Home to the world’s largest expatriate community, the Ribera de Chapala offered the perfect setting for U.S. citizens and international friends to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence together.

Lake Chapala Baptist

In the Psalms, prayer rises like breath from the depths of the human soul—sometimes a cry, sometimes a song, always reaching toward God. Joy and sorrow share the same tongue here; fear is not hidden, and praise is not forced. The heart speaks plainly: “Hear me, Lord,” “I trust in You,” “Why have You forsaken me?” Yet every lament leans toward hope, and every valley bends toward light. These prayers become a bridge between earth and heaven, where brokenness is not silenced but offered, and every word becomes worship in the presence of the living God.

Unity Ajijic

Rev. Laura Barrett Bennett is Unity Ajijic’s minister-in-residence for  July.  Descending from a family of ministers, artists, and musicians, she is the third generation to dedicate her life to ministry.  Laura currently serves at Unity of the Heartmind Ministry in Overland Park, Kansas.

In her book “As a Jew,” Sarah Hurwitz speaks of “thin spaces”—places where life and death feel close, like hospitals, hospices, and funerals—uncomfortable for many, yet for Jews, we are commanded to enter these spaces. Through visiting the sick, sitting shiva, and participating in a Chevra Kadisha, we fulfill a sacred commandment, guided by ancient traditions.

The Lake Chapala Society’s Reaching Out Program offers friendly, regular check-ins for Lakeside residents who may be homebound, recovering from illness, or simply feeling isolated. 

San Judas Tadeo Catholic Church GDL

English Mass, Sundays, 10 a.m. Paseo de los Filosofos 1426, Colonia Colinas de la Normal, 44270, Guadalajara.