This Sunday at C3
We welcome Core Teacher Ruth Zwald as she contributes Angels to the series What the World Needs Now. Angels appear everywhere during this season. What do we believe about angels? The question will lead us to explore the history of angels in various traditions, and then explore what angels may mean to us personally.
We welcome musician Daniel Bracken to C3 for the first time. His songs embrace many of the storytelling qualities of traditional Irish and American roots music. Our thanks to Karri Absenger for the 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
Could You Be the One to Help?
Membership Committee Needs You!
The Membership committee needs one or two new volunteer members. Please contact Jeff Crandle for further information. It is a fun group to be part of, so please consider joining!
🆕 Welcome Hosts Needed!
You’ve noticed the folks who say hello and hold the door for you when you arrive, right? They belong to a team of Hosts who serve once every five weeks. Some teams are well-staffed, but we could use some reinforcements for teams that are short-staffed, or have members who spend the winter elsewhere. If you think this is a way you could lend a hand at C3, contact coordinator Ellie Williams.
🆕 Submitting Information for the C3 Update ✍️
Newsletter submissions are normally sent to Chrys Moelter-Gray, but for next week’s newsletter on December 20, please send all announcements to Annie Wassmann instead.
Outgoing Board Members Honored
Three outgoing members of the Board of Trustees were honored with carved wooden bowls at the Gathering on November 24: Beth Buelow, Cheri Eshenaur, and Rod Van Abbema. Thanks to them for for serving on the Board.
A donation was made in memory of Connie Farell by Deb Sikanas and Russell Radford.
Charter for Compassion
December Week 3@C3: 3rd Annual Greeting Card Blizzard
This marks the third year for our Greeting Card Blizzard for residents of Riverside Nursing & Rehab, Medilodge at the Shore, North Ottawa Care Center and Christian Haven Home. Look for cards bundled into 30 sets of 10 cards each at the Week 3@C3 table. Take a bundle or two, address envelopes and sign the cards: suggested text “To a Friend” on envelopes and ”From a Friend” on cards. Include C3-Spiritual Community and any personal note you may wish to add. No other address or stamps are necessary. Return completed cards to the Week 3@ C3 table by December 15. Greetings will be delivered to each site for the appropriate staff person to deliver to residents. The goal is 300 cards. See Char Zoet if you want to suggest an additional care facility as a recipient.
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.
Connie Farell Memorial
Central Park Place Mackinaw Ballroom
Sunday, December 8, 2024, 1 to 4 p.m.
A long time neighbor Jerry Scott and some close friends of Connie want to honor her memory as a valued member of the larger Grand Haven community. They are partnering with a number of others that have been inspired by Connie’s life, and included C3 in this group. They have decided to have a Chili Bar the Sunday after the Jingle Bell Parade, as these were two of Connie’s favorite things to do each winter! Please take a moment to write a few words about Connie on one of the cloth strips.
Outreach
A Few Bell Ringers Needed
There are still a few shifts that need to be covered when C3 volunteers ring the bell for the 2024 Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign, which supports all the programs of the local Salvation Army: housing for six families, a food pantry, Thanksgiving and Christmas assistance, utility assistance, and Pathway of Hope programs. C3ers who participated in the past felt positive about the experience. People were grateful to have us there, providing the opportunity for them to contribute to a familiar holiday act of giving.
We will be at Leppink’s (Ferrysburg) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, December 11 and 12, for one-hour shifts. It works best to have only one or two at the kettle for each shift. Playing music or an instrument during the shift is a big plus! Sign up after Gathering the next two Sundays with Betty Porter, at the Outreach table, or email Betty.
Groups
- 🆕 Sunday Dinner Group If you wish to join the group for supper at Ted’s in Spring Lake at 5:30 p.m., please sign up at the Membership table before you leave the Gathering on Sunday. Char Zoet can be contacted for late reservations.
- 🆕 Women’s Journey Date Change for December: December’s meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman on Monday, December 16. Please bring a wrapped ornament (homemade, hand-me-down, gently used or new) and a small nibble to share.
- C3 Men’s Group This men’s conversation group meets each Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Choir Room at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Call Phil Koster with questions.
