Update for October 13, 2024

Oct 11, 2024 | C3 Updates

This Sunday at C3

Daryl Van Tongeren, Ph. D., fills the Guest Teacher role this week. He is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Frost Center for Social Science Research at Hope College. His contribution to our series What the World Needs Now is Humility.

Nashville-based musician Sam Robbins makes a second appearance at C3. He first played for us in March of this year. Nelleke Knarr will share a meditation.

We meet at Central Park Place (Mackinaw Ballroom, 421 Columbus Avenue, Grand Haven, MI 49417). Pre-Talk begins at 9 a.m. The main Gathering kicks off at 10 a.m. C3 Kids meet from 10 a.m. to noon. Stick around after the Gathering to discuss the morning’s talk in Talk Back, which runs until noon. Gathering livestream here.

C3 News

🆕  Special International Guest Teacher Next Week

John Philip Newell, a “wandering teacher” from Scotland in the ancient Celtic Christian tradition, who draws on both the poetic and the intellectual, and addresses the head as well as the heart, will be our Guest Teacher next Sunday, October 20, to talk about The Great Search. Consider registering for Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul, A Retreat with John Philip Newell and Cami Twilling, on Saturday, October 19, in which the wisdom teachings of John Philip Newell and the spiritual practices of Cami Twilling call us to be aware of the sacredness of Earth and every human being as key to the way of transformation and healing in our lives and world. Information and registration for the retreat and other special events here.

🆕  Life Church Moved to Second Reformed

Now that Life Church has found their new home, we might feel a bit like empty nesters here at C3–happy on their behalf, and grateful for some quieter times with each other. Shannon and Brad will work with Central Park Place over the next few weeks to assess our use options and costs.

🆕  Community Celebration November 3

Make plans now to attend the C3 Community Celebration on Sunday, November 3.You won’t want to miss it! We plan to celebrate exciting changes at C3. You will have the chance to get plugged in to some of the great opportunities at C3. Talk Back will be replaced with the Annual Meeting and a potluck. Please note: If your last name begins with . . .

    • A–I: bring a main dish
    • J–P: bring a side dish
    • Q–Z: bring a dessert

Tableware and beverages will be provided. It will be fun! 🗓️

Dine with Nine

If you signed up, you should have received word from your Dine with Nine Host with information you’ll need, asking you to indicate which part of the meal you will provide when you attend on Saturday, October 19, at 6 p.m. Questions? Contact Joyce Cawthon. 🗓️

Set-Up and Tear-Down Teams

Thank you to everyone who has stepped up and answered the call to help with the weekly set-up and tear-down of the Mackinaw Room. Rod Van Abbema has built a great set of weekly teams to help make Sunday Gathering a great experience for everyone.

Do You Have Any Old Photos of C3 (Christ Community Church)?

We’re trying to collect historical photos of C3/Christ Community Church, including past members, events, pastors, and the building, to be used for the Community Celebration on November 3. Photos in digital format are preferred, and can be sent to Brad. If you need us to scan your hard copies of old photos, we can do that at the office. Please call or text 616-842-1985 or email Shannon to set up a time to bring them in to the office for scanning.

Charter for Compassion

Week 3@C3 for October: Thanksgiving Baskets

We will help Muskegon Rescue Mission fill 900 baskets for the annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway, which offers area residents a full Thanksgiving meal to make at home. Choose from the list below and bring items to the Week 3@ C3 table on October 13 and 20. New to the list this year are mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves.

    • Food: Boxed stuffing, boxed potatoes, canned corn and/or green beans, boxed mac & cheese mix, boxed brownie or cake mix
    • Winter wear: mittens, gloves, hats, scarves
    • Gifts of cash are welcome. Drop cash and checks into the donation boxes. See Chase for credit card donations. If you want acknowledgement for checks, indicate Thanksgiving Baskets on the notation line. Contributions can be sent to C3 Spiritual Community, PO Box 371, Grand Haven, MI 49417.

Outreach

Vigil for Peace and Justice ✌️

Make a statement for peace by joining our Vigil for Peace and Justice each Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. along Washington Avenue at Central Park. Bring a chair to sit, if you are more comfortable that way. We have lots of signs to hold, or make your own! 🗓️

Momentum Center October Newsletter

Click here to read the October edition of Gaining Momentum.

Care and Concern

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.

      • Thom Clay died recently, as we learned from his sister Celia Said. There will be a service on November 2. Contact Shannon at the office for details.
      • Connie Farell, our beloved long-time member, died peacefully on Friday evening, October 4. Arrangements will be by Klassen Funeral Home and Connie’s sons.
      • Janice Scharich’s mother Vera Sturgeon Van Velsen, died on September 4, at age 88. Cards of support may be sent to Janice.
      • A celebration of life will be held for Joan Sutton on October 19, from 1 to 5 p.m. at 11888 144th Avenue, West Olive, MI 49460, at her brother’s family blueberry farm. Bob Kleinheksel will hold a short service at 2 p.m., at which time the family would love for you to share stories of your time with Joanie. Time to visit and eat will follow.
      • Kathy and Tom Tosa thank you for the prayers and positive thoughts. Son Michael was released from the rehab hospital September 20 and is at home in Busselton, Australia, getting used to normal life again and gaining strength, on his way to further recovery. Kathy and Tom will travel to see him in December.

