Just over a year ago, Dr. Wayne Cook and Dr. Ted Rogers began planning a church on the west side of Ajijic. United in vision, they wanted to start a church that would reach out to the community and meet the needs of locals both in word and deed.
When asked about the challenges of starting a new church, Cook explained that finding the right location, securing a talented musician with a heart for God, and gathering all the necessary tools were the biggest initial hurdles. Both Cook and Rogers anticipated at least two months of preparation before the church could open its doors.
Instead, everything fell into place almost immediately, and in less than two weeks, Common Ground Fellowship was born.
Cook and Rogers serve as co-pastors of Common Ground Fellowship and say they enjoy working together, as their gifts and strengths complement one another.
Living out their mission of loving the Lakeside community in both word and deed, Common Ground Fellowship was, within just two months, providing food for more than 4,000 meals each month to those in need. More recently, a group of local doctors, recognizing the church’s distribution network, donated a significant amount of pharmaceuticals to be distributed free of charge, under the supervision of volunteer physicians.
When asked what excites him most about the new church, Rogers responded: “We now have, regularly, people from four countries, three races, and two languages not only worshiping together, but serving together.”
Looking ahead, both Cook and Rogers are eager to expand their discipleship ministry, which already includes participants in Mexico, the United States and Cuba, and to continue building strategic alliances across borders.
Common Ground Fellowship will celebrate its first anniversary with a special service on Sunday, September 14.
The church meets every Sunday at 11 a.m. at Latitude Margaritaville, Carretera Jocotepec–Chapala 961 in West Ajijic. For more information, call Rogers at +1-720-207-8736.