Update for May 7, 2023

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?”

There’s a special treat in store for us at this week’s Gathering: new music by Folias Duo and a teaching from Carmen Maret, flutist for the Folias Duo and instructor at Aquinas College and Grand Rapids Community College. We are grateful to Carmen for taking on double duty this week—and at short notice! Our meditation this week comes from Margaret Willey.

All Sunday-morning C3 events take place in the Mackinaw Ballroom at Central Park Place. Pre-Talk and Awakenings start at 9 a.m. The Gathering begins at 10 a.m.; Small Bites and Talk Back follow the Gathering. C3 Kids meet at 10 a.m. in the C3 Kids’ area in the Mackinaw Room. If you aren’t able to join us in person, you can watch the Gathering online on C3’s Facebook page.

Sunday Gathering Information here. Additional Resources here. 
Think you might have missed an email? Revisit or catch up on our website > Updates

🆕  Last Sunday’s Teaching here.  🆕  Kent Dobson’s Meditation here.

🆕  May 14 Social Event!

Make plans now to join everyone at Central Park Place’s lower level at 6 p.m. on May 14!  All three ingredients of a great time are included: wonderful people, fun music (by Funky Brewster, no less!), and delicious food. To keep everything simple, please bring appetizers or something sweet to share, if you’re able. Think: finger foods! BYOB, too! Kent will say a few words, and the evening’s emphasis will be on enjoying the C3 Community.

🆕  Good News—and a Survey!

Our members with mobility issues were able to use the downstairs entrance and the elevator last week without issue, so feel free to park on the north side of Central Park Place if you need handicap parking and access. Our Welcome Host will continue to be available at the front door to help also.

     The discussion at our Community Talk Back on April 23 provided valuable feedback for the liaison team for their meeting with the city. You should have received the Gathering Space Survey from the liaison team in your email inbox earlier this week. Every member’s input is valuable, so please take time to respond before Tuesday, May 9, so that the information is available for the Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, May 10. 

     Our community conversation will continue. Please share any urgent concerns with our liaisons Teresa Colbry or Kim Crozier (not directly with Life Church members).

🆕  List of C3 “Longhaulers”

Earlier this year, Ellie Williams asked long-time C3 members to identify themselves, and during last week’s Gathering, the list of those members who responded and acknowledged how long they have been affiliated with C3 (or its predecessors) was distributed. That list is also available here. Please let Ellie know if you should be added to this list, and include the year your affiliation with C3 began.

C3 Kids and Noise

All of our Sunday morning activities, including Awakenings, take place in the Mackinaw Ballroom. Our C3 Kids occupy the space in the Mackinaw Room that has been partitioned off, and sometimes we will hear their voices. Let’s welcome that indication of their presence with us and let it be part of our meditation. Note: Due to noise outside the Mackinaw Room, if you must leave during the Gathering, exit through the door to the kitchen, and please refrain from exiting during the Meditation and Moment of Silence.

Week 3@C3

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our April collection of Hygiene Kits for refugees. 47 kits along with an extra 27 bars of Dial soap and 242 toothbrushes will soon be delivered to MCC headquarters in Goshen, Indiana as part of their distributing for world relief. 

     In May, we will be honoring the women and their children housed at the Residential Crisis Center at Every Woman’s Place in Muskegon. Please bring kitchen and bathroom cleaning supplies—liquids, powders, bars, sprays. Paper items are NOT needed. Please consider ecologically-friendly items. And since Mother’s Day falls in May, please come with at least one package or box of individually-wrapped sweets or otherwise tasty treats or snacks—something that would be considered special and thoughtful for these moms and kids. Collection dates are May 7, 14, and 21.

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.

🆕  Bill Klouw thanks the C3 Community for the large outpouring of kind thoughts, words, and cards in memory of Kathy Klouw. 

🆕  Pam Park is looking for recommendations for someone to do light housekeeping once every two weeks. She would prefer a one or two-person service to a large cleaning company. Text her at 616-834-7461 with suggestions.

Jeanne Shell wrote:  A huge and sincere thank you for all the cards, calls, thoughts and prayers that you extended my way during this very difficult event in my life. I’m still in the process of recovery but will be back in Michigan around the first of May to finish up that process with family around.

🆕  Grand Haven Parks Clean-Up Blitz Next Saturday!
Join us on Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to noon for our C3-sponsored Grand Haven Parks Clean-Up Blitz. Meet at 10 a.m. at East Grand River Park parking lot (far eastern end of Franklin Avenue). We cleaned up the highway, now let’s do the same for some of our local parks! Sign up with Charlotte Rozich at the Outreach Table this morning.

🆕  C3 at the Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration

C3 folks were out in force at the Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration last Saturday! Several members of the team that plans and organizes the celebration are C3ers; there were several C3 members who joined the Green March; C3 had two tables at the Earth Day Fair—one for kids to plant sunflower seeds, and one to talk with visitors about C3. Our value of Environmental Sustainability is important to us! Thank you to all who worked on the celebration, attended and supported this event!