Update for Sunday, February 9

Feb 7, 2025 | C3 Updates

This week at C3

After sharing the stage with Shannon McMaster last week for the informative overview of the C3 Strategic Plan and a look forward, Lead Teacher Brad Ruggles gets back in the groove this week with Who Am I? Week 4: Awareness.

Some days, the idea of loving awareness feels nearly impossible—especially when the news is a constant reminder of division, fear, and suffering. Our mind reacts, the ego takes sides, and before we know it, we’re caught in a storm of difficult emotions. Yet awareness itself isn’t swept away by passing emotions; it remains open, steady, and unaffected, like the sky behind the clouds. Ram Dass called it loving awareness—not just being aware, but being awareness, and from that place, meeting all things with love. How might our lives look if we could learn to hold our anger, our grief, and the people we disagree within that spacious awareness?

After a rousing, toe-tapping introduction to Whorled last week, we meet another Michigan musician for the first time, Beth Patterson, who identifies as queer, and whose journey reconciling faith and sexuality is reflected in her music, as well as a movement toward love-centered spirituality. Carolyn Koebel, percussionist and musical therapist, makes another visit to C3 to accompany Beth. Carolyn produced Beth’s newly-released second album, Love Says.

Karri Absenger will lead our meditation.

📍 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 

 🆕  Last Week’s Teaching

    C3 News

    🆕  Have You Read the Strategic Plan?

    If you haven’t already done so, please look for and read both the C3 Strategic Plan and the Survey Results. A February 3 email from Shannon with the heading C3’s 2025, included links to both documents. Look for the email, or click the links in this announcement.

     

    🆕  Soul Box Project Next Sunday

    Val Martin, leader of End Gun Violence Michigan at Church of the Dunes, will lead a Soul Box activity next Sunday, February 16, right after the Gathering (11 a.m. to noon) in the kitchen at Central Park Place. This is an art project to promote awareness of gun violence prevention. You can read more about the Soul Box project here.

      🆕  Mindful Living Practice Begins in March

      Come, explore, and share the contemplative practice of Mindful Living every third Wednesday of the month, starting March 19, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.at Loutit District Library, Program Room A. Have questions? See or email Kerry FitzGerald.

      Charter for Compassion

      Week 3@C3 in February
      The Food Pantry at The People Center will receive our donations in February. Director Karen Reenders notes the pantry has been very busy, seeing an increase in need, which she expects to continue through the winter. Needed items: cereal (both hot and cold), peanut butter, jelly, pancake mix and syrup, pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles, canned fruits (peaches, pears, pineapple, fruit cocktail), applesauce, Hamburger Helper, ramen noodles, box potatoes, tuna. These items can be brought to the Gathering and placed on the Week 3@C3 table on February 9 and 16.

      Outreach

      🆕  Looking for Motivated C3 People to Share Our Values

      As Executive Director Shannon said last week, we are most ourselves, most C3, when we embody ourselves in the community. That’s what C3 Outreach does, by offering a variety of exciting programs and activities through which C3 members demonstrate our values in the broader community. In the next few months, we want to expand the Outreach team and invite new volunteers, too. At an upcoming Gathering, Outreach will share details about C3’s current work in this vital area and specifics on how you can help. In the meantime, if you have questions about being involved in Outreach, speak with Outreach Committee members Rod Van Abbema or Chrys Moelter-Gray. Learn more about Outreach here.

      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.

        • 🆕  Lana Brock was scheduled for tricuspid valve surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit on February 6, but the procedure couldn’t be done because of interference from wires from her pacemaker. The doctor will look for another possibility and surgery will be rescheduled. Lana is doing well, although disappointed for now. Cards of care, concern, and encouragement may be sent to Lana.
        • Carol Schwemin recently had an ablation treatment of her spine and she hopes the procedure provides relief of long-term pain.

      Groups

        • Sunday Night Supper meets at Dr. Rolf’s Barbecue (971 W. Savidge St.) in Spring Lake, 5:30 p.m. this Sunday. Please sign up at the Welcome Table if you intend to come. 
        • C3 Men’s Group meets on Tuesdays 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 Our next meeting is on Tuesday, February 18, 6 p.m. We’ll be at Third Coast Recording (where C3 office is located, 1447 Washington Avenue, GH) to discuss North Woods by Daniel Mason.
        • Women’s Journey Our next meeting is Monday, February 24, at 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman.

      Values in Action

      Secchia Breakfast Lecture: Ethical AI in Business – Challenges, Choices, and Consequences

      Join us on Tuesday, February 18, for an insightful discussion on Ethical AI in Business. Moderated by Keith Brophy, CEO of Mentavi, the panel features Michael DeWilde, Professor of Management and Director of the Koeze Business Ethics Initiative; Tim Gutwald, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Mentavi Health; and Mark Johnson, Co-Founder and Partner of Michigan Software Labs. Together, they will explore the complexities and ethical considerations surrounding AI in the business world. Click here for details.

      Music Events with C3 Connections 🎶

      Community Events for Your Consideration 

      Click on the links for more information.

      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, February 9

      9 a.m. Pre-Talk

      10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Renee Borton

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

        • Lead Teacher: Brad Ruggles
        • Music: Beth Patterson & Carolyn Koebel
        • Meditation: Nelleke Knarr

      11 a.m. Talk Back

       

      Tuesday, February 11

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

       

      Sunday, February 16

      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

        • Core Teacher: Michael DeWilde
        • Music: Josh Rose
        • Meditation: Karri Absenger

      11 a.m. Talk Back

      Michael DeWilde (he/him), a core Guest Teacher at C3, is the director of the Koeze Business Ethics Initiative in the Seidman College of Business, as well as a full professor in the Management Department at GVSU. He holds an MTS from Harvard University and did his undergraduate work at William James College (GVSU).

      Josh Rose (he/him), teacher and song craftsman, has spent the past ten years touring the Midwest, teaching, writing, and creating a rich body of work. He is the type of writer who labors over every word and wants his song to be injected into the listener’s permanent being. His works are plucked from the air, like lightning bugs destined for an old Mason jar, polished like the ancient stones in the Flat River.

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