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?”
Join us for an inspiring Gathering this week as we proudly celebrate Pride! Prepare to be challenged by our esteemed C3 Teacher, Kent Dobson, as he embarks on a thought-provoking exploration titled “We Have Questions: Are We Separate? Are We One?” We are thrilled to welcome back the talented musician, Emilee Petersmark and we have the honor of having David Dean give the meditation. Don’t miss out on this remarkable Gathering that celebrates diversity, unity, and the power of self-discovery.
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.
Think you might have missed an email? Revisit or catch up on our website > Updates
Need Event Information? Our website has a full event calendar > Upcoming Events
🆕 Last Sunday’s Teaching here. 🆕 Last Sunday’s Meditation here.
🏳️🌈 Grand Haven’s Pride Fest is tomorrow!
The GH Pride Fest is an exciting event that offers a variety of attractions for people of all ages. Located at the Waterfront Stadium area, from noon to 9pm attendees can enjoy captivating shows, indulge in delicious food from food trucks, explore an array of vendors, and sip on refreshing adult beverages. C3 will host the Kids’ Activities near the splash pad from noon to 6 p.m. The area is filled with engaging experiences such as a bounce house, face painting, crafts, yard games, and even a bubble machine!
🆕 Dine with Nine-ty!
Join us this summer for a delightful twist on our beloved Dine with Nine event! We are excited to announce the expansion of this gathering into a “everyone is welcome” community dinner at the picturesque Mulligan’s Hollow Lodge in Grand Haven. Save the date for Saturday, July 15, dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. To let us know what food you’ll bring, kindly utilize the sign-up sheet at the Gathering. Bring your own beverage (alcohol is allowed) and place setting, utensils, and cups (we are being friendly to Mother Earth). For drop-off convenience, you may drive up to the lodge, but all event parking is in the YMCA parking lot. Rain or shine, the event will go on, with ample space indoors and outdoors that is ADA accessible.
Supporting the Billboard Project
If you’ve pledged support for the Billboard Project, we sincerely appreciate your generosity. If you haven’t yet fulfilled your donation, please visit the dedicated table at the Gathering. Our helpful staff will be there to accept your donation in the form of cash, check, or credit card. Thank you for your commitment!
More Auction Kudos
- 🆕 Kathy and Mark Smith write “Thanks to the kindness of Cathy and Bruce Martin. We “won” the bidding for the use of their home for a week. We had a fantastic week, enjoyed time with our son and his family from Aurora CO., did lots of hiking and sightseeing. Their home is beautiful, in a fantastic location and we truly enjoyed our time.”
- 🆕 Tom, Annie, Mark, Kathy, Valerie and Ira wanted to take a moment to express their heartfelt thanks to Corrie and Berend Snoeyer for their wonderful “Taste of Indonesia” auction dinner party. The food, the company, and the ambiance were all truly exceptional. It was an evening to remember!
- Jane Curtis and Bill Haug want to thank John Soukup for the excellent golf lessons that they won at the C3 Auction. “We’re now ready for the tour! Thanks, John!”
Happy Trails!
Andy Cawthon is embarking on a cool fundraising journey for C3! He has pledged to bike 500 miles this summer, self-sponsoring himself at an impressive $1 per mile. This easy, low overhead, and healthy approach will help raise much-needed funds for C3. Andy encourages fellow Community members to join in by making personal pledges or sponsoring others. It’s an “honor system” fundraiser, eliminating the need for accounting. Let’s join Andy and contribute to the C3 cause!
News from the BOT: Team Formed to Fill New Position
At the May 10 Board of Trustees meeting, the Transition Team—Teresa Colbry, Bob Kleinheksel, and Shannon McMaster—presented their recommendations based on answering the question: “What will C3 look like in one year?” The first step they recommend C3 take is to hire an Executive Director. Read more here.
Month Long Pride Focus at our Vigil for Peace and Justice
C3 has welcomed and supported the LGBTQ+ community since the 1990’s. We want to share that support and welcoming message with the greater community though our Vigil for Peace and Justice during June. Join us each Saturday from noon–1 p.m. along Washington Avenue at Central Park in Grand Haven. Why not let your creative juices flow and make a sign promoting justice and equality for all LGBTQ+ folks (folx) and invite friends and family to join in?
Week 3@C3 for June: Kids Food Basket–Muskegon
KFB–Muskegon will receive our support in June. Their wish list is here:
fruit cups or pouches
pudding cups
meat sticks (i.e. Slim Jims, approx. .28 oz sticks)
8-pound or extra-large brown lunch bags
bulk items to make KFB Trail Mix—Cheerios, Pretzels, cheese crackers.
Off-brands are fine! Keep in mind, KFB avoids serving items with peanuts or tree nuts in the ingredient list. Bring items on June 11 and 18.
Sunday Dinner Group
The group will meet on Sunday night at 5:30 p.m. at the Pine Street Café in Ferrysburg. Please sign up before leaving the Gathering!
C3 Book Club and Friends
Our Tuesday, June 20 meeting focuses on Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Meet at The Bookman at 6 p.m. We’re reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman for Tuesday, July 18.
