Lakeside Presbyterian
The busy month of December is packed full of outreach to the lakeside community. Flu shots for children under five and adults over 60 will be given at the church, Saturday, December 9, noon to 3 p.m.
This is open to everyone in the community who meets the above limitations. Sunday, December 10, immediately after the 10 a.m. English-language service, a Mexican Fiesta meal prepared by the Spanish-language congregation is offered to the public. Come and enjoy an uplifting message and stay for the luncheon.
Be sure to mark your calendar for the Spanish congregation’s “Tour of Love and Hope” Saturday, December 16, 1-4 p.m. in front of the church, and then stay for the Lake Chapala Chorale celebration of its successful first year with “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” a nostalgic Norman Rockwell-esque program with about half choral songs and half solos and duets. The concert is free, but they will be accepting donations in support of their efforts.
The church is located at San Jorge 250 in Riberas del Pilar. Turn toward the lake at Mom’s Restaurant and it is two blocks down on the right. English-language services begin each Sunday, 10 a.m. and Spanish-language services are 9 a.m. and noon. Everyone is welcome.
Lake Chapala Baptist
The Lake Chapala Baptist Church will hold its annual Christmas Extravaganza and Souper Supper at the church, Sunday, December 10, 6:30 p.m. Music, dancing, drama and fun will be followed by the annual soup supper – free for all, and all are welcome. For more information, call 765-2925.
Says Brother Bob Hendrick: “Although there are zillions of music books in our house, I feel Christmas music should come from inside, not from a page of notations. So, when I wax musical I prefer to play by ear. However, the wife of my youth has perfect pitch (that is not a baseball term). And, I do not bring her cheer when I play the violin in a key that is known only to me. So if I am going to fiddle more than a few notes, I often put an earphone in and turn on a drone of the key of my song. That one continuous correct note in my ear lets me know when I play a note that is not in that key or not even on a musical scale. Notes in tune do not clash. They mesh. Listening to one correct tone can keep a musician (even of the shade-tree variety) on key. The Bible says that the way to keep a life on track is to take heed / listen to the Word of God. When my way clashes with God’s way, I need to make adjustment.”
Sunday, December 10, 11 a.m., Brother Hendrick will give the sermon at the worship service of the Lake Chapala Baptist Church, located at Santa Margarita 147, Riberas del Pilar.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
Sunday, December 10 is the second Sunday of Advent. Mother Spangler says that we will hear a magnificent passage from the prophet Isaiah. In other Advents, we hear about the Peaceable Kingdom, or how swords will be beaten into plowshares, or how sorrow and sighing shall flee away. This Sunday, she says, we hear words of comfort to Jerusalem. It’s a world promised to us and, as the writer Frederick Buechner has suggested, sometimes we are given glimpses of the way life was created to be – the shared joy of all creation – and we become homesick for the Kingdom of God.
The service of Holy Eucharist begins 10 a.m., and the bilingual children’s Sunday School starts at 9:45 a.m. Coffee hour, a time of fellowship and welcome, follows the service.
The monthly breakfast hosted by The Company of Gentlemen will be held in the St. Andrew’s kitchen Wednesday, December 13, 8:30 a.m.
Every Sunday, the feeding programs supported by St. Andrew’s welcome donations of non-perishable food items. Boxed milk and empty cardboard egg cartons are especially welcome, in addition to rice, beans, pasta, oil and salt.
Decluttering? Clearing out your closet? If you are, please don’t forget Todo Bueno resale shop. Every donation or consignment you make benefits the Outreach Ministry of St. Andrew’s. Be it clothing, kitchenware, electronics, bric-a-brac, furniture, appliances, books, collectables, sports equipment, etc., bringing it to Todo Bueno enables the parish to financially support a number of charities around Lakeside. Todo Bueno, located on the highway, next to S&S Auto in Riberas de Pilar, is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, except Sunday.
St. Andrew’s is located at Calle San Lucas 19, a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar.
Little Chapel by the Lake
“Like the little drummer boy in the song,” says Pastor Ken Armstrong, “we have little to offer the Christ child. What can we bring for Him that would be worthy to lay before the King?”
That’s the topic of Pastor Ken’s conversation, “Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum,” at Little Chapel on Sunday, December 10. It’s drawn from Matthew 2 and Romans 12.
Non-denominational Christian, English-language Sunday worship service is at 11 a.m. Everyone is invited to stay for a friendly comida (church meal) after the service.
For more information, see the display ad in this section.
