A Tradition in Verse: Celebrating Poetry Sunday at UU Lansing
By Ed Busch
April is National Poetry Month, and seeing that reminder in our weekly UU Lansing Newsletter email got me thinking about the history of Poetry Sunday in our congregation. A quick dive into the UU Lansing church archives revealed that Poetry Sunday has been celebrated at UU Lansing in various months over the years, including April, August, and November, with other occurrences possible.
National Poetry Month was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets to celebrate poetry’s vital place in our culture. Inspired by the success of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, this annual observance aims to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in schools, libraries, and communities nationwide. Throughout April, poetry readings, workshops, and festivals encourage people to engage with the art form, whether through writing, reading, or listening. In 1998, our neighbors to the north, Canada, joined us in celebrating National Poetry Month. Our own tradition of Poetry Sunday fits beautifully into this broader celebration, offering a time to reflect on the power of words within our spiritual community.
Our archives hold a rich collection of poems written by many of our members—voices you may recognize or remember. Some of the poets featured over the years include Ben Bonhorst, Dan DeVaney, Dawn Hambly, David Hill, Peg Roberts, Renee Swanson, and Jerry Thornton, among others. In exploring the tradition of Poetry Sunday, I decided to take a closer look at one particular service: the August 5, 2007, Poetry Sunday led by Ann Andrews.
Cover from August 5, 2007 Order of Service. Complete pdf here.
The service, titled Where the River Bends, featured poetry from nine church members. At the time, a special tradition of the service was Morningsong, a pre-service period where the congregation was introduced to the hymns that would be sung later. For this service, Mary Elaine Kiener led Morningsong, setting the tone for a morning of reflection and artistry.
Service Highlights:
· Prelude: Venetian Boat Song, performed by Marcy Christoff
· Call to Worship: Mary Oliver’s At the Lake, read by Hari Kern
· Special Music: Summertime by Gershwin, performed by Mary Elaine Kiener
· Poetry Readings (A complete version of these can be read online.):
River by Linda Jo Scott
Preparations by Renee Swanson
A Breath from the Past by Mary Clark, read by Dawn Hambly
Down by the Riverside by Shirley Jones
Doing Anything in Somewhere by Daniel DeVaney
Song of Nicaragua by Frank Leahey
The Visit by Ann Andrews
Stepping Stones by Michele Root-Bernstein
Riversea by Dawn Hambly
Riversea
Dawn Hambly, August 24, 1993
And the spring bubbles to the river
Who carves a deep curving path
deep cold dark gentle
To the lake
Bursts out from under summer trees
Into bright blue skywater
Where stones
Worn smooth as baby skin
Magnolia petals
Find their way to human hands
To mine
And the lake gathers riverwater
And stones
And sunlight
And rain
Gathers them in and rocks them in her cradle
Gently Toward the greater river
Colder, deeper, gentler
Who hurries, then,
To meet the sea
The sea
Who holds my ghosts and my soul
In her salty embrace
· Offertory Music: Sonata No. 1, Opus 120 for Clarinet and Piano by Brahms, performed by Marcy and Chris Christoff
· Closing Hymn & Affirmation:
May faith in love and hope for community
Keep us ever growing and changing together. Peace.
Poetry Sunday services offer a unique opportunity to experience the power of words, the creativity of our community, and the ways poetry can inspire, comfort, and challenge us.
Do you have any special memories from a past Poetry Sunday? Have you ever shared a poem of your own? I’d love to hear about your experiences—feel free to share your thoughts by email!
[Edits suggested by ChatGPT.]
Sources
Academy of American Poets. (n.d.). National Poetry Month. Retrieved from https://poets.org/national-poetry-month
League of Canadian Poets. (n.d.). National Poetry Month in Canada. Retrieved from https://poets.ca/npm/
UU Lansing Archives. Poetry Sunday August 24, 1993 Order of Service.
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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.
My wife, Leigh White, and I have been part of the UU Lansing community since the early 2000s and became members in 2006. I’ve been actively involved with the church archives since 2007, and both of our daughters enjoyed growing up in UU Lansing’s Religious Education (RE) program.
I look forward to connecting with you through these blog posts as we delve into the stories that have shaped UU Lansing over the years.