📍 Location: Central Park Place, Mackinaw Ballroom, 421 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven)
⏰ Pre-Talk: 9 a.m. | Main Gathering: 10 a.m. | C3 Kids: 10 a.m.–Noon
💬 Talk Back: After the Gathering until Noon
📺 Livestream on our Facebook page
C3 News
🆕 Mindful Living
Many of us are familiar with the concept of mindfulness and what it means to be mindful, but how do we make it an intentional practice? Mindfulness practice involves purposefully paying attention to the present moment and cultivating a nonjudgmental, compassionate awareness of our thoughts, our emotions, our senses, and the world around us.
We are in the early stages of developing a series of sessions entitled Mindful Living, meeting once a month on a weekday evening. If you would like to learn more about this contemplative practice, please leave your contact information on the signup sheet at the membership table. Knowing how many folks are interested at this stage will help inform our search for a regular meeting space. Stay tuned for more information!
Thinking Ahead! In Case of a Weather Emergency!
This weekend is looking like decent weather, but I’d like to let you know our process for inclement weather. The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors with the Executive Director will determine if we will cancel the in-person Sunday Gathering. Our goal will be to make the determination by late Saturday afternoon. If the Gathering is canceled, we will send an email, post a notice on Facebook and Instagram, and contact the following media: WAWL (Grand Haven radio), and these TV stations WZZM, WOOD, and Fox 17.
—Shannon McMaster
Shake off the Winter Blues—come Dine with Nine! 🍽️
Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 8, and be part of the next Dine with Nine! Everyone is welcome to join. Sign-ups will be available on the following Sundays: December 29, January 5, 12, and 19. This event promises a fun evening filled with great food, laughter, and conversation. Several hosts will be opening their homes to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for a memorable night with friends—both old and new. The event coordinators are Joyce Cawthon, Kathy Smith, and Mary Ackerson. Have questions? Contact Joyce. 🗓️
News from the Board of Trustees
-
- C3 has an active Fidelity account to accept stocks and bonds as donations. Please contact Andy Cawthon with any questions.
- C3 is also in the process of creating a money market account, which will allow us to accept donations specifically designated for meeting our real estate needs. Again, please reach out to Andy Cawthon with any questions.
- Finally, we are pleased to announce that the Strategic Plan, developed by our Executive Director Shannon McMaster, has been formally accepted and approved by the Board of Trustees! Shannon’s C3’s Big 2024 email.
Charter for Compassion
December Week 3@C3: 3rd Annual Greeting Card Blizzard
Thank you for your participation in the Seasonal Greeting Card Blizzard. We distributed 265 cards to four area care centers. Note: There will be no Week 3@ C3 collection in January. We will be back in February. Have a Happy New Year.
Groups
-
- Sunday Dinner Group will be at Ted’s Restaurant in Spring Lake, 5:30 p.m. Please sign up at the Welcome Table on Sunday if you intend to come. Contact Char Zoet with late reservations.
- C3 Men’s Group will not be meeting on December 31. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Choir Room at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Call Phil Koster, 616-402-1751 with questions.
- C3 Book Club and Friends The book for Tuesday, January 21 is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.
- Women’s Journey: January’s meeting will be Monday, January 27 at 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman.
Outreach
C3 Bell Ringers at the Red Kettle Campaign
On December 11, C3 members braved the cold to raise money for the Salvation Army at Leppinks in Ferrysburg. Thanks to Betty Porter for organizing this effort, and to all the volunteers who stepped up to stand at the kettle!
Care and Concern
Caring for our C3 community is a shared responsibility. Community Care encourages members to support one another with notes, calls, visits, meals, and transportation.To share life events, illnesses, or hardships—or to request help—contact Cheryl Van Abbema by email or phone.
- 🆕 Barbara Crouse, grandmother to Mary Crouse, coordinator for C3 Kids, died on December 21 at the age of 96. Cards can be sent to Mary at 613 Columbus Avenue, Grand Haven, MI 49417.
- The Connie Farell Memorial on December 8 was well-attended and appreciated by all who were there. The stories that people shared were priceless. Thanks to those who organized (Teresa Colbry) the event and provided chili or cornbread muffins (Joyce Cawthon). Be sure to read this excellent article about Connie that appeared in the Grand Haven Tribune.
Values in Action
Music Events with C3 Connections
-
- December 29: 3 p.m. The Rebel Eves at Guitar Haven, Grand Haven. Limited to 35 seats; tickets at Guitar Haven or Venmo@therebeleves.
- January 17: 6 p.m. Ruth & Max Bloomquist Momentum Center Benefit Concert. Purchase tickets here.
-
- December 31, 9 p.m. Grand Haven’s New Year’s Eve Ball Drop
- Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free Thursdays at the Muskegon Museum of Art
Kaufman Interfaith Institute Interfaith Dialogue
Watch the Kaufman Interfaith Institute’s dialogue The Challenge of Power, Morality and Religion—Jewish/Christian/Muslim from December 5:
- Rabbi Donniel Hartman Does Power Threaten Morality–Jewish Presentation
- Elaine Pagels Does Power Threaten Morality–Christian Presentation
- Mustafa Akyol Does Power Threaten Morality–Muslim Presentation
- Owning Power and its Challenges panel discussion
- Naming the Problem: Religion and Nationalism panel discussion
- And a complete playlist of the Institute’s dialogues over the years here.
Collecting for Books and Bling Sale 💍📚
Friends of the Muskegon Heights Library will host Books and Bling on Saturday, January 18. We need costume jewelry that you can part with, and good quality used books. Please bring these items to the Week 3 @ C3 table for the next two Sundays. Many thanks, Leslie Newman and Char Kole.
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.
Calendar
Sunday, December 29
9 a.m. Pre-Talk
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Patti Baldus
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
- Lead Teacher: Brad Ruggles
- Music: The Rebel Eves
- Meditation: Charity McMaster
11 a.m. Talk Back
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Welcome to the New Year!
Sunday, January 5
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
- Core Teacher: Beth Buelow
- Music: Hannah Laine
- Meditation: Wayne Johnson
11 a.m. Talk Back
Beth Buelow (she/her) has been part of the C3 Community since March 2018 and has loved every minute of it. She’s a business owner; leadership, team, and mentor coach; author, speaker, and mediator, and she has added photographer to the list of ways she wants to be known in the world.
Hannah Laine (she/her) is a musician and vocal empowerment coach from Grand Rapids, best known as the vocalist for the Future-Soul band Earth Radio. She began singing and songwriting at a very young age, and has found refuge in music as a way of healing and processing her life experiences. Skilled in piano, vocal improvisation, beat-making, layering effects, and looping, her abilities to create a soundscape or groovy bop are limitless.
Update copyright © 2024 C3 Spiritual Community. All rights reserved.