This calendar lists most church-related activities for which rooms have been reserved in the building. To request a room reservation, contact the congregational administrator (abouverette@uulansing.org). The full building usage calendar is available through the Events tab in Breeze.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
All are invited to join us on Christmas Eve for a service of festive stories and songs, ending with our traditional singing of “Silent Night” by candlelight.
Southside Community Kitchen's Holiday Celebration
All are invited to participate in the Southside Community Kitchen’s annual Holiday Celebration, as a donor, a volunteer, and/or a guest! We will enjoy singing, gift bag distribution for guests, and another great meal.
You can help us prepare for this joyous day by bringing in donations of items for the gift bags (and overflow to be distributed through our blessing box along the driveway) to UU Lansing on Sunday mornings before worship:
winter hats
gloves, hand warmers
socks
scarves
sanitizer
washcloths
toothbrushes, toothpaste
shampoo, conditioner
soap
deodorant
large Ziplock bags
Sparkles, Shimmers, & Songs of the Season presented by LanSINGout
We are looking forward to another shimmering holiday performance in our Sanctuary by local LGBTQIA+ -affirming choir LanSINGout! This year’s festive show, “Sparkles, Shimmers, & Songs of the Season,” will be on Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Sparkles, Shimmers, & Songs of the Season presented by LanSINGout
We are looking forward to another shimmering holiday performance in our Sanctuary by local LGBTQIA+ -affirming choir LanSINGout! This year’s festive show, “Sparkles, Shimmers, & Songs of the Season,” will be on Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Folk Band Concert and Singalong
Come listen to, and sing along with, the UU Lansing Folk Band. All are welcome, and donations will be accepted at the door.
Lyric sheets will be available for the audience to sing along with many of the tunes.
Retirement Reception for Kathy McWilliams
Stay after worship for a special coffee hour reception to say farewell to our retiring Congregational Administrator, Kathy McWilliams. Our Folk Band will provide live music, and you are invited to bring treats to share. Kathy and her husband Mark have been vital members of our church community since their children were small, and Kathy has served on our staff for 16 years. We wish her a happy, healthy retirement!
Music Sunday “Celebration!”
This year’s Music Sunday will be a “Celebration!” The musicians of the church will lead us in celebration of life’s joys.
LanSINGout Concert: Spellbound in Spring
All are invited to purchase tickets at lansingout.com/see-us.html#/ or at the door.
LanSINGout Concert: Spellbound in Spring
All are invited to purchase tickets at lansingout.com/see-us.html#/ or at the door.
Bye Bye, Winter Blues!
Say “Bye Bye, Winter Blues” and join the UU Jazz Combo for a lively and interactive concert in the Sanctuary. Music will include old standards, some for the audience to sing along with (lyrics provided), two new tunes written by pianist Skyler Hamlin, a special guest violinist, vocals, clarinet, bass, harmonica, ukelele, and vibes!
Special snacks will be provided at coffee hour between worship and the concert to tide you over.
Mamma Mia! Sing-Along
Please join us for a lively Mamma Mia! sing-along in our Sanctuary. Put on your warm-weather dancing shoes and beach attire and join us in singing and dancing as we enjoy the film (rated PG-13). We will have refreshments in the Social Hall during intermission and after the show as well as a trivia contest about the film and music.
This event is sponsored by generous donors from a pre-pandemic service auction. The sing-along had to be canceled in 2020, but we are back now! The annual auction is one of our church’s biggest traditional fundraisers. This spring, watch for opportunities to bid on more fun events such as this as well as expert services, home-cooked meals, and other delights.
Sistrum Lansing Women's Chorus New Member Night
If you love to sing and want to become a member of Lansing’s distinguished women’s chorus, come to the UU Lansing Sanctuary for New Member Night. A brief voice/part check will be followed by regular chorus rehearsal from 7:00-9:00 p.m. See Sistrum’s New Member FAQs for more information.
