C3 inspires spiritual, intellectual, and creative exploration and action, led by the questions, “what are the biggest challenges we face on our shared journey, and how do we respond to those challenges?”

C3 Teacher Kent Dobson will be with us this Sunday as we get deeper into the topic Spirituality for the 21st Century. His teaching this week focuses on Nature Mysticism. We’re happy to have Emilee Petersmark as musician once again. The meditation will be from Leslie Newman.

Please join us at Central Park Place for the Gathering! Pre-Talk is at 9 a.m. in the Woodbine Room; the Gathering begins at 10 a.m. in the Mackinaw Room; Small Bites and Talk Back follow the Gathering. C3 Kids meet at 10 in the Woodbine Room. If you aren’t able to join us in person, you can watch the Gathering online on C3’s Facebook page.

Sunday Gathering Information here. Additional Resources here.
🆕 Last Sunday’s Teaching here. Meditation here.

🆕 Exploring Our Options

At the March 8 meeting, the Board established a task force to look at possible alternative locations for C3 to meet. While there is no pressure to vacate Central Park Place in the immediate future, this is an opportunity for C3 to explore available sites and consider what our needs are and what would best meet those needs. Task force members are Beth Buelow, Andy Cawthon, David Dean, Wayne Johnson, and Rod Van Abbema. If you have suggestions, please contact Andy. Thank you, in advance, for your help with this project!

News from the March 8 Board Meeting

First, a huge thank-you to everyone who contacted a Grand Haven City Council member! You were integral in the decision to investigate the situation further before anything came to a vote. We have more meetings with the city manager planned and will keep you informed as the situation evolves.
At the Board meeting on Wednesday, we officially thanked Mark Smith for his six years of service and welcomed Shannon McMaster to the Board.
The elected officials for 2023 are: Sally Alderink, Chair; Teresa Colbry, Vice-Chair; Shannon McMaster, Treasurer; and Valerie Engeltjes, Secretary.
Office Manager Becky Park will be in the C3 office (1447 Washington Ave, GH) on Wednesdays from 12:30–2:30 p.m. and Fridays from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. She will have more hours in which she is available by appointment. The office phone number is 616-842-1985.

Thanks to Our Small Bites Contributors—
Char Zoet, Joyce Cawthon, Teresa Colbry, Cheryl Van Abbema, Kathy Smith, Barb Van Leeuwen, Bev Hundley, Jen Snideman, Tom Redick, Carolyn DeVries, Karen Cotton, Cindy Abraham, Lana Brock, Kathy Tosa, and Leslie Newman! Your generosity and willingness to bring us treats on a regular (or emergency) basis adds such a valued part to our Sunday morning experience! Special recognition to Cheryl and Kathy (Smith), who cover for Small Bites organizer Patti Baldus, when she isn’t able to do the setup and cleanup. If you’d like to join this group of wonderful folks and bring some treats to our Gathering on a once-per-month basis, contact Patti. We always welcome new volunteers!

Sunday Dinner Group

We will meet again at The Kirby at 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Please add your name and phone number to the list on the table at the back of the Gathering room before you leave on Sunday if you’re planning on coming. Due to our group size, we need to phone in the reservation by 12:30 p.m.

Caring for the members of our C3 Community is a shared communal responsibility, rather than a role reserved for a pastor, priest, or leader. Our C3 Community Care Team encourages members to support each other at time of need with notes, cards, phone calls, visits, meals, and transportation. C3 members are urged to contact the Community Care Team to inform them of life events, illness, or hardships, which can be shared with the C3 Community. To report a need or request help, or to help visit members in hospital, rehab or recovering at home, contact Cheryl Van Abbema: email or Mike and Charlotte Rozich: email.

Longtime friend of C3 Lowell VanDeRiet passed away on March 2. His wife Mary noted that “he loved being with you all both before and after the service to engage in conversation on important topics.” The funeral will be at Lakeshore Memorial Services (11939 James Street, Holland) on Saturday, March 18. Visitation is from 1-2 p.m., with the service at 2 p.m. Cards may be sent to Mary at 1495 Stoney Lake Drive, Holland, MI 49424.

