December Reflections: UU Lansing Traditions Through the Years – Part 3

By Ed Busch

 As we conclude our December journey through the archives, revisiting UU Lansing’s rich traditions, it’s heartwarming to see how our community has embraced this season with joy, reflection, and generosity. From special services to festive gatherings, our history reveals how deeply we’ve connected during this time of year.

This week, we’re traveling back to December 2008—a season marked by vibrant celebrations and meaningful contributions under the leadership of Rev. Kathryn Bert, Church President Sheila Ording, and Religious Education Director Teresa Putnam.

Special Services and Celebrations

• December 12: Holiday Sing-Along

• December 14: Church Service: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

• December 21: A Night for Dancing – A Christmas Pageant
  Directed by Marcy Christoff and Diane Maxim-Parsons, this pageant featured all our choirs in both services. It shared the nativity story through the perspective of the animals in the stable.

• Christmas Eve: Traditional Candlelight Services
  Held at 5 and 7 PM, these services included child dedications and a cookie reception at 6 PM.

• December 28: A Multigenerational Celebration of Other Winter Holidays

2008 Christmas Pageant - cows at the stable.

2008 Christmas Pageant - the doves.

2008 Christmas Pageant - most of the cast.

Community and Generosity

• December 14: UUWF Holiday Cookie Sale
  This beloved event raised funds for both the church and women’s causes in the community.

• Guest at Your Table Box
  Donations collected at the Christmas Eve services supported the UUSC’s efforts.

• December 7 & 14: Food Drive for the Greater Lansing Food Bank
  Organized by Religious Education, church attendees contributed generously to this cause.

• December 14: Non-Pledge Offering
  All funds collected that day were donated to the Greater Lansing Food Bank.

Other Gatherings

• December 13: Chris Triola’s Holiday Trunk Show
  A pre-sale of designer knits offered members a unique Christmas shopping experience.

• December 18: UU Women’s Fellowship Holiday Potluck Luncheon
  Held in the fireplace room, this luncheon welcomed all women of the church.

• Circle Suppers and New Covenant Groups
  Circle Suppers were scheduled to resume for the new year and New Covenant Groups were forming to offer deep, meaningful discussions, fostering community and spiritual growth. Each covenant group also participated in a service project, contributing further to UU Lansing’s outreach.

Do you have favorite memories of UU Lansing’s December traditions? Are there past events you’d love to see revived? Let me know at uucgl.archives@gmail.com. And remember, we’re always grateful for photo donations to preserve our history for future generations.

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About the Author

For those wondering who’s behind these blog posts: I’m Ed Busch, and I’m excited to share the history of UU Lansing with you. I retired in 2023 after 15 years as an Electronic Records Archivist at Michigan State University’s Archives & Historical Collections. My background is in archival administration and information science, with an undergraduate degree in Fisheries and coursework in Computer Science. Prior to a career shift, I also worked in fisheries, aerospace, and Information Technology. My wife, Leigh White, and I began attending UU Lansing in the early 2000s and became members in 2006. I’ve been involved with the church archives since 2007, and both of our daughters went through UU Lansing’s RE program.