A fellow Grand Rapidian, one of our many favorite musicians, Karisa Wilson, returns to sing and play for us with her groove-driven music and soulful–jazzy vocals. It’s been a while since we’ve seen her—December 2019, in fact! Welcome back, Karisa!
- 9:00 a.m.: Pre-Talk: In Person
Meet the morning’s teacher in a small group setting for an open discussion of the morning’s theme. - 10:00 a.m.: Gathering: In Person + Livestream on Facebook
Welcome, readings, mediation from a community member, teaching and music
- 11:00 a.m.: Talk Back: In Person
A chance to share questions, comments and stories related to the morning gathering.
Additional Resources
- YouTube Channel: Weekly Teaching Videos *
- YouTubeChannel: Weekly Meditation Videos*
- Podcast Channel: Weekly Teaching Audios*
*posted Sunday afternoons or later in week - Printable list of C3 Values
- Last week’s Newsletter: C3 Update for October 17, 2021
It’s great to have coffee available at the Gathering and Talk Back once again. Please try to uphold our value of Environmental Sustainability and remember to bring your own coffee mug!
News from the Board of Trustees
Be watching for some new C3 signage! Our current banner has the old logo and can be hard to see when cars are parked in front of the Community Center. Our new upright flag will proudly display our new logo on both sides so traffic going either way can clearly see who and where we are. We ’re also planning to get a sandwich board that can be changed for use in many situations.
Please consider if you would like to run to serve on the Board of Trustees. The election will be in February, but it ’s not too early to start thinking if this is a way you ’d like to serve the C3 community. If you ’re interested or have questions, talk to any Board member: Sally Alderink, Beth Buelow, Teresa Colbry, Kim Crozier, Tom Edwards, Valerie Engeltjes, Charity McMaster, Mark Smith, Sandy Kate Stephens, or Rod Van Abbema.
Ottawa County is expecting to welcome 75 Afghan refugees in the near future. Ottawa Food is coordinating an effort to support these new neighbors with appropriate food supplies. They suggest donating VISA gift cards to purchase Halal certified meat in Grand Rapids (the only certified source in the area); they’re collecting the email addresses of people who want to donate fresh produce; and they are looking for cash donations for food (note “for Afghan allies” in the “gift in honor of someone” space). All details can be found here. Although this is not like our usual Week 3@C3 collection of items for a non-profit organization, the need for cash donations and fresh produce is immediate, so we are making this opportunity to support our new Afghan neighbors known to the C3 Community.
Highway Cleanup a Model for Outreach Activities
The recently completed Adopt-A-Highway activity, organized by Mary and Skip Ackerson, is a great example of a C3 Outreach project. It’s an event organized by C3 members who saw a need in the community that we could address, and those members took action to make the event an ongoing reality, just like the Plant Up and Fly Right tree project that Ryan Cotton spearheads. If you see a need—large or small—that the C3 Community can take on, please feel free to look into organizing something! Rod Van Abbema heads up the Outreach Committee and would love to hear your ideas and lend the support of the Outreach Team (Rod, Teresa Colbry, Jane Horton, Chrys Moelter-Gray).
Vigil for Peace and Justice
As the weather begins to reflect the change in seasons, our outerwear changes to something a bit warmer. We will stand for peace and justice at Central Park two more Saturdays, before making our move to the corner of US-31 and Jackson Street (in front of Jimmy John’s and Culvers) on November 6, where there are more passersby. All are invited to join us from noon–1:00 p.m. We have lots of signs to choose from, or get your activism juices flowing and create your own sign! Bring a chair to sit, if that works better for you, and be sure to dress for the weather!
C3 and Friends Book Discussion Group
Due to the election, we will meet on Tuesday, November 9 (not November 2). Save the date to discuss our next book selection, Straight Man by Pulitzer Prize-winning Richard Russo. This proves to be a GREAT read, perfect for the fall!
- “The funniest serious novel I have read since—well, maybe since Portnoy’s Complaint.”–Tom De Haven, The New York Times Book Review
- “There is a big, wry heart beating at the center of Russo’s fiction.”–The New Yorker
- “[Russo] skewers academic pretensions and infighting with mad abandon…in a clear and muscular prose that is a pleasure to read….I had to stop often to guffaw, gasp, wheeze, and wipe away my tears.” – Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-Times
- “Bursting with humor and insight.” –USA Today
We we will be meeting at Valerie Engeltjes’ home, 5935 Beaver Creek Drive, Coopersville.
December 7: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
The C3 Men’s Group meets in person every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. This week the group will gather at the C3 Office, located at 1447 Washington, Grand Haven. For additional information contact Phil Koster at 616-402-1751.
The focus of four upcoming town halls co-sponsored by the (Anti) Racism Task Force and Kaufman Interfaith Institute, convened by the Momentum Center, will be Religion and Racism. The first session on Monday, October 25, will delve into the historical context of Christianity and Racism. See the flyer here, and read an extensive article from the Grand Haven Tribune (October 9-10) here. Pre-registration is required to join the Town Hall via Zoom. C3’s values of Diversity, Common Humanity and Open Inquiry should provide impetus to participate in these important conversations. Will you register to attend?
There are no Naturalization Ceremonies scheduled at Loutit District Library in the near future, but volunteers are needed for Citizenship Classes (ten sessions on Monday evenings, November 8 – January 3, no classes on November 29, December 27 or January 3) and a two-session legal clinic (Saturdays, November 7 and 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.). Mandatory volunteer training conducted by Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates is scheduled for Mondays, October 25 and November 1. Click here to see flyers for both events. For questions or to volunteer, please email Nancy Collins at VolunteersLDL [at] gmail [dot] com, or call 616-842-1699.
Thanksgiving Feast 2021
This year’s community Thanksgiving Feast will once again be impacted by COVID-19, and will be available by delivery or curbside pickup only on Thanksgiving Day (November 25). See the flyer here, and stayed tuned for information about volunteer opportunities to be included in the C3 Outreach section soon.
12:00–1:00 p.m.: Vigil for Peace and Justice, Central Park (421 Columbus Ave., GH)
Sunday, October 24
Grand Haven Community Center (421 Columbus Ave., GH)
9:00 a.m.: Pre-Talk, In Person
10:00 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
- Guest Teacher: Foster aka AutoPilot
- Music: Karisa Wilson
- Meditation: Phil Magnan
11:00 a.m.: Talk Back, In Person
Tuesday, October 26
7:00 p.m.: C3 Men’s Group, C3 Office (1447 Washington, GH)
Saturday, October 30
12:00–1:00 p.m.: Vigil for Peace and Justice, Central Park (421 Columbus Ave., GH)
Sunday, October 31
Grand Haven Community Center (421 Columbus Ave., GH)
9:00 a.m.: Pre-Talk, In Person
10:00 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
- Guest Teacher: Jenny Atlee-Loudin
- Music: John Sanger
- Meditation: Rod Van Abbema
11:00 a.m.: Talk Back, In Person