Abundant Life Church
Says Pastor Gary Neighbor: “Changed. That is the word that describes those that have come to know Jesus Christ. From the moment of his birth, Jesus has been changing people. Some wanted to be changed while others did not know what to expect, but the truth is that each one of those involved in the Christmas story teach us a lesson on change. We invite you to join us this Sunday, December 10, to see how naturally Jesus changed those around him and then to discover that Jesus is changing us as well.”
Abundant Life Church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God of Mexico and has services for everyone. An English-language worship service is held each Sunday, 10 a.m. and Bible Study Wednesday, 3 p.m. Spanish-language services are Sunday at noon. Spanish-language Bible studies are Wednesday, 6:45 p.m. A children’s ministry is held Saturday, noon, and youth meet Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
Abundant Life Church is located at Carretera Chapala-Jocotepec 140, San Antonio Tlayacapan, a block from Super Lake. For more information, call 331-417-7038 (cel).
Christ Church Episcopal
Christ Church Episcopal, a mission of the Diocese of the West in the Anglican Church of Mexico, will observe the second Sunday of Advent, December 10, with Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m. in the Little Chapel by the Lake.
Vicar Danny Borkowski will preside, and Rev. Jim Sheets will give a message based on Mark 1:1-8, “... people from the countryside and Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him ...” (Mk 1:5) Why did they go?
The Lunch Bunch will meet at Tony’s Campestre Restaurant on the road to Mezcala, just past Vista del Lago at 11:30 a.m. The Bible Study will meet Tuesday, December 12, 2 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall of the Little Chapel, where they will continue their exploration of Paul’s letters in chronological order. All are welcome.
Unitarian Universalists
“Living in Times of Darkness” is the subject of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Service on December 10, presented by Rev. Matt Alspaugh with assistance from Joan Jaquish. “As we come into the time of darkness, of waiting, of solstice, we explore how the Christian tradition deals with darkness, obscurity, and uncertainty. Does the darkness have something to offer us?”
The Unitarians meet 10:30 a.m. at Hidalgo 261 in Riberas del Pilar, opposite the bell tower, on the north side of the Carretera. Questions? Call Fred at 766-1458.
Jewish Congregation
The Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation invites everyone to a Chanukah Party, Tuesday, December 12, 3 p.m. at Sta. Margarita 113 in Riberas del Pilar. The cost for non-members is 200 pesos for holiday food and fun. RSVP: (376) 106-1199.
Shabbat Torah services are held the first and third Saturday of the month, 10 a.m., and Shabbat evening services and potluck every second and fourth Friday, 6 p.m. at the Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation.
The synagogue is located at Sta. Margarita 113, Riberas del Pilar (mountainside of the Carretera, diagonally across from Mom’s Restaurant). Call (376) 766-2668 or go to lakechapalajewishcongregation.com.
San Andres English
“Today we celebrate the good news of God’s incredible love for all God’s people. Every messenger of this good news says the same thing: God is coming to save you; God will make all things new; prepare a way for God; take God into your heart.”
So says Fr. Basil G. Royston, D. Min., who will offer the homily “The Good News,” at San Andres Catholic Church’s English-language service on Sunday, December 10, 9 a.m.
After Mass, the San Andres English congregation will have a “Second Sunday White Envelope Offering” for the Outreach Projects of their congregation. This offering supports many local charities: six student scholarships, Villa Infantil, Operation Feed, Cruz Roja, Niños Incapacitados, El Corazon del Ancianos, the Ancianos Christmas Dinner, the San Andrés fiesta, Niños y Jovenes, and scholarships for local Seminarian students.
San Andres is located at the corner of Ramon Corona and Parroquia, one block from the Ajijic main plaza.
Home Church Int’l
As children, we learned a little poem using hand gestures which ended, “Here’s the church, and here’s the steeple, open the door, and where’s all the people?” This might be said of many churches today, considering the masses seen nearby. Is it a problem of the structure? It might be for some who are hardened against things of faith. But, probably the real issue is the foundation of faith which is taught there and its stance against godlessness. They will say, “I don’t need this” or “They’re no better than me.” They watch a church-goer and see that his language and/or lifestyle shows compromise, and they mutter, “They’re no different than us.” Oops! This is the challenge to the professing Christian. This is to say nothing of those persons who have adopted counterfeit religious efforts, isms which reveal they are very self-serving, or entirely legalistic.
We are what we believe. If we limit ourselves to a secular way of life, then missing the boat can be laid at the feet of no one else. Pastors Paul and Susana Allen stress that our Creator and Sustainer God has revealed Himself fully, and made the call. To equip yourself more, contact the pastors at (332) 242-8648, or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..