    Groups

      • 🆕  Sunday Dinner Group Sign up at the Membership table to join the group at 5:30 p.m. at Ted’s in Spring Lake. 🗓️
      • C3 Men’s Group Join in conversation with men from C3 and the community each Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Room B at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Questions? Call Phil Koster. 🗓️
      • C3 Book Club and Friends October’s book is The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. We meet at 6 p.m. next Tuesday, October 15, at The Bookman. 🗓️  November 19: My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
      • Women’s Journey Our next meeting is Monday, October 28, 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman. We could use one or two volunteers for snacks. We will again have some questions as conversation starters. Join us! 🗓️

      Finance

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

      Honor and Memorial Giving

      A donation in memory of Mike Pinder was made by Kerry FitzGerald.

      Values in Action

      🆕  Posthumous Justice for Maurice Carter

      Humanity for Prisoners’s founder Doug Tjapkes spent years seeking justice for Maurice Carter, a black man who was wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit, and HFP believes Maurice deserves that justice, even if that justice is posthumous. Learn more and consider signing a petition seeking the posthumous pardon from Gov. Whitmer by clicking here.

      🆕  Shakespeare’s Macbeth, starring Pigeon Creek Shakespeare’s Scott Lange and Katherine Mayberry, and produced by C3 member Julie Bratton (who also appears on stage) is the first play to be staged at the new Stage at the Corner in downtown Muskegon, with performances this weekend and next. Click here for times and tickets. (Please note, you have to climb stairs to the theater; the elevator is not installed yet).

          Volunteer Delivery Drivers Needed

          AgeWell Services needs delivery drivers for its Grand Haven area routes, which leave from the base at Four Pointes, Monday through Friday. The morning time commitment is about two to three hours. To begin the application process, create an account at AgeWell Services. Contact Jessica 231-559-0476 with questions, or talk with Chrys Moelter-Gray about her experience as a delivery driver.

          Community Events for Your Consideration 

          Click on the links for more information.

          Kristin Du Mez Film For Our Daughters: Stories of Abuse, Betrayal, and Resistance in the Evangelical Church

          You can watch this 30-minute long film directly on YouTube here.

          A Message from Shannon McMaster about Announcements

          As we near the end of the 2024 election cycle, please remember that C3 is a 501(c)(3) organization, classified as a church for tax purposes. Our bylaws state that the Community does not engage in propaganda, influence legislation, or participate in political campaigns. Anything during the Sunday Gathering, from the first to the last song, is considered an official C3 action. Please check with the Gathering Host or me (Shannon) before making announcements, and keep political statements brief and issue-focused, such as, “County board elections are important. I have information in the back.”

          Calendar

          Saturday, October 12

          12 p.m. Vigil for Peace and Justice (Central Park, GH)

           

          Sunday, October 13  

          9 a.m. Pre-Talk

          10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Sally Alderink

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

            • Guest Teacher: Daryl Van Tongeren
            • Music: Sam Robbins
            • Meditation: Nelleke Knarr

          11 a.m. Talk Back

          Tuesday, October 8

          7 p.m. C3 Men’s Group (Room B, St. John’s Episcopal Church, GH)

           

          Wednesday, October 16

          6 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting (C3 Office, 1411 Washington Ave., GH)

           

          Saturday, October 19

          9 a.m. Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul – A Retreat with John Philip Newell & Cami Twilling (Tri-City Historical Museum, 200 Washington Ave, GH) Registration required

          12 p.m. Vigil for Peace and Justice (Central Park, GH)

          6 p.m. Dine with Nine

           

          Sunday, October 20  

          9 a.m. Pre-Talk

          10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Sally Alderink

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

            • Guest Teacher: John Philip Newell
            • Music: Spencer LaJoye
            • Meditation: Cami Twilling

          11 a.m. Talk Back

          6:00 p.m. Wine & Cheese Reception with JP Newell & Cami Twilling Registration required

          June 11 Banner

          John Philip Newell is a Celtic teacher and author of spirituality who calls the modern world to reawaken to the sacredness of Earth and every human being. Canadian by birth, and a citizen also of Scotland, he resides with his family in Edinburgh and works on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2016 he began the Earth & Soul initiative and teaches regularly in the United States and Canada. He has authored over fifteen books, including The Great Search (August 2024), in which he looks at the great spiritual yearnings of humanity today in the context of the decline of religion as we have known it. 

          Spencer LaJoye (they/them) is an East Coast singer/songwriter from the Midwest making queer indie folk music for everyone. The 2021 Kerrville Songwriting Competition winner spins crystalline vocals through a loop pedal while strumming an acoustic guitar in charming, banter-heavy performances that keep audiences laughing one moment and weeping the next.

          Additional Resources

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          Contact

           

          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
          Weekday office hours by appointment.

          Shannon McMaster, Executive Director
          smcmaster [at] c3westmichigan [dot] org

          Brad Ruggles, Lead Teacher
          brad [at] c3westmichigan [dot] org

          Automatic donations are handled by Carol Takas, 616-613-3222, at Selby Accounting. Please direct any questions to Andy Cawthon. 

          Board of Trustees

           

          Newsletter Submissions and Editor: Chrysteen Moelter-Gray News items to be included in the C3 Update should be submitted by Wednesday morning. 

          Newsletter Designer: Annie Wassmann

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