Renovations, Rummage Sales, and a Brick with a Story

by Ed Busch, Church Archivist

I’m traveling for the next couple of weeks, so instead of a full new post, I’m sharing a couple great stories I received after last week’s “Wall Came Down” blog.

Gene Mellen remembered coming to our church just as Rev. Denise Tracy became part-time settled minister. Around 1996, he proposed a $50,000 renovation plan to improve accessibility, traffic flow, and space. The work addressed an uneven floor in the Fireplace Room by removing the ¾" tongue-and-groove flooring, adding tapered 2x4s over the joists to level it, and reinstalling the original flooring. The Library window was replaced with French doors to create better circulation, and the staircase from the parking lot entry was rebuilt as a wide stairway to the main floor.

Outside, the driveway was reconfigured to create a play area (later a garden) between the parking lot and building, along with a circle drive for drop-offs. The renovation also brought electric door openers at both main entries, an accessible bathroom with a shower on the main floor, two new basement classrooms (including the “Rainbow Room”), and our first commercial dishwasher—though its plumbing and wiring costs nearly exhausted the project budget. Bathroom improvements rounded out the upgrades.

These changes not only improved daily use but also made it possible for our church to host the Rotating Sanctuary for homeless people. The timing was perfect, allowing the congregation to celebrate its Sesquicentennial year in style, with a visit from the UUA President and a ball—where, for the first time, same-sex couples openly danced at the church. This came shortly after we completed the Welcoming Congregation certification process.

Bob Lovell shared that he still has a brick from the old wall—awarded by Rev. Tracy for an accomplishment he can’t quite recall—which now lives among his dragon collection. He also remembered the “Humongous Rummage Sale,” which ended in the early ’80s but lives on in smaller book sales and Second Sunday giveaways.

Thanks to Gene and Bob for helping keep our history alive!

Have questions or memories to share? I’d love to hear from you! I also like hearing that people are enjoying my posts. Contact the church archives at: uucgl.archives@gmail.com .

Coming in the next blog post: with our Pledge Drive starting in September, we’ll take a look back at pledge drives of the past.

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.