Jeanne Shell, who is in Florida, fell on Wednesday, March 1, and broke her femur. She underwent surgery the next day, which went as planned. Cards may be sent to her at 70 N. McCall Road, Englewood, FL 34223.

Want to make your life easier and more predictable?

• Why not put your donations to C3 on autopilot?

• No more having to remember to send a check!

• No more trying to remember — did I or didn’t I?

• It is a secure and easy set up — just call Carol Takas, 616-613-3222, at Selby Accounting. Please direct any questions to Shannon McMaster.

Your ongoing support of C3 is greatly appreciated. Online donations can be made here. Automatic donations can be set up by contacting Carol Takas 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.

Week 3@C3

This is the last week for our Week 3@C3 project for March. We are collecting laundry soap, dish soap, canned fruit, and canned pasta (think SpaghettioOs, etc.) for The People Center! Please bring your items to the Week 3@C3 table in the Mackinaw Room this Sunday, March 19.

Gear Up for April Outreach Activities!

Make C3’s presence felt in the greater community by showing up and participating in these Outreach activities, which return in April:

Vigil for Peace and Justice–Saturdays from noon –1 p.m., starting April 1, Washington Avenue at Central Park
Adopt-A-Hightway Cleanup: Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m.
Earth Day Fair: Saturday, April 29, details coming soon
🆕 Also, exciting news! There will be a PRIDE Festival in Grand Haven on June 10 (tentative date), and we are looking for ideas and volunteers to work with the coordinating committee for that event. If you’re interested, contact Rod Van Abbema, or sign up at the festival website.

C3 Book Club and Friends

Please note this important change! Starting in April, C3 Book Club will meet on the third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. The book for our meeting on April 18 is One Long River of Song by Brian Doyle.

C3 Men’s Group

The C3 Men’s Group meets each Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on Harbor Drive in Grand Haven. Questions? Contact Phil Koster.

🆕 LEDA Workshop

Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance is pleased to announce its new series, Working Toward Inclusion and Belonging. This two-part series, held at Central Park Place, will address biases and ways to counter them, so participants can begin or continue their journey to a more equitable, diverse, inclusive community where everyone belongs and has opportunity to participate fully. Each 90-minute session will provide participants with information to better understand how systems of advantage have taken root and grown, and tools to move inclusion and belonging forward at work, home, and in life. The remaining dates are March 23, April 6, and April 20. Part 1 and Part 2 can be attended in any order. Register here.

Sunday, March 19

Central Park Place (Mackinaw Ballroom, 421 Columbus Ave., GH)

9 a.m. Pre-Talk, in Person (Woodbine Room)

10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Charity McMaster (Woodbine Room)

10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook

C3 Teacher: Kent Dobson
Music: Emilee Petersmark
Meditation: Leslie Newman

11 a.m. Talk Back

Tuesday, March 21

7 p.m. C3 Men’s Group (American Legion, GH)

Sunday, March 26

Central Park Place (Mackinaw Ballroom, 421 Columbus Ave., GH)

9 a.m. Pre-Talk, in Person (Woodbine Room)

10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Sally Alderink (Woodbine Room)

10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook

C3 Teacher: Kent Dobson
Music: Drew Nelson
Meditation: Wayne Johnson

11 a.m. Talk Back

Kent Dobson has been the lead teacher at C3 since 2017. He leads Israel study tours, wilderness retreats, and has his own podcast called Hints and Guesses. He’s the author of Bitten by a Camel, a memoir about his time living in Israel and his departure from the Evangelical church he was pastoring.

Michigan-born Navy veteran Drew Nelson is a storytelling songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A fly fisherman and world traveler, he writes as a witness to the lives and journeys of those he has met along the way, mixing Americana and roots-rock with traditional folk styles. He is also a dad, woodworker, lover of poems and mystery.

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🆕 Last Week’s Newsletter and Bulletin

Lead Teacher Kent Dobson

There is a lot more to discover and learn from Kent Dobson on his website, and by listening to his podcast Hints and Guesses. Sign up here for updates about his programs, events, podcasts, teachings, and more.