C3 Men’s Group
The C3 Men’s Group meets each Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on Harbor Drive in Grand Haven. Questions? Contact Phil Koster.
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.
On May 23, C3 member Sandy Huber was posthumously awarded the GW Haworth Strength of the Community Award by United Way at “her” White Pines Intermediate School. A Little Free Library was also dedicated there in her name. Add a couple books to the collection and think of Sandy!
Thank You! Your support matters and is greatly appreciated!
It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to produce all the great things that happen at C3. Whether it is our Sunday Gatherings or working within our West Michigan communities, we strive to make a difference, with compassion. Your financial support allows us to continue to learn, teach and live our values to heal and effect change.
Your ongoing support of C3 is greatly appreciated. Online donations can be made here. Automatic donations can be set up by contacting Carol Takas 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.
Momentum Center
- Free Dinner and Movie Night Join the community for free dinner, conversation, and a movie on Friday, June 9, at the Momentum Center in Grand Haven (714 Columbus Avenue). Dinner starts at 5 p.m. (pot luck items or donations welcome, but not required) and the movie begins at 6 p.m. This month’s movie is A Man Called Otto. More here.
- 🆕 Volunteer! We are accomplishing great things within the Tri-Cities area, but we cannot do it without the help of our volunteers. Learn more about volunteer opportunities here.
🆕 CDC Garden Party Social
Join us for a special event! As longtime partners with the Coalition for Community Development (CCD), they are extending an invitation to all our C3 members. You’re invited to the official Volunteer Appreciation Party on Wednesday, June 14, from 4-6pm at the MLKing Garden. Come together for socializing, delicious food provided by Kuntry Cookin’, and a celebration of our dedicated volunteers. All are welcome!
Free Community Picnic
This event on Saturday, June 17, from 2 to 5 p.m. benefits the Ric VanWeelden Music Fund, whose goal is to put instruments into kids’ hands and provide access to music lessons. Check out the details here.
Saturday, June 10
12 p.m. Vigil for Peace and Justice (Washington Avenue at Central Park, GH)
12 p.m.–9 p.m. Grand Haven Pride Festival (Waterfront Stadium, 1 N Harbor Dr, GH)
Sunday, June 11
All events held in the Mackinaw Ballroom in Central Park Place
(421 Columbus Ave., GH)
9 a.m. Pre-Talk and Awakenings
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Patti Baldus
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
- Teacher: Kent Dobson
- Music: Emilee Petersmark
- Meditation: David Dean
11 a.m. Talk Back
5:30 p.m. Dinner Group (Pine Street Café, 401 Pine St, Ferrysburg)
Tuesday, June 13
7 p.m. C3 Men’s Group (American Legion, GH)
Wednesday, June 14
6:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting (C3 Office, 1447 Washington Ave., GH)
Saturday, June 17
12 p.m. Vigil for Peace and Justice (Washington Avenue at Central Park, GH)
Sunday, June 18
All events held in the Mackinaw Ballroom in Central Park Place
(421 Columbus Ave., GH)
9 a.m. Pre-Talk and Awakenings
10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Patti Baldus
10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook
- Teacher: Kent Dobson
- Music: Patty PerShayla
- Meditation: Nelleke Knarr
11 a.m. Talk Back
5:30 p.m. Dinner Group (TBD)
Kent Dobson has been the lead teacher at C3 since 2017. He ’s also in the guide-in-training program at Animas Valley Institute in Colorado, an organization specializing in wilderness intensives. Kent leads Israel study tours, wilderness retreats, and has his own podcast called Hints and Guesses.
Patty PerShayla is a former small-town pageant queen turned rock ’n’ roll powerhouse. Stomping on corner stages across her home state of Michigan, she established herself as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. In 2019, she joined forces with Lucas Powell and Alec Klinefelter to form Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps. After releasing their blues-infused, riff-driven debut album, Cheap Diction (2021), the group road-tested their live set, playing over a hundred shows across the Midwest and East Coast, then packed the van for a move to Nashville.
Thank you for supporting C3!
We would really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to share your experience at C3 by reviewing us on Google. Thank you!
Google requires reviewers to have a Google account. If you don’t have one you can set one up with your current email address, follow instructions here.
C3 Spiritual Community Office
1447 Washington Ave., Grand Haven, MI 49417
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 371, Grand Haven, MI 49417
Becky Park, Office Manager
Office Hours: Wednesday 12:30–2:30 p.m., Friday 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., or by appointment
Automatic donations are handled by Carol Takas at Selby Accounting.
Please direct any questions to Shannon McMaster.
C3 Board of Trustees
Chair: Sally Alderink
Vice-Chair: Teresa Colbry
Secretary: Valerie Engeltjes
Treasurer: Shannon McMaster
Beth Buelow
Andy Cawthon
Kim Crozier
Tom Edwards
Kathy Humphrey
Wayne Johnson
Rod Van Abbema
Newsletter Submissions and Editor: Chrysteen Moelter-Gray.
Newsletter Designer: Annie Wassmann
Copyright © 2023 C3 Spiritual Community. All rights reserved.