When Anne Roberts joined Grosse Pointe Unitarian Universalist Church (GPUUC) in 1991, she encountered a custom that surprised her: the congregation took a break from services in the summer. For Anne, a lifelong Presbyterian, and her spouse John, married now for 43 years, this practice was less than ideal. The couple loved spending their winters in Florida, which meant that summer breaks at GPUUC reduced their time with their beloved community on the east side.
A few congregants teamed up with Anne and Reverend John Corrado to create a new vision: member and guest-led summer services that would feature diverse voices from the pulpit of conscience. Congregant Sue Lattanzio became a leader of these summer services, and Anne lent her musical gifts at the piano, freeing Music Director Joseph Palazzolo to focus on planning music for the year.
The Summer Services were kept simple. Instead of the full coffee hour, congregants shared lemonade alongside homemade baked goods. This summer, Tom Pelle, a professional gardener working with Full Circle Foundation, brightened our tables with tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and zucchini for salads from the Edible Garden in Detroit.
In those early days, Anne helped plan the services with others, but leadership gradually passed to the Worship Committee, where Anne continues to guide musical programming.
Anne feels that attending and belonging to a Unitarian Church reflects and supports her values, for which she is most grateful. On June 29th, 2025, Anne delivered a sermon of her own, titled “From Baptism to Revelation.” In it, she shared her spiritual journey from her Presbyterian roots to her embrace of Unitarian Universalism.
This summer, Anne’s resilience was tested after she underwent hip replacement surgery with Dr. Richard Perry. She returned to the piano while still recovering and, one Sunday, was suddenly gripped by muscle spasms mid-service. Like an athlete playing through injury, she finished the service despite the pain.
During Anne’s recovery, the congregation enjoyed performances from guest pianists. Freda Giblin, a close friend of the church and a passionate advocate for social justice, played for three services. Rocky Bocci, a student in our religious education program, even helped at the keyboard. At GPUUC, the bench runs deep at the Steinway.
When Anne returned to the piano three weeks later, her playing was as vibrant as ever. The congregation welcomed her back with joy, delighted by her bright and confident performance.
Anne’s relationship with the piano spans a lifetime. She first touched the keys at age three, when her family moved into a new home, complete with a gift from her grandmother, a Knabe piano. By age six, she had formal lessons. The piano has been at the heart of her life ever since.
Even at home, Anne and John play duets together—dueling pianos in their home. Beyond GPUUC, she continues to add to her repertoire by performing with Crescendo, a society of pianists that meets each winter around the islands of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Anne’s summer contributions are immense. She plays two hymns and at least four programmatic pieces at each of the eleven services—more than sixty distinct pieces to master. Asked how she manages, Anne smiles and says simply, “I have a deep repertoire.”
The season of summer services concludes with Music Sunday on August 31st, 2025. Members and friends will gather to share music and community before the church resumes its regular season on September 7th.
On that first Sunday in September, we will feature coffee and doughnuts in the garden, hosted by John Engstrom. Following, all are invited to a noon gathering in the Religious Education wing where Kathy Konwiak will lead the kickoff of the Social Justice Committee, complete with bagels and cream cheese.
Dueling Pianos Concert
Anne has rehearsed with Hans Barbe for an upcoming concert program. On Saturday, October 11, at 4 p.m., Anne and Hans will perform a dueling pianos concert at the church. Joseph Palazzolo will also revisit the church to play two pieces with Anne. Tickets are available for $25, and front-row seating is available for $50.

​## GROSSE POINTE UNITARIAN DECLARED A GREEN SANCTUARY BY THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION
For the past year, the Social Justice Committee has engaged in thoughtful conversation and diligent work to develop a Green Sanctuary application. After a series of workshops and revisions, the committee formally approved a submission to the Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team of the UUA, led by Reverend Rachel Myslivy. Following that, our Board of Directors also reviewed and affirmed the application.
The application was then submitted by Kathy Konwiak, Chair of the Social Justice Committee.
Reverend Rachel returned the application with a single, thoughtful note:
“Have you structured this using the **Four Essentials of Climate Action**?”
These four guideposts—core to the UUA’s climate justice strategy through 2030—help congregations center their work around impact and equity:
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###  Congregational Transformation
*Reimagine your congregation from the inside out—infusing climate justice into worship, governance, and education to build a community aligned with ecological values.*
###  Community Resilience
*Strengthen your capacity to face climate disruptions by building local networks of care, preparedness, and spiritual grounding that support thriving through uncertainty.*
###  Justice
*Center the voices and needs of those most impacted by climate change. Climate action is incomplete without equity, solidarity, and community partnership.*
###  Mitigation
*Take practical steps to reduce emissions and environmental harm—from energy efficiency to low-waste practices—because every action matters.*
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In response, our team reconvened and reorganized our application as a climate action plan structured around these Four Essentials. The result? Reverend Rachel not only loved the revised version—she asked to publish it as an example for other congregations, with a few modest adjustments.
We are deeply gratified by this recognition. It affirms the work already underway in our congregation to heal and honor the Earth, starting at our church home.
Looking ahead, we are eager to engage in vibrant discussion and faithful action—this year, and in the years leading up to 2030. In 2026, we will file a report on our progress and a refreshed action plan as part of our ongoing commitment to the Green Sanctuary program.
The Social Justice Committee looks forward to partnering with all of our committees and our members as we grow together into our role as a Green Sanctuary Congregation.— at Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church.