Update for March 20, 2022

Mar 18, 2022 | C3 Updates

We welcome Dr. John Selmon, Provost/Executive Vice President at Muskegon Community College, as our Guest Teacher this Sunday. Dr. Selmon has more than three decades of experience serving in key leadership roles at both public and private higher education institutions. What a great person to help us explore our value of Open Inquiry! Our six-month series Be of Value explores one of the six C3 Shared Values each month. 

 

Loren Johnson makes a return visit to sing for us this week. We’re grateful that she was able to make it this Sunday, when our hard-working Music Coordinator Marianne Fischer was having difficulty filling the schedule for this week. Loren’s vision is to be creative with the people she loves in the places she adores, and have a good time doing it. Check out her recently released music video that she submitted to the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series!

A couple tidbits as you get ready to join the C3 Gathering on Sunday:

  • Masks are Optional: Starting Sunday, March 13, the decision of whether or not to wear masks will be up to each individual. Masks will remain available to those who are more comfortable with one, but wearing a mask will no longer be a requirement for Sunday morning participation.
  • Travel Time: Don’f forget to allow a couple extra minutes to negotiate southbound US-31 over the bridge. More information here.

Sundays at the Grand Haven Community Center (421 Columbus Ave., Grand Haven)

  • 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, meditation from a community member, teaching and music
  • 10:00 a.m. C3 Kids: 

    In Person (Woodbine Room)

  • 11:00 a.m. Talk Back: In Person
    A chance to share questions, comments and stories related to the morning gathering.

Good News!

Cheryl Van Abbema has volunteered to serve as the coordinator for the Community Care Team. This means that, starting in April, if you experience a life event, illness, or hardship, which can be shared with the C3 Community, Cheryl will be the person to contact. Her contact information will be printed under the Community Care and Concern heading beginning in April. Thanks, Cheryl, for stepping into this vital role!

         Ellie Williams has served as the contact person for several years. We are grateful for her compassionate and effective assistance. Thanks, Ellie!

Can You Help?

If you like working with data, would you like to learn how to maintain the C3 Membership Data from Ellie Williams? She currently handles that task, and hopes that someone will be willing to take it on in the near future.

         Also needed is a person to take over the task of coordinating the Welcoming Host Teams. The teams already exist. The job entails updating the schedule, notifying the teams weekly, and finding subs as necessary.

         For more information about either of these tasks, contact Ellie: elliewilliams4@gmail.com

Charity McMaster Wednesday, March 9, marked the end of Charity McMaster ’s 5½-year tenure as C3 Board of Trustees chair. She started when we were searching for a new leader and is ending as we return to a new normal after a worldwide pandemic.      When asked about stepping down from the position, she said, “I appreciate being a part of and being able to serve this caring community. One of the most interesting aspects about being the public face of the Board was that people came to me with their concerns and ideas. This gave me a chance to know them better and feel even more connected to the C3 Community.        “There have been many times that Shannon and I have talked over issues and we think: ‘We have the people at C3 for a lot of our support. How do people without that kind of support manage?’ Given our experience at C3, I understand why individuals want to be part of a community and–in turn–serve that community.”      If you’re interested in reading more about Charity’s work on the Board, please click on this link

New Officers

At their first meeting, the Board of Trustees selected the following members as officers:

  • Chair: Sally Alderink
  • Vice-Chair: Tom Edwards
  • Secretary: Valerie Engeltjes
  • Treasurer: Mark Smith

Congratulations and thank you to these members who are willing to serve the C3 Community.

Behind the Scenes at the Gathering

There are a lot of people who help make our Gathering a success. This week, we highlight Mary Crouse (aka Miss Mary) for providing a safe and welcoming environment for our C3 Kids in the Woodbine Room. We thank Mary for the quality time and instruction that she affectionately showers on our kids! We also want to give a shout out to Claude McMaster. Claude is responsible to help set up and break down the Community Center each Sunday morning. Thanks Claude!

Special Spring Gathering

Mark your calendars now for Sunday, April 24. Call it a  “welcome back” or a  “homecoming!” Whatever you want to call it, that morning will be a special time of community celebration and reconnection. We’ve been apart for too long. It ’s time to see some familiar faces—and some new ones. Bring a friend!

Stand for Peace Returns in April

Beginning on Saturday, April 2, our Vigil for Peace and Justice returns to Washington Avenue in Grand Haven’s Central Park from noon–1:00 p.m. With the brutalities going on in Ukraine, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Tigray region, we rise to advocate for peace at home and abroad, in our community, and  in ourselves. This is a silent vigil. We do not chant, shout, or march, but rather stand or sit and meditate on peace, and send our peaceful intentions out to the world. All are welcome to join this vigil, co-sponsored by C3 and Stand for Peace–Michigan.

Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration

C3 will once again be a sponsor of the Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration, which will take place on Saturday, April 23, in Grand Haven ’s Central Park. Another date to highlight on your calendar! And please, start to save your empty toilet paper rolls for our Kids’ Project!

C3 and Friends Book Discussion Group

The C3 Book Club has selected 16 amazing books for the next 16 months! We start with Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. This well-known novella should provide endless discussion at our meeting on April 5, 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman. New members are welcome! See you there! If you need to continue by Zoom, please email joycevcawthon [at] gmail [dot] com.

 

C3 Men’s Group – Meeting by Zoom    With most members out of town during the winter months, the C3 Men ’s Group meets via Zoom on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. To join via the Zoom link, contact Phil Koster at 616-402-1751. New participants are always welcome.

22 Days of CompassionCompassionate Action is a core value at C3. In June 2015, the Board of Trustees approved C3 Partner Membership with Charter for Compassion.         Here is an opportunity offered through Charter for Compassion for each of us to participate in the online 22 Days of Compassion campaign for 2022, which began March 14, and continues through April 4. For information on how to participate, click here.
Support C3 When You Shop on Amazon!While we encourage you to shop locally when possible, when you do shop on Amazon, why not support C3? Instead of going to the usual Amazon site, click instead on smile.amazon.com. You’ll land on a page that will ask you if you want to support C3, which, of course you do, so click “yes”, and Voila! Amazon will contribute .5% for each qualifying purchase you make!
Your ongoing support of C3 is greatly appreciated. Online donations can be made here. Automatic donations are handled by Carol Takas, 616-613-3222, at Selby Accounting. Checks should be sent to C3 Spiritual Community, P. O. Box 371, Grand Haven, MI 49417. C3 is a 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization. Our tax ID is 38-1960212.
Donation LinkDonate via PayPal, it’s safe and secure! 
Kristin DuMez at Loutit LibraryLoutit Library will host a conversation with Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne, on Tuesday, March 22. Kristin was Guest Teacher at C3 in August 2020 (teaching video here). Library event details here.
Kristen Kobes Du Mez Teaching Link
Town Hall on Race and Racism: RedliningThe topic for this month’s meeting is Redlining. See details and register for this Momentum Center event on March 28 here.
Liz Keegan, Fair Housing Center; Titus Davis, Guaranteed Rate
Sunday, March 20 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 10:00 a.m.: C3 Kids, in Woodbine Room with Miss Mary 11:00 a.m.: Talk Back, In Person
 

Tuesday, March 22

7:00 p.m.: C3 Men’s Group via Zoom

Sunday, March 27

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

  • Teacher: Kent Dobson 
  • Music:  Karisa Wilson
  • Meditation: Cindy Anderson

10:00 a.m.: C3 Kids, in Woodbine Room with Miss Mary

11:00 a.m.: Talk Back, In Person