Starting Now: Sistrum Lansing Women's Chorus
Sistrum Lansing Women’s Chorus presents a concert of songs on peace, justice, and reconciliation in our Sanctuary, where there is room for social distancing in the audience. Masks are required of singers and audience members; proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test (within the last 48 hours) is also required.
You can purchase advanced tickets online here or purchase them at the door ($20 each; $10 student discount).
Sistrum is using its winter concert to help support another UU Lansing community partner, the Refugee Development Center. The RDC is committed to cultivating a “welcoming, thriving community that collaborates with refugees and newcomers through education, engagement, and support.” We invite you to support the RDC by bringing needed personal and household items to the concert. See their website for specific needs.
Starting Now: Sistrum Lansing Women's Chorus
Sistrum Lansing Women’s Chorus presents a concert of songs on peace, justice, and reconciliation in our Sanctuary, where there is room for social distancing in the audience. Masks are required of singers and audience members; proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test (within the last 48 hours) is also required.
You can purchase advanced tickets online here or purchase them at the door ($20 each; $10 student discount).
Sistrum is using its winter concert to help support another UU Lansing community partner, the Refugee Development Center. The RDC is committed to cultivating a “welcoming, thriving community that collaborates with refugees and newcomers through education, engagement, and support.” We invite you to support the RDC by bringing needed personal and household items to the concert. See their website for specific needs.
A New Year of Community Action and Church Gatherings
UU Lansing is busier than ever before, with mission-driven action happening at our church home nearly every hour of every day! Most of the people on our campus, most of the time, aren’t church members but activists, organizational leaders, friends, and neighbors sharing our space to care for one another and nurture a healthy community in our South Lansing neighborhood. We share our space, resources, and sometimes church members as volunteers, with a variety of local organizations that specialize in serving different needs, including three addiction support groups, two LGBTQ+-affirming choirs, the Southside Community Kitchen, the Refugee Development Center, and the Lansing Table Tennis Club. This spring, we’ll be the new hosts of the Share-A-Bike program.
Our Sundays are filled with our own worship services and other spiritual and social gatherings.
We continuously schedule single sessions and series of many classes, workshops, and educational activities for adults.
Throughout the week, we are busy with regular committee, team, and group meetings, including (subject to change):
Mondays: occasional Investment Committee meetings and alternating evening Jazz Combo and Folk Band rehearsals
3rd Tuesday nights: Worship Assistants and Finance Committee meetings
Wednesdays: Semi-Conscious Aging group (currently full) meets on 2nd Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday Night Worship includes online Vespers and 3rd Wednesday Weaving Our Web (WOW) suppers. The Board of Trustees meets on 4th Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday nights: Chalice Choir rehearsals and 4th Thursday Stewardship team meetings
Mondays through Fridays: The main office of the church is open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to take care of the administration of the church and receive visitors.
Saturdays: In the summer, work days are often held outside in our community food gardens and native plant gardens. The UU Bikers often plan group rides on Saturdays and other days. On Saturdays the church is often reserved for weddings and memorial services.
This is not a comprehensive list of all church programs and groups because some meet irregularly as needed, and others are constantly forming and dissolving as needed. To keep up with everything happening at UU Lansing, explore this website, come to church on Sundays to hear announcements (or watch on YouTube), and subscribe to our church newsletter using the form at the bottom of this page. If you have a deeper interest in a specific group or project, be sure to join in and subscribe to that group’s own email list for all the details of each meeting and activity.
Christmas Eve traditional candlelight service
All are invited to share seasonal reflections and songs ending with our traditional communal singing of “Silent Night.”
You may bring a festive treat to share and arrive early for a holiday cookie reception in the Social Hall that begins at 5:15 p.m.
LanSINGout Holiday Concert
LanSINGout will present two Christmas concerts at UU Lansing on Friday, December 9 and Saturday December 10, both at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Attendees are invited to consider donating a toy for charity. Concert tickets are available here and at the door.
