World" that emphasizes a missional approach: rather than preparing youth for institutional membership, it invites them into the work Jesus entrusted to the church. The next confirmation class will begin in September 2027. The Youth Group, open to all middle and high school students, meets monthly for fellowship, service, and fun. Every summer the high school youth embark on a week-long mission trip, working side by side with adult volunteers on construction and community service projects, supplemented by Bible study and recreation. Past trips have taken the group to Kenosha, Wisconsin and Rapid City, South Dakota.
Family Ministry at PCB includes a monthly First Sunday Family Breakfast Club in the Fellowship Hall at 9:15 a.m., seasonal gatherings such as a Pentecost picnic, a Halloween/Reformation celebration, and an Advent party, plus ice cream socials and movie nights designed to bring families together. Raechel also sends out a weekly email with a calendar of upcoming events, faith-at-home ideas, and a list of favorite resources for parents.
Adult Education: Three Doors Into the Bible
PCB's adult education program is built around three guiding principles: read the Bible "smartly," rooted in its original context; keep refreshing and growing in faith rather than slipping into complacency; and recognize that Christian growth requires community. Three ongoing studies make that vision practical.
On Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., the Theology on Zoom group (TOZ) gathers for a weekly discussion of a faith-based book. The study rotates titles every few months and has covered works such as Barbara Brown Taylor's Holy Envy, which explores what Christians can learn from other religious traditions. Each week the group works through exegesis and hermeneutics, drawing on the Bible, the Hebrew Tanakh, the Quran, and classical philosophy. A study outline and review questions are distributed by Monday morning to help even casual participants join the conversation.
On Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m., the Men's Bible Study gathers on Zoom for a no-homework discussion of a chapter of a current book, currently Appreciate These Things by Pastor Jill J. Duffield, based on Philippians 4:8.
On the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., Growing Together in Faith (GTIF) is a lay-led women's Bible study that meets via Zoom from September through May (with a break in December). The group uses the Interpretation Bible Studies format; an upcoming study of the book of Acts uses a study written by Charles C. Williamson.
On Sunday mornings after worship, a Post-Worship Discussion is often led by Pastor David or another church leader, focusing on the morning's scripture or sermon theme.
A Mission That Reaches Into the Community and Beyond
Mission is not a separate program at PCB; it is woven into the life of the congregation. The Mission Committee, chaired by Jodie Harmsen, coordinates a robust set of partnerships and hands-on projects that support neighbors near and far.
For more than thirty-five years, PCB has partnered with the Barrington Area Council on Aging (BACOA) on Meals With Wheels, helping provide hot meals to senior citizens in the community. Members of the congregation also volunteer with the FISH Food Pantry on the third Monday of every month from 10:00 a.m. to noon, helping in the warehouse. Quarterly trips are made to a Feed My Starving Children facility in Libertyville to package food for distribution worldwide; children as young as five are welcome to participate. The church is a founding member of Joyful Hands, a church partnership that supports Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley, and a Women Build team fields volunteers and raises funds for an annual build day.
Each year the congregation walks in the Barrington Area CROP Hunger Walk, sponsored by Church World Service, with 25 percent of the funds raised returning to the local community. PCB also runs its own annual fundraiser, the Ross Bogue Memorial Run the Hills 5K, held on the church's scenic Brinker and Otis Roads course. The race, now in its fourth year, raises thousands of dollars for local nonprofits and supports PCB's annual mission budget of $27,000.
Beyond these recurring projects, the church also provides financial support to a number of mission partners, including the Barrington Food Pantry, the Chicago Presbytery, Christopher House, the FISH Food Pantry, Good News Jail Ministry, Habitat for Humanity, and the Palatine Food Pantry. Members are invited to contribute time and resources to all of these efforts through the Mission Committee.
Stephen Ministry and Pastoral Care
Pastoral care at PCB is shared between the pastors and a long-standing Stephen Ministry program. Active in the congregation for the last fourteen years, Stephen Ministry is a not-for-profit Christian educational organization based in St. Louis, Missouri. Stephen Ministers are lay members of the congregation who have completed fifty hours of in-class training and reading assignments, equipping them to provide one-to-one, Christ-centered, confidential care to people going through difficult times such as divorce, grief, hospitalization, unemployment, terminal illness, relocation, chronic illness, or loneliness. Care is offered to PCB members, their families, and friends and neighbors in the community.
