Lakeside Presbyterian
Sunday, February 18, Pastor Ross Arnold continues his sermon series with the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15.
It’s the story of a young man who squanders everything, then turns humbly back to his father, who accepts him unconditionally. Have you ever been there? Have you made terrible mistakes, committed sins, and then hoped you could be forgiven and accepted despite your actions? In this sermon, we will consider how this parable is a vivid picture of our lives and our relationship with God.
Adult Sunday school at is at 8:30 a.m.. This is also Communion Sunday, which is open to all baptized Christians. At 11:30 a.m., the weekly creative forum will be held during which attendees can discuss any topic, from the current sermon to what Lakeside Presbyterian is all about.
Wednesday, a men’s luncheon will begin at 11:30. This is a change from the usual breakfast meeting. We hope that more men will be out of bed and able to attend. Adult Bible study in the library is at Friday, 9:45 a.m. The community is invited to participate in all these events.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is located at San Jorge 250 in Riberas del Pilar. English-language services begin each Sunday, 10 a.m. and Spanish-language services are 9 a.m. and noon. Everyone is welcome.
Abundant Life Church
Invited guest speaker evangelist Helen Trowbridge will be speaking Sunday, February 18, in both English and Spanish services. Helen and her husband, Mike, currently base their ministry out of Tucson, Arizona. Trowbridge Ministries is dedicated to sharing the truths of God’s word to His people. Helen walks in the gifts of exhortation, words of knowledge and prophecy. Come with expectation in your heart for what the Spirit of the Lord has waiting for us. Invite your friends.
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.
The church is located at Carretera Chapala-Jocotepec 140, San Antonio Tlayacapan, a block from Super Lake. For more information, call 331-417-7038 (cel).
Unitarian Universalists
Sunday, February 18, Rev. Matt Alspaugh discusses “Sex, Death, and the Evolution of Life.” Susan Reynolds is the service leader.
This is the week of Valentine’s Day. It is also Evolution Weekend. We pair these topics to explore the role of sex and death in the evolution of life in our world. We’ll also explore what sex and death means to us, we who are the products of evolution.
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 (376) 766-1458.
Christ Church Episcopal
Christ Church Episcopal, a mission of the Diocese of the West in the Anglican Church of Mexico, will observe the first Sunday of Lent, February 18, with the Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m. in the Little Chapel by the Lake. Vicar Danny Borkowski will preside and give a message titled “Good News,” based on Mark 1:9-15.
The Lunch Bunch will meet at 11 a.m. in Gosha’s Restaurant, (376) 766-2121, located at Carretera Oriente 24 in Ajijic.
The Bible Study will meet Tuesday, February 20, 2 p.m. in the fellowship hall. All are welcome to learn about the book of James.
The Little Chapel by the Lake is located at Carretera 10, in Chula Vista.
Little Chapel by the Lake
“February is the Month of Love,” says Pastor Ken. “ Sunday February 18, we’ll talk about the ways we express our love to those close to us and everyone around us, in our conversation about ‘Love Language,’ drawn from Proverbs 18 and other passages.” Little Chapel will also be introducing the Little Chapel Players in their first appearance: a three-minute sketch on the art of communication, called “Menu Please!”
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.
Little Chapel is a dog-friendly congregation, to allow for those who need to keep their fur friends close. For a copy of their Canine Etiquette, email Little Chapel 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..
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St. Andrew’s Anglican
Sunday, 18 February, the first Sunday in Lent, the Gospel is always one of the accounts of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness. We often hear about sin and what it is, sometimes defined rather tritely as doing something wrong. But sin is much deeper than that. As the 6th century Church historian Evagrius Scholasticus suggested, perhaps — at its core — “sin is the forgetfulness of God’s goodness.”
St. Andrew’s service of Holy Eucharist begins Sunday, 10 a.m. and bilingual Sunday School starts at 9:45 a.m. Coffee hour, a time of fellowship and welcome, follows the service.
All are welcome to hear a talk on “Death and Dying,” from Loretta Downs, an end-of-life practitioner who holds a Master’s Degree in Gerontology, Saturday, March 3, 10:30 a.m. at St. Andrews. Downs believes there is bliss to be found at life’s end. She will offer useful information to guide us to achieve the goal of dying well. Attendees are please asked to register 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..
Every Sunday, the feeding program supported by St. Andrew’s welcomes 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.
Every donation or consignment you make to Todo Bueno resale shop benefits the Outreach Ministry of St. Andrew’s, which financially supports many Lakeside charities. Todo Bueno is located on the highway, next to S&S Auto in Riberas de Pilar, and is open from 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.
Lake Chapala Baptist
Says Brother Bob Hendrick: “A story is told of missionaries trying to communicate the idea of ‘joy’ to an indigenous group in Northern Alaska. They could not find a word in the local language that described the delight that the English word ‘joy’ communicates. So they looked for a delightful experience in the life of their audience. Seeing that at feeding time, the dogs would leap and wag their tails and yelp joyfully, which normally made those feeding them smile as well (so the story goes), the English equivalent of the Bible used to share the gospel with the natives read, ‘After the resurrection, when the disciples saw Jesus, they wagged their tails with delight.’ It is not a statement of doctrine or practice. It is a story used for an illustration of God meeting people where they are, to communicate His love.
“NOTE: Online I found the Inuit word for joy is ‘kuviasungnerk,’ the etymology of which, if the story refers to the Intuit people, might have to do with wagging tails…or not. Either way, there is joy in knowing the living Christ personally.”
Sunday, February 18, 11 a.m., Brother Bob will give the sermon at the worship service of the Lake Chapala Baptist Church, located at Santa Margarita 147, Riberas del Pilar.
San Andres English
“At the beginning of Lent, we renew our response to the Covenant, the pact of love that God made with each of us at our baptism. Imagine what good news it must have been to Noah, alone in a drowned world, when he learned that God’s love had not abandoned, nor ever would abandon, the earth and its creatures.’”
So says Fr. Basil G. Royston, D. Min., who will offer the homily “The Good News of the Covenant” at San Andres Catholic Church’s English-language service Sunday, February 18, 9 a.m.
San Andres is located at the corner of Ramon Corona and Parroquia, one block from the Ajijic main plaza.
Jewish Congregation
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.
Home Church Int’l
Did you ever hear, “Really, I’m so good”? I guess by the world’s terms he/she could possibly be a fairly moral and accountable person. Or, it could be just an inflated ego, someone who measures themselves against many others. Even we might guess that, yes, he/she is a good person.
Yet, we sense a little discomfort when someone seems so wrapped up in themselves. We might think a good person is something like a priest or pastor, though we’re hearing lately about many cases where clergymen are getting caught in immoral acts. In scripture, we recall in Luke 18 where a ruler asked Jesus, calling Him good master, about eternal life. Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Most of us mused about this, thinking, “why this reply from the sinless Jesus Christ?” He was always focused on the truth of His Father who is the one true living God. Pastors Paul and Susana Allen affirm that life is all about Him, not about us. Let’s confess: where is our focus? For more, contact the pastors at (332)242-8648, or by email 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..