Our Vacation Bible School this year had a County Fair theme. It was entitled "Heavens Orchard" and was used to teach the children about the fruit of the Spirit. Each day started out in the main pavillion, then there were visits to the farmyard, orchard, refreshment stand, and arts and crafts to name a few. Both young and old had a great time.
One of the things that is special about the University Church is the diversity of cultures within it's membership. As one way of celebrating this our African and Caribbean members organized the Worship Service, which included songs in their home languages. There was even a Fellowship Dinner afterwards with many ethnic dishes!
The University Church Choir performed a special Christmas Service on December 18, 2004. It was a real blessing to hear their praises to God through song. Many thanks to Pablo and Diane for their efforts in bringing this program together.
The musical talents of our young people were once again highlighted at our Christmas Program for 2004. After a potluck brunch we joined in the sanctuary for their performances. We again had a large number of participants, but unfortunately a camera wasn't available to document them all. And the faces may change but the music is always great as The Greater Lansing Adventist School Bell Choir joined us again for the Worship Service.
Many of the regulars returned but there were also some new faces at our annual Church Campout. The weather was great and we took advantage of it to explore what the "Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore" area has to offer. The Dune Climb is always a favorite.
A long awaited addition to our church is starting to take shape. An elevator is being built near the back entrance. This photo album will be updated as construction continues so check back for new pictures about every week.
The Christmas Program for 2003 took place on December 6. The morning started with our now traditional potluck brunch and then moved on to the childrens music program. This year we had our largest number of participants ever. The Greater Lansing Adventist School Bell Choir even returned again this year to share their musical talents. The sanctuary was full of music and the pews were full of people. To top it all off, three of our young people were baptised!
In the fall of 2003 the roof on our church was replaced. This was no small feat due to the size and pitch of the roof, but the roofers made it look easy. The old shingles were actually in good shape but had not been nailed properly and were falling off. Just goes to show you how important it is to have a firm foundation to stay anchored.
On September 20, 2003 we took our church service out onto the lawn as a way of reaching out to our neighbors. Evangelist Steve Vail was our guest speaker for this special day. Bagels and juice were even served to those passing by. As you can see from the pictures it was a beautiful day.
The Church Campout returned again this year to the "Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore". Those who attended would all agree that it was, once again, a special time of fellowship and worship. There's just something about Sabbath School around a campfire...
The Vacation Bible School for 2003 was a great week for young and old alike. This years program was entilted "Christ's Chosen" and the children all got to be a member of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. They dressed in costume and learned some of the customs of the period. When the shofar blew the marketplace was open! There they could learn a trade or buy food and goods. There was even a goat to milk! In the sanctuary there were songs and skits to add to the program. A fun time was had by all.
Our annual Christmas Program took place the Sabbath of December 7, 2002. It's always a special day that includes musical performances by the children and a visit by the Greater Lansing Adventist School Bell Choir.
Our church recently held two Vegetarian Cooking Classes. Recipes of healthy and tasty food were prepared and available to sample. Cooking demonstrations and a health presentation were also on the agenda. So take a look and don't miss the next one!
Come along in pictures on a trip with some of our members down to Battle Creek the Sabbath of August 24, 2002. They went to watch the opening ceremonies for the relocated and restored Parkville Church in the Historic Adventist Village. Would you like to know more? Here are links for the Historic Adventist Village and the Adventist Heritage Ministry.
Did you miss the special service to conclude our Vacation Bible School? Then here is your chance to see the week in pictures that was displayed during the service. Even if you were there you'll want to see them again! On each of the five evenings the children visited a different country through stories, crafts, games, snacks, Bible stories, and activities. It was a special week for the kids and for our church.
Old buildings are interesting. Ours only dates to the 1940s, but that's old enough for it to contain a few surprises. Tour some of the seldom visited nooks and crannies of our church.
Have a look in the attic of our church tower. There's a room up there that few knew about until Jonathan and Jenny Gennick explored it in February 2000. There's some interesting
stuff up there, and no one knows why.
This isn't quite as mysterious as the tower attic, but there are some interesting things to see up here. Let Jonathan take you on a tour.
Remember this door? You saw it during the front attic tour. Come along with Jenny and Jonathan as they see where it goes.
Ever wonder who built our building? Or why it has some of the features that it does? Now you can find out. Read The Story of 504 Ann Street . (Note: this is an incomplete work that was started by Jonathan Gennick before he moved to Munising, but it's worth a look)