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?”
Anticipate a poetic morning under the tutelage of poet and professor Jack Ridl with his teaching Damage Done, Damage Undone. We’re happy he was able to reschedule with us, after the weather prevented his being with us in January. Click here to access some of Jack’s poems that may be included in his teaching.
C3’s all-time favorite duo, Ruth and Max Bloomquist will play some of Michigan’s favorite music for us.
Our meditation will come from Andy Cawthon.
Sunday Gathering
Come for Pre-Talk at 9 a.m. to get a jump on the rest of the group; join us at Central Park Place in Grand Haven for the Gathering at 10 a.m., which is live-streamed on C3’s Facebook page. Snack and socialize during Small Bites, then respond to the teaching at Talk Back from 11:15 to noon. C3 Kids meet in the C3 Kids’ area of the Mackinaw Room from 10 a.m. to noon.
Talk Back Takeover!
Join us on April 28 for a Talk Back Takeover where Executive Director Shannon McMaster will lead us through a visioning exercise to kick off our community Strategic Planning process! Look for additional information in the coming weeks.
Springtime Dine with Nine
Let’s try for a spring theme for the next Dine with Nine on Saturday, May 11, at 6:00 p.m. Sign up any Sunday between now and April 21 at the Membership Table. This event connects adults regardless of age or relationship status, bringing together widows, singles, couples, partners, and divorcees at the host’s home to share food, fun, and conversation. Coordinators of the event are Joyce Cawthon, Kathy Smith, and Mary Ackerson. Contact: Joyce with questions.
Your Feedback, Please
We’d love your feedback on our guest teachers—as well as the musician(s) and the overall Gathering experience. Use this online form to share your feedback. There will also be forms located at the back of the Gathering room, and boxes in which you can put your feedback. You can be anonymous or sign your name. Thanks for your help!
Week 3@C3 for April
Our project for April will be to help Grand Haven’s American Legion collect snacks and other items, which they will mail in individual care packages to our troops overseas. Food items (regular size, no bulk packages): Peanut Butter Pretzels, Beef Jerky (no pork), Doritos, Sun Chips, Potato Chips, Pringles, Reese’s Fast Breaks, Paydays, M&Ms, Gummy Bears, Mac and Cheese Cups, Rice A Roni Cups, Pasta Roni Cups, Summer Sausage & Crackers, Goldfish Crackers, Pretzels, Combos, Pop Tarts, Rice Crispy Treats, Girl Scout Cookies, Trail Mix, Cheez Its, and Propel Water Packets. Non-food items: Deodorant, Shampoo, and Toothpaste. Items will be collected on April 7, 14, and 21. Printable list here.
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 C3 members may remember Michael Dowd, who was a guest teacher a few times at Christ Community Church. His wife Connie Barlow notified us that Michael died unexpectedly last October. More information can be found here.
🆕 Longtime C3 member Dr. Justin Kleveland died on March 30, at the age of 99, just 12 days shy of his 100th birthday. After serving in the Army, he settled in Muskegon in 1953, and began his career in Internal Medicine, which he practiced for 44 years. He was a strong advocate for education, universal health care, and common-sense gun control. He also enjoyed traveling, and did so to approximately 27 countries. The Celebration of Life will be on Saturday, May 11 at 12 p.m. at the Lake House (730 Terrace Point Dr, Muskegon, MI). Cards can be sent to Kathleen at 1634 Sunset Drive, North Muskegon, MI 49445.
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Your Help Is Needed . . .
- Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration: Saturday, April 20, 1 to 4 p.m.
Thanks to the four volunteers who signed up to help with the Kids’ Project at the C3 booth. Did you read the article Lakeshore Earth Day Celebration empowers West Michigan for 17 years by Community Columnist Bethany Dutcher in the March 15 edition of the Grand Haven Tribune? Pioneers Jean King, Pam Park, and Connie Widdis, Christ Community Church, Yvonne Olmsted, and Patti Baldus were mentioned, and Leslie Newman was interviewed! If you don’t subscribe to the Tribune, read the article here. - Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup: Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to noon
Our spring Adopt-A-Highway cleanup is Saturday, April 27. The clean up is from 10 a.m. to noon, and we need lots of volunteers! (If necessary, the rain date is Sunday, April 28, after the Talk Back Takeover). Sign up anytime via email (name and phone number please) or at the Outreach table. More information and safety video here!
- Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration: Saturday, April 20, 1 to 4 p.m.
C3 Men’s Group
The C3 Men’s Group meets each Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Room B, in Grand Haven. Contact Phil Koster for more information.
C3 Book Club and Friends
The C3 Book Club meets at 6 p.m. at The Bookman on the third Tuesday of the month. Come join the discussion about The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan. Newcomers are always welcome!
May 21: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Women’s Journey
We will meet again next month on Monday, April 22, at 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman. Coincidentally, it will be Earth Day, so we are planning on bringing a small outdoor plant to exchange. Please join us! We also set the date for May: Monday, May 20, (one week before Memorial Day) same time, same place.
Thank You! Your support matters and is greatly appreciated!
It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to produce all the great things that happen at C3. Whether it is our Sunday Gatherings or working within our West Michigan communities, we strive to make a difference, with compassion. Your financial support allows us to continue to learn, teach and live our values to heal and effect change.
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.
Defending Democracy From Its Christian Enemies – A Conversation with David Gushee and Kristin Du Mez
Here’s a link to a YouTube video of a conversation which may be of interest to C3 members. Kristin Du Mez was a C3 Guest Teacher in 2020 to talk about her book Jesus and John Wayne.
HFP March Newsletter
Click here to read the March 2024 newsletter from Humanity for Prisoners. 🆕 Do you know about HFP’s fundraiser called the Unball? It’s an event you don’t have to attend, you’re just asked for a donation to support their important work. Click on this link if you would like to know more.
Grand Haven Area Community Energy Plan Survey
Are you interested in more comfortable and lower-cost housing, solar power, EV charging stations? The Board of Light and Power and the cities of Ferrysburg and Grand Haven, along with Grand Haven Township, are writing their first-ever Community Energy Plan. Tell the area’s elected leaders how you feel about their work for you in their Climate Action Plan by completing the survey linked here. Help them get it right!
Sunday, April 7
All events held in the Mackinaw Ballroom in Central Park Place (421 Columbus Ave., GH)
9 a.m. Pre-Talk & Awakenings
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Sandy Kate Stephens
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
• Guest Teacher: Jack Ridl
• Musicians: Ruth & Max Bloomquist
• Meditation: Andy Cawthon
11 a.m. Talk Back
Tuesday, April 9
7 p.m. C3 Men’s Group (Room B, St. John’s Episcopal Church, GH)
Sunday, April 14
All events held in the Mackinaw Ballroom in Central Park Place (421 Columbus Ave., GH)
9 a.m. Pre-Talk & Awakenings
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Patti Baldus
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
• Guest Teacher: Allison Paradise
• Musicians: Molly
• Meditation: Charlotte Rozich
11 a.m. Talk Back
Allison Paradise has spent her career challenging people to see their relationship to themselves, each other, and the planet in a new way. She is the founder and CEO of The Epicenter and the founder and former CEO of My Green Lab. Allison holds degrees in neuroscience from Brown and Harvard.
Molly is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Grand Rapids. She writes to explore what it means to be a Black woman in America. Her unique past and desire for a sense of freedom inform both her emotive style and her thought-provoking lyrics, making for a moody, eclectic, colorful, and soulful sound.
Drop Us Some Stars
We would really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to share your experience at C3 by reviewing us on Google. Thank you!
Google requires reviewers to have a Google account. If you don’t have one you can set one up with your current email address, follow instructions here.
frontdesk [at] c3westmichigan [dot] org
C3 Spiritual Community Office
1447 Washington Ave., Grand Haven, MI 49417
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 371, Grand Haven, MI 49417
616-842-1985 (number can receive text messages)
Becky Park, Office Manager
Office Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays from 12 noon – 2:30 p.m., or by appointment.
Shannon McMaster, Executive Director
smcmaster [at] c3westmichigan [dot] org
Automatic donations are handled by Carol Takas, 616-613-3222, at Selby Accounting.
Please direct any questions to Andy Cawthon.
C3 Board of Trustees
Chair: Teresa Colbry
Vice-Chair: Tod Wyn
Secretary: Beth Buelow
Treasurer: Andy Cawthon
Newsletter Submissions and Editor: Chrysteen Moelter-Gray
Newsletter Designer: Annie Wassmann
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