LanSINGout Holiday Concert
LanSINGout will present two Christmas concerts at UU Lansing on Friday, December 9 and Saturday December 10, both at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Attendees are invited to consider donating a toy for charity. Concert tickets are available here and at the door.
Folk Band Concert and Sing-Along
All are invited to listen and sing along with our Folk Band! Lyric sheets will be provided.
This event is sponsored by donors who participated in this year’s church auction, but those who have not already contributed are invited to attend too. Additional donations will be accepted at the door, but you do not need to donate in order to participate. Proceeds support the church’s general operating fund, which supports music and other activities at the church.
Pandemic Jazz
Ironically, our planned Music Sunday service, “Things We’ve Learned in the Pandemic (So Far),” has been postponed due to the rapid rise in local Covid rates. We still intend to enjoy some beautiful music by our Jazz Combo this Sunday, while a service featuring our church’s many other musical groups will be held at a later date.
This Sunday, people of all ages are invited to share a jazzy morning worship service together, with in-person and online options as always. Special messages will be delivered by Rev. Neal Anderson, Dir. of Lifespan Faith Development Sarah Matteo, and Ministerial Intern Brigitte Bechtold. Thank you for your understanding and grace as we continue to navigate these uncertain times.
Masks are required inside of the building at all times, and all are invited to socialize after worship outside on the grounds where the flowers are in bloom, masks are optional, and ice cream will be served in front of the barn!
Christmas Eve
This Christmas Eve at 5:00 p.m., all are invited to gather around the fire pit for a festive bonfire! Out in the open air, we can safely and enthusiastically sing Christmas carols together in the midwinter dusk, weather permitting. Please bring a flashlight to read your lyric sheet and a candle so that we can share candlelight during our traditional Christmas Eve closing song, “Silent Night.”
At 6:00 p.m., we will open the Sanctuary for those who would rather sit in the quiet comfort of an indoor setting. Masks are required inside of the building. We will share the ancient story of Christmas with modern interpretations. We will enjoy live piano music, and we will end worship by lighting battery-powered tea lights and humming along to “Silent Night.”
At 7:00 p.m., we will post a special Christmas Eve worship video to our YouTube channel, to be shared by worshipers who may find themselves more comfortable in the safety of home or who will be far away this Christmas Eve.
Installation of the Rev. Neal Anderson
Celebrate with us the Installation of Rev. Neal Anderson as our Senior Minister!
There are two entrances to our parking lot for those who will drive in. To facilitate traffic flow, accessibility, and safety, please plan your route accordingly: If you need to park in an accessible space, please enter using the south driveway alongside the church. If you can park in a smaller space and take a longer walk to the church, please enter using the north driveway alongside the Hidden Treasures building.
Clergy of all faiths, religious professionals, and seminarians are invited to gather and robe at 1:00 p.m., before the ceremony.
If you did not get a chance to RSVP to this event, please come anyway! Our organizers have generously planned to accommodate more guests dropping in. You are welcome to enjoy a beautiful autumn afternoon of ceremony, live music, and good food with us on Saturday.
Masks are required inside of the building.
Ice Cream Sunday to Celebrate Teresa Putnam
Stop by the church parking lot between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. for a free ice cream treat from Melting Moments, live music by our Folk Band, and active games for all ages in celebration of Teresa Putnam’s 27-year ministry as Director of Lifespan Faith Development at UU Lansing. Teresa has led our church’s vibrant educational and spiritual development programs for children, youth, adults, and families for more than a generation. Her beloved ministry has enriched many lives, and we appreciate her steadfast service to the congregation and her warm, kind presence. We wish Teresa farewell and a sweet, joyful retirement!
Music Sunday
This year’s Music Sunday worship service will be a good old-fashioned hymn sing (with a few bonus selections as well). The liturgical theme for the month is story, so we will collect stories from congregants about their favorite hymns.
UU Lansing congregants are invited to email lbrown@uulansing.org with the subject line “Music Sunday” and submit the title of your favorite hymn and a story attached to it. Some congregants will also be invited to create a short video to tell your story as part of our worship video.
