St. Andrew’s Anglican
The Feast of St. Francis will be observed when properly restrained critters of all sorts are blessed in the upbeat annual Blessing of the Animals celebration on Saturday, October 3, 11 a.m. in the Garden Columbarium of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church.
A familiar story from the Book of Genesis featured in the Sunday, October 4 worship service sheds light on very basic but important questions: How do I discover who I am? What’s my significance in the world? How can I grow into the person I’m created to be?
“Mirrors to One Another,” the title of Fr. Winston Welty’s sermon, suggests that answers come only in relationships with one another.
Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m., worship at 10 a.m., and refreshments are served in the garden afterwards. Every Sunday, the feeding program supported by St. Andrew’s welcomes donations of non-perishable food items which can be left in baskets by the church doors.
St. Andrew’s is at Calle San Lucas 19, a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar.
Unitarian Universalists
Gerri Schultz’s illustrated presentation to the Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalists on Sunday, October 4 will outline her 2012-2014 Peace Corps service experience and the Peace Corps evacuation from the Ukraine due to political turmoil. Heidi MacLennan will be the leader of the 10:30 a.m. service.
The Unitarian Universalists now has an enhanced personal sound system that is helping those with hearing issues during the services. Attendees can use headphones or ear buds connected to an FM radio or FM capable cell phone to tap into the system.
The local group is an English-speaking, lay-led fellowship that meets every Sunday on the west side of Ajijic in Plaza de la Ribera, Rio Bravo 10A. This is a wheelchair-accessible facility.
Lakeside Presbyterian
Continuing his “What’s Next?” sermon series, Pastor Ross Arnold’s message on Sunday, October 4, 10 a.m. will be “I Was Hungry.”
Using the Gospel of Matthew’s report of Jesus’ telling his followers, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,” Arnold will look at Jesus’ instructions that we are to feed and care for the poor, because in doing so we are actually feeding and caring for Him.
In obedience to these instructions, Lakeside Presbyterian Church is moving to expand its programs of feeding hungry people in our community. This Sunday, more of plans will be revealed, along with the things each in the congregation can do to be involved in the exciting ministry outreach.
Following worship and refreshments, The Pastor’s Forum convenes in the church library. A wide range of subjects is addressed. Attendees are free to ask questions about the sermon, the faith, or any other topic of interest.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is at San Jorge 250 in Riberas del Pilar. Turn toward the lake at Mom’s Restaurant.
Lake Chapala Baptist
“We have now had four ‘blood moons’ beginning and ending on Jewish Holy Days,” comments Brother Bob Hendrick, pastor of Lake Chapala Baptist Church. “Predictions have been made. Books have been sold. Articles have been written. And we are still here. Jesus is coming again according to the New Testament. And He is coming at the appointed time; the time appointed by the Father, not appointed by modern-day prophets and book venders.”
Hendrick answers some of his own questions when he says, “What difference does it make? What needs to be done? What can be done to be ready for Jesus’ return? God has given us the Bible to answer those questions. He has given us the church as a source of teaching and learning, fellowship and encouragement, and service and accountability.”
Hendrick assures readers that they will not learn the day and time of Jesus’ return during the Sunday, October 4, 11 a.m. worship service. He does plan to help those attending to prepare for that time and to learn to live the life God has given to abundance through the fellowship, service, and preaching and teaching of the Bible at Lake Chapala Baptist Church in Riberas del Pilar.
Christ Church
Fr. Danny Borkowski will lead the congregation of Christ Church Episcopal in the Holy Eucharist Rite II at The Little Chapel by the Lake on Sunday, October 4, 9:30 a.m. Borkowski’s message for the service is “Marriage and Divorce,” based on Mark 10: 2-16.
The congregations of Christ Church Episcopal and The Little Chapel share a common coffee fellowship from 10:35 to 11:10 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
There will be a Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October, 3 p.m. in front of The Little Chapel by the Lake.
The Tuesday Bible Study has resumed and the 2 p.m. weekly meetings take place in the Fellowship Hall. The group continues to delve into the Gospel of John.
Little Chapel by the Lake
John Whitener from the Fuego del Cielo Institute will be the guest speaker at the Little Chapel by the Lake’s Sunday, October 4, 11:15 a.m. worship service.
Fuego del Cielo is a Bible Study course that meets to teach classes in the Little Chapel on Mondays and Thursdays.
The congregation’s guest speaker on Sunday, October 11 will be Quy Nguyen, from the popular Ajijic restaurant Chopsticks.
New Hope
Pastor Gene Raymer returns to the pulpit of the newly-formed New Hope Christian Fellowship on Sunday, October 4 to deliver a message he calls “Always.”
“Jesus’ promise to be with us always is comforting and reassuring,” says Raymer, “but it also means that wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, Jesus is there, too.”
The congregation will welcome Tony Rojas back home during the 11 a.m. service. Rojas, a native of San Juan Tecomatlan, works with “Youth With A Mission” in Norway and Jerusalem. The reunion will continue over lunch as members of the congregation reconvene at a local restaurant following the service.
New Hope Christian Fellowship services are held at the home of the pastor at Privada Jesus Garcia 11 in San Antonio Tlayacapan. For more information, call 766-3435.
San Andres English
During the Sunday, October 4, 9 a.m. English Mass at San Andres Parish Church in Ajijic, Fr. Basil G. Royston, D. Min. reflects on “The Family of God,” one of the tenets Pope Francis eloquently shared during his recent trip to the United States.
“We celebrate today belonging together as the Family of God,” says Royston. “Christ has made us his brother and sisters, and children of our heavenly Father. The love and respect we show for each other in this celebration will be largely dependent on the love and respect that exists in our own human family.”
On the first Sunday of every month, parishioners bring non-perishable foods, cleaning products and other household goods needed to stock the pantries for the 30 orphans and those that care for them at La Villa Infantil de Guadalupe y San Jose.
Simchat Torah
The annual Jewish celebration of Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah) commemorates the ending, and the beginning of the year-long cycle which designates the specific portion of the Torah read in each Sabbath morning service. The Torah includes the first five books of what is also known as the Old Testament. On Simchat Torah the last verses of Deuteronomy are read, followed immediately by the first few verses of Genesis as the cycle starts again.
During this celebration, each time the ark is opened, the worshippers rejoice with the Torah scrolls in a celebration of the unending cycle of God’s word. The morning service is characterized by calling each adult member of the congregation for an aliyah, a special honor to chant the prayer before and after the reading of each portion. There is a special aliyah for all the children under the age of 12.
In the Jewish month of Tishrei, Simchat Torah follows the festival of Sukkot which this year occurred on Monday, September 28. Simchat Torah begins at sundown on Monday, October 5 and continues through Tuesday, October 6.
Buddhist Community
Friday, October 2, 6 p.m. through Sunday, October 4, 11 a.m., the Heart of Awareness Community will host a retreat streamed live from the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Sessions will revolve around the topic “Making Friends with Your Mind” with Pema Chodron.
The retreat fee of 350 pesos includes a brunch following the final session on Sunday morning and beverages during the mid-day break on Saturday. For additional information see heartofawareness.org or contact the registrar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
When the Heart of Awareness Community meets on Wednesday, October 7, the Noble Silence begins at 4 p.m., followed by a formal meditation, dharma teachings and discussion at 4:30 p.m. The group will view part one of a video talk: “Buddhism for this One and Only Life,” by Stephen Batchelor, a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer.
Monday, October 5, 3 p.m. is the Dharma Movie Matinee, “Tulku,” a 2009 documentary.
The group meets at Guadalupe Victoria 101, suites A-B, in Ajijic. For further information visit heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert at (376) 766-6069.