- C3 Book Club and Friends At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17, Book Club will meet at the C3 office complex at 1447 Washington (next to Norm’s ice Cream) for our holiday party. We’re asking everyone to bring a wrapped used book, a nibble to share, and your own drink. If appropriate, please label your nibble as dairy- or fish-free. The book for January 21 is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
Values in Action
Music Events with C3 Connections
- December 7, 7:30 p.m., and December 8, 3 p.m. Grand Rapids Women’s Chorus: Nelleke Knarr sings with this group, which will perform their winter concert at St. Cecilia Music Center. Check the link for more information.
- December 14: 7-9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Christmas Light – An Elegant Candlelit Christmas Music Experience Tabitha Blanski sings with The Choral Scholars in this concert at First Reformed Church (301 Washington Avenue) in Grand Haven. Admission is free but seating is limited and tickets must be reserved at the link above.
- 🆕 December 15: 4 p.m. Experience the Magic of Christmas with the Shoreline Community Orchestra Sandy and Allen Beck (percussion and harp/french horn) play with this orchestra. The event is free and open to the public.
- 🆕 December 29: 3 p.m. The Rebel Eves at Guitar Haven, Grand Haven. Limited to 35 seats; tickets at Guitar Haven or Venmo@therebeleves.
🆕 Best Local Albums of the Year with C3 Connections
Grand Rapids Revue magazine recently spotlighted five of the top local albums released over the past year. Notably, three of these standout records came from C3 musicians: Spencer LaJoye’s Shadow Puppets, Jordan Hamilton’s Project Freedom, and Patty Pershayla’s Sad Girl Apocalypse: Bummer Songs and Ukulele Adventures.
Connections ✋
Make new friends, meet interesting people, tell them about C3! Check out all kinds of activities in the area at the Grand Haven Area Events Calendar, Calendar of Events for All Ages | Loutit District Library, and Spring Lake District Library Calendar.
Community Events for Your Consideration
Click on the links for more information.
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- December 1–19, 6 to 10 p.m., Lights at Night with Friends of Ottawa County Parks
- December 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,Holiday Shopping on the Artist Trail. 🆕 Be sure to visit 815 Ver Hoeks Street, Unit 5, where you’ll find familiar C3 faces offering their creations!
- 🆕 December 13, 5 to 8 p.m, Free Dinner and Movie Nightat Momentum Center. The movie is That Christmas.
- December 1–19, 6 to 10 p.m., Lights at Night with Friends of Ottawa County Parks
Calendar
Sunday, December 8
9 a.m. Pre-Talk
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Char Kole
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
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- Guest Teacher: Ruth Zwald
- Music: Daniel Bracken
- Meditation: Karri Absenger
11 a.m. Talk Back
Tuesday, December 10
7 p.m. C3 Men’s Group (Choir Room, St. John’s Episcopal Church, GH)
Sunday, December 15
9 a.m. Pre-Talk
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Charity McMaster
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
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- Lead Teacher: Brad Ruggles
- Music: Genna & Jesse
- Meditation: Nelleke Knarr
11 a.m. Talk Back
Brad Ruggles (he/him) joined C3 as Lead Teacher in May of this year. He is a former pastor that deconstructed and later left the faith he was raised in after 18 years in ministry. He and his wife Lisa enjoy adventuring and traveling with their two adult daughters. Brad’s interests are diverse and include backpacking, meditation, breathwork, yoga, sport kiting, and photography.
Genna & Jesse, drawing inspiration from their romantic nomadic lifestyle, might best be described as modern troubadours, generously offering listeners glimpses of their always-moving world with something fresh, true and genuinely independent. Their music features quirky chemistry, intricate vocal harmonies and ardent storytelling.
Thank You!
We deeply value your continued support of C3. 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.
Additional Resources
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- C3 Website
- Current and Past Teachings
- Current and Past Meditations
- Subscribe to the our YouTube channel
- 🆕 Last Week’s Update and Bulletin
- Weekly Teaching Podcast “The Stage at C3”: Apple Podcasts YouTube Music
- C3 Website > Values (printable list)
- C3 Website > Updates
- C3 Website > Calendar Events
- C3 Membership Directory (login required)
- C3 Website>Newsletter Request
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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
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- Chair: Teresa Colbry
- Vice-Chair: Tod Wyn
- Secretary: Beth Buelow
- Treasurer: Andy Cawthon
- Tabitha Blanski
- Karen Cotton
- Kim Crozier
- Cheri Eshenaur
- Kathy Humphrey
- Wayne Johnson
- Rod Van Abbema
- Chair: Teresa Colbry
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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