The Board of Deacons complements the pastors' work by caring for the sick, bereaved, needy, and lonely, and by supporting those with cause to celebrate - new births, baptisms, or marriages. Each Deacon is assigned a geographic parish and a specific care-ministry role, including memorial receptions, off-site communion, member contact updates, support visits, and the prayer ministry. The current Deacons are led by Moderator Bob Stine and Vice-Moderator Emily Dowell.
The Memorial Garden and the Care of Endings
For more than two decades, PCB has maintained a Memorial Garden on the wooded hill just south of the sanctuary. Conceived in the fall of 2000 by the Session and developed by the Trustees, the Garden serves as a dedicated resting place for the cremated remains of PCB members and their families, as well as a place for meditation, prayer, and solace. Its rambling-cross walkway, interspersed with engraved laser bricks, is softly illuminated from dusk to dawn for after-hours visits. Construction and ongoing maintenance are funded entirely by restricted gifts and memorials; no general pledge dollars support the Garden. Engraved walkway bricks can be purchased in two sizes for future installation.
The sanctuary, which seats approximately 150 people, also hosts funerals and memorial services for PCB members and their immediate families, as well as non-member Christians in special circumstances. Funerals are usually scheduled for mid- or late morning or early afternoon and are not conducted on Sundays or major holidays.
Governance and the Shape of the Church
Like every Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation, PCB is governed by a Session, made up of Teaching Elders (the pastors) and Ruling Elders elected from the active membership for three-year terms. The Session meets on the fourth Monday evening of each month, moderated by the Pastor. The current Session is led by Moderator Dr. David Ezekiel, with George Landes Jr. serving as Clerk of Session. Ruling Elders currently serving include Anna Armstrong, Rich Barbour, Bard Boand, Martha Boling-Risser, Ross Clover, Bob Dick, Mari Franklin, Ron Furst, Debra Johnson, Heather Layne, Peter Shaeffer, and Molly Stine.
The Session oversees the church's work through a set of committees, each with annual SMART goals that align with the broader SMART goals of the Session and the congregation as a whole. Committees include Christian Education (George Steffen), A/V (Heather Layne), Communications (Mari Hoashi Franklin), Facilities (Ron Furst), Finance/Stewardship (Molly Stine), Hospitality and Fellowship (Susan Thiess), Mission (Jodie Harmsen), New Members (Anna Armstrong), Leadership Nominations (Robert Stine), Personnel (Peter Shaeffer), and Worship (Bob Dick).
The Board of Deacons handles the church's care ministry, as described above, and the Trustees oversee property and long-range planning. A Pastor Nominating Committee has been at work in search of the congregation's next settled Senior Pastor, working alongside Transitional Pastor David Ezekiel.
Accessibility, Building, and Practical Details
The sanctuary and Fellowship Hall are fully handicapped accessible, and T-coil is enabled for hearing assistance devices. There is ample parking in the front and on the sides of the building, with entrances in the front, on the side, and through the courtyard in the back. The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the office number is 847-381-0975. General email inquiries sent to info@pcbarrington.org are forwarded to the appropriate staff member.
Online giving is available through the church's E-Giving platform, and donations can also be sent via Zelle to accounting@pcbarrington.org. Annual stewardship pledges and special offerings can be made online or through the offering plate during worship.
A Welcoming Community for the Road Ahead
From the Easter Day founding in 1960 to the Grace Space unveiled in 2026, the Presbyterian Church of Barrington has continually renewed its commitment to following the teaching of Jesus Christ, affirming his grace, sharing God's love, and serving all those in need. The congregation's statement of welcome is broad: regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, social or economic state, or physical or mental challenge, all are invited into the life of the church. Whether a person's faith is confident or still forming, there is a place at PCB.
Worship on Sunday morning, music in the sanctuary and on the lawn, study around the table in person and on Zoom, mission in the warehouse and on the build site, and care in the hospital room and at the memorial bench - the rhythms of the Presbyterian Church of Barrington are many, and they are sustained by a congregation that takes seriously the call to be a compassionate community of faith.