Looking Back: March 2000 at UU Lansing
By Ed Busch
I’ve returned from my February travels and no special topic came to mind so I decided to stick with 25 years ago for my blog post this week. This week, I will reflect on March 2000, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing (then located at 855 Grove St. in East Lansing) was a vibrant community under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Barbara Edgecombe and church president Bob Lovell. The March 6, 2000 issue of the Liberal Express newsletter featured an article by longtime member Shirley Beckman titled "Guess Who I Saw at Church – Steve Osborn." This piece highlighted Steve's contributions as an architect and his passions for photography and music. Notably, our large stained glass symbol, affectionately called "The Egg," was dedicated as a memorial to Steve’s mother, Evelyn Osborn. Steve's photographs remain a cherished part of our archives. (Shirley Beckman was a longtime member of our church and worked with me on our church archives and a co-author on our book about UU Lansing past ministers, “Dedicated Lives”. She passed away in 2019. She was one of the Liberal Express editors in 2000.)
Stephen West Osborn. [from obituary]
Shirley Anguish Beckman (from obituary)
The early days of March 2000 were bustling with various community activities, including:
Women’s Investment Group meetings
Yoga sessions
Choir rehearsals
Poetry Group gatherings
World Religions discussions focusing on Judaism
UU Women's Fellowship Brown Bag Lunches
Various church committee meetings
In response to a tragic event in Flint, where a six-year-old girl was killed by a classmate, Rev. Dr. Edgecombe shared reflections, including insights from author and filmmaker Michael Moore. The newsletter encouraged members to express their thoughts on preventing future violence, aiming to feature these reflections in upcoming issues of the Liberal Express.
Kathy McWilliams provided insights into a recent Coming of Age seminar attended by Teresa Putnam, Colleen McNeilly-Murphy, and herself. The article also detailed the curriculum for various age groups:
Preschoolers about excluding people, being friendly, and African American leaders.
K-1 graders talked about giving to others and had fun making necklaces for Moms and Grandmothers.
2nd graders discussed the story of Job and talked about good days, bad days and having patience.
3rd-4th graders explored what we do within our church.
5th-6th graders delved into environmental topics, discussing the state of the country before European settlement.
Rev. Dr. Edgecombe's upcoming sermons for the month included:
"World Religions: The Original People of the Book – Judaism"
"Laughter and Grace"
"How I Think and Feel About God and God Talk"
Additional announcements in the newsletter featured:
The Lamplighters group's upcoming gathering at the Roof Top Landing restaurant in Williamston.
The Peace Education Center's new office in the Rainbow Room and a benefit performance at the Boarshead Theater in Lansing on April 18. (The Boarshead Theater was founded in 1966 and had its home in downtown Lansing until 2009.)
Deb Bennett's organization of "Our Own Film Festival," showcasing "Living with Pride – Ruth Ellis @ 100," inspired by her recent meeting with Ruth Ellis in Detroit.
Upcoming Ten Pound Fiddle performances at UU Lansing, featuring the finger-picking guitar work of Pat Donohue and a folk-rock performance by Nerissa & Katryna Nields.
In the broader Lansing community, March 2000 was marked by significant events, notably in the realm of sports. On March 4, 2000, the Michigan State University men's basketball team delivered a remarkable performance, defeating the University of Michigan with a score of 114-63. This game, held in East Lansing, was the final home game for MSU seniors Mateen Cleaves, A.J. Granger, and Morris Peterson, and it set the tone for their successful run in the NCAA tournament that year.
Were you part of the UU Lansing community in March 2000? Do you have memories or stories to share? Do you have an idea for a blog post? I’d love to hear from you! Please email me at uucgl.archives@gmail.com. If you have photos or memorabilia, let me know—we’d love to preserve these pieces of our history.
Sources:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/lsj/name/stephen-osborn-obituary?id=15340422
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/mason-mi/shirley-beckman-8179966
UU Lansing Archives
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About the Author
Hi, I’m Ed Busch, the writer behind these blog posts exploring the history of UU Lansing. After retiring in 2023 from a 15-year career as an Electronic Records Archivist at Michigan State University’s Archives & Historical Collections, I’m thrilled to dedicate my time to sharing our church’s rich history.
I hold a Master’s in Library and Information Science, specializing in archival administration, and my academic background also includes a degree in Fisheries and coursework in Computer Science. Before shifting to a career in archives, I worked across diverse fields, including fisheries, aerospace, and IT.