by Ed Busch, UU Lansing Church Archivist

We continue our look back at UU Lansing in 1972 with the next newsletter from that January, offering another snapshot of congregational life and public concerns at the time.

Democracy, Secrecy, and the Right to Know

A central feature of the January 14, 1972 newsletter is Rev. Robert Edward Green’s Minister’s Message, portions of which are included here because of both their clarity and their continuing resonance.

Writing in response to the so‑called “Anderson Papers”—leaked notes of U.S. administration meetings on India‑Pakistan policy published by columnist Jack Anderson—Rev. Green placed the controversy alongside the then‑recent debate over the Pentagon Papers. While many editorials framed the issue as freedom of the press versus national security, Rev. Green argued that the matter ran much deeper.

Jack Anderson (Rochester Institute of Technology, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Citing New York Times editor and columnist James Reston, he acknowledged that the leaks revealed conflict within government over how policy is made while maintaining internal confidence. But, he wrote, “with all due respect,” this interpretation missed the most serious question: “the nature of democracy itself.”

As Rev. Green stated plainly, “The basic issue is the right of the people to be informed of decisions that are being made by their government,” so that, knowing what elected officials have done, they may decide “whether they wish to vote for their re‑election.” Both the Anderson Papers and the Pentagon Papers, he argued, revealed that foreign policy decisions were being made with the aim of “feeding the public a line,” with secrecy defended on the grounds that the government might otherwise be embarrassed.

“I say elected officials should be embarrassed and embarrassed publicly,” Rev. Green wrote, when their decisions run contrary to the public interest and to human interest. He was willing to risk embarrassment to the government and the country abroad if that was what it took to correct—or better yet, prevent—serious errors.

“Representative government is impossible unless the electors are in fact informed of what their government is doing,” he continued. “We have a right to know. Our officials have a duty to inform us of what they are doing. And that is the basic issue.”

Turning to contemporary events, Rev. Green questioned the concentration of foreign‑policy power in the hands of Henry Kissinger, whose background briefings shielded both his own views and those of the President from public accountability. With President Nixon preparing to travel to Peking and Moscow, Rev. Green asked whether the American people would be told what agreements were reached—through treaties open to Senate ratification—or whether they would instead be bound by secret executive agreements. “What are we to know,” he asked, “in this year of a Presidential election?”

He closed with an emphatic endorsement of investigative journalism: “three cheers for Jack Anderson; for the New York Times’ publication of the Pentagon Papers; and for the Washington Post’s recent refusal to honor the anonymity of a backgrounder.” The time had come, he wrote, for the press to end its agreements of secrecy with the government and to perform again its essential function: “to ‘dig’ and inform the public.”

Today, the Anderson Papers themselves are viewable through the Internet Archive, a reminder that documents once considered explosive now reside in open digital collections. Reading Rev. Green’s words more than fifty years later, the questions he raised about secrecy, executive power, and democratic accountability feel strikingly familiar, both in the United States and abroad.

Life of the Church: January 1972

Alongside these weighty reflections on democracy, the newsletter offers a vivid snapshot of congregational life in mid‑January 1972.

Sunday, January 16 featured a service titled “Does the Life Force Obey Mechanistic Laws?”—a topic chosen precisely because it sparked differing opinions and open discussion. Rev. Green himself would be away that Sunday, speaking at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Midland.

The newsletter also made a cultural note: Alan King was scheduled to host an upcoming ABC Comedy Hour entitled “If You Think Last Year Was Bad, Just Wait!” Copies of Rev. Green’s more optimistic commentary were promised for distribution.

The cast for that broadcast included Alan King, Art Carney, Barbara Walters, Jerry Stiller, and Ann Meara.

Community Action and Shared Life

The congregation’s commitment to service was evident throughout the newsletter. The Religious Education Community Action Group, led by Marion and Aaron Galonsky, raised $101.98 over five Sundays for the Lansing Animal Shelter, along with pet food, towels, and blankets—thanks largely to the efforts of the children.

Small groups and gatherings filled the calendar: a Playreading Group at the Signells’ home, a Women’s Bag Lunch at Marion Vaughn’s apartment, choir rehearsals, and film showings, including And Another Family for Peace (also mentioned in last week’s blog).

Marion Vaughn, 1973 Directory. (2008.0275)

Children’s religious education was thriving. The second‑ and third‑grade class proudly created a “stained glass window” to adorn the church building, while older children explored creation stories through Norse mythology and other cultural traditions. The newsletter even declared, with affection, that the church was now a “real church” thanks to these efforts.

The Dedication of Children service recognized several families, accompanied by a short blessing celebrating joy in listening, singing, thinking, and learning.

Winter Fun, Civic Engagement, and Care for One Another

January 1972 in Lansing also meant sledding parties—weather permitting. A church‑wide sledding outing was planned for Bancroft Park and Groesbeck Golf Course, complete with permission slips and a call for volunteer drivers.

Beyond church life, the newsletter reflected wider social concerns. Families of prisoners of war were organizing a vigil in Washington, D.C. during the President’s State of the Union address, seeking participants to carry the names of each POW. Closer to home, the congregation had begun helping families waiting for welfare checks, providing food and small amounts of cash for immediate needs.

There were also quieter, human moments: news of a member returning from California, word of illness and loss among former congregants, a found set of Ford keys, and even a thank‑you note for a Pyrex bowl that once held a Christmas fruitcake.

Governance and Reflection

The newsletter closed with practical matters—a notice of a special congregational meeting to adopt the 1972 budget—and with reflection. A reprinted column by Sidney Harris, “Noble Words,” cautioned that ideals like peace, love, and justice, when built on ignorance rather than understanding, could curdle into cynicism.

Together, these pages from January 1972 remind us that UU Lansing has long lived at the intersection of public conscience and everyday community—wrestling with democracy and power while also organizing potlucks, teaching children, caring for neighbors, and sharing fruitcake. Fifty‑plus years later, the questions feel remarkably familiar.

Share Your Memories

If you have photographs, documents, or memories connected to the early years of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, the archives would love to hear from you. Personal recollections and images help bring these newsletters and names to life for today’s congregation.

You can share materials or comments by emailing uucgl.archives@gmail.com.

About Me

I’m a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing and serve as the volunteer archivist for our congregation. I’m retired from Michigan State University, where I worked in digital preservation and archives. I enjoy uncovering stories from church newsletters, board records, and local history sources to help connect our past with the present.

I also serve on the UU Lansing Stewardship Team and help with Building and Grounds.

This piece was developed with research assistance and editorial support from ChatGPT.

Looking Back: January 14, 1972 – A UU Lansing Newsletter That Still Speaks