From the Archives: The Egg

From the Archives

By Ed Busch

The stained-glass symbol adorning the entrance of the UU Lansing parking lot, often affectionately called "the Egg," holds a rich history within the church community. Did you know, this symbol once was mounted on the east side of our church building in East Lansing on Grove Street?

Known as the Flaming Chalice, this symbol was created by Edith Hazard Wright, a talented artist and church member. The project was commissioned by the church, with funding provided by the Evelyn Osborn Memorial Fund. Evelyn Osborn was an active and dedicated member of the church for many years and was particularly interested in the symbols of world religions. She created a set of ceramic plaques for the church which once hung in the entryway of the Grove Street building. Evelyn passed away following surgery in May of 1971. The Congregation decided to create and mount a suitable UU symbol on the newly purchased building in East Lansing and designated it as the Evelyn Osborn Memorial.

At the church service on Sunday, September 24, 1972, the Flaming Chalice symbol was dedicated in Evelyn Osborn’s memory in appreciation of her many years of dedicated service. The church newsletter states, “We believe it will be a most appropriate way to mark our Church building and a fitting memorial to a close friend of our Church and of so many of us.”

During the planning for the 1983 building expansion, it was determined that the new construction could not support the weight of the stained glass art and it was carefully removed from the side of the Grove Street building and stored in the church’s basement.

In the later 1980s, Al Christian created a mount for it and it was placed in the Memorial Garden. Church member Gene Mellen recalls that the idea for the second installation was by church member and architect Clarence Rosa. Clarence envisioned the “idea of an oval outcropping in the Memorial Garden east side low wall at the church, making the sculpture integral to, but not actually in the Memorial Garden, which was a small space for outdoor gatherings like weddings and memorial services. This placement “allowed for a greater appreciation of the colored glass as sunlight filtered through the sculpture into the church every morning.”

With the church's relocation from East Lansing to its present Lansing site, the Flaming Chalice was securely packed in a crate designed by Al Christian. Al Christian and Bob Lovell undertook the responsibility of moving the symbol to the new church home. The Egg was stored in the garage at the So. Pennsylvania site until 2021 when a volunteer team installed it into a new frame also designed by Al Christian on August 26, 2021.

Today, the Flaming Chalice stands proudly on the west side of UU Lansing's building, a visible and enduring testament to the church's history and the dedicated individuals who shaped it and cared for it.

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