Remember back in the “old country” when about this time of year the chamber of commerce or some other civic-minded group would organize a “Clean-up, Fix-up, Paint-up” campaign to beautify the community?
It looks as if one area neighborhood beat the rest of our communities to the draw, and it started with just one good idea.
When a couple purchased a home on Calle Zaragoza they decided to do something instead of complaining about the lack of curb appeal on their street. Over the next few months they furnished seed money to repair the plaster on some of the neighborhood homes and to purchase buckets of colorful paint. Other happy homeowners pitched in to repaint their homes and those of elderly neighbors in a variety of vivid tones and hues. Next the idea people arranged for an artist friend to add a distinct detail to the front of each house.
Do yourself a favor and enjoy the cheerful result of this cleaned, fixed, and painted up block. How to get there: In Ajijic, Go one block south of the Carretera at the intersection with Galeana (the Oxxo). Turn west at the first corner onto Zaragoza and enjoy the whimsy all the way to Colón.
Already the color is spreading into adjoining neighborhoods. Think of what could be done with the façade of your own home, and others on your street if you created your own block of joyful images. Ahhh, just imagine the magical villages that would be created when this concept spreads across town and around the lake!
Non Life Masters Bridge
Members of the Lake Chapala Duplicate Bridge Club are geared up and ready to host 40-50 players during the Fifth Annual Spring Fling Non Life Masters Sectional play from Friday, March 21 through Sunday, March 23.
A goal of all duplicate bridge players is to accumulate the needed 50 silver points to earn the Life Master Award. These points are only awarded at sectional tournaments. Until five years ago, players living in Mexico could only earn those valuable points at the December San Miguel de Allende sectional or the Ajijic February event. By comparison, north of the border there are sectional tournaments nearly every weekend through the year.
About five years ago additional opportunities to help people with this requirement became available in Non Life Master Sectionals. The only participants in Non Life events are players who are working toward the necessary 50 silver points, creating a much smaller group of competitors. For example, Ajijic’s Full Life Master tournament in February saw 120 players at each game.
The Spring Fling Sectional will likely see locals playing alongside those from San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Vallarta, and Guadalajara.
TED Seminars
The noon to 1:15 p.m. Lake Chapala Society (LCS) seminar (available for LCS members) on Tuesday, March 25, will be chaired by Ron Mullenaux. This week’s talk features (via TED Internet podcast): Richard Wilkinson’s discussion “How Economic Inequality Harms Societies.” He reveals that most instinctively feel that societies with huge income gaps are somehow going wrong. Wilkinson charts the hard data on this economic inequality, to demonstrate how conditions worsen when rich and poor are farther apart and the real effects on health, lifespan, and even basic values such as trust.
Following at 2 p.m. is a second lecture, “Why Good People Do Bad Things” by Fred Harland who examines insights from a number of disciplines – history, psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary biology. The lecture concludes by exploring what individuals and society can do to improve behavior.
Toastmasters Club
Visitors and Toastmasters Club members from other locations are invited to attend Lakeside’s bilingual Toastmasters Club. Meetings alternate between Spanish and English. Meetings are held at Loyala Institute of Chapala at Allen Lloyd 151, San Antonio Tlayacapan. The school is next to the Lakeside Little Theater.
For meeting days and times call Tim Schubert at (376) 766-0920 or Maureen Jones at (376) 766-2338, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Visit www.toastmasters.org for more information.
Color Ajijic
Visitors, expats and locals jammed the Ajijic plaza on Sunday, March 16. The town square was bursting with creative activities including an art show and auction, individual artisan stalls and activities. Nearly 100 adults and children settled down at the Color Ajijic tables. Color Ajijic, Diane Pearl’s newest attempt to bring members of our distinctly diverse cultures together, offered participants a break as they concentrated on coloring the free artistic designs. By mid afternoon Pearl (assisting the children above) was beaming as she said, “I keep thinking that creative interaction begets integration and that allows us to grasp insights that foster true understanding and enjoyment.”
Rock n’ Blues Gala Dinner
It takes a lot of money to keep area children and young people in school. That’s why the volunteers of Niños de Chapala and Ajijic, which helps with school expenses for 250 kids from primary through university, are hosting a Rock n’ Blues Gala Dinner on Saturday, March 29.
Headlining the entertainment portion of the evening will be a popular local group, Mike and the Suspects, who play at Adelita’s in San Antonio Tlayacapan to sold-out Friday crowds. Guests will enjoy an afternoon and evening of gourmet food and dancing at the recently refurbished Hotel Montecarlo in Chapala.
You can’t go wrong with an event featuring great music, lovely location, a menu that includes chicken, vegetarian lasagna and a Surf ‘n Turf (filet mignon stuffed with shrimp), ample well-lit parking, a 50/50 raffle, a 4 p.m. start time, and that rare commodity -- wheelchair access.
Tickets are 350 pesos each, and available at Los Niños Bazar in Riberas del Pilar, across from the 7/11 or from Doug (33) 1069-0084, Nancy (376) 766-0848, Shannon (387) 763-5145 or Amy (376) 765-5454.
Center for Spiritual Living
The 5 p.m. celebration service topic on Friday, March 28, is “Loving Yourself,” a reminder that unconditional love begins with individuals. A social hour follows.
The series of meetings based on Practicing Compassionate Communication continues from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays through April 16. This is a way to learn to have satisfactory conversations with friends, partners and family in a mindful and empathetic way – even with the more difficult people encountered.
The Thursday discussion group is sharing the book, “A Thousand Names for Joy” by Byron Katie. The program begins with an optional meditation from 10 to 10:20 a.m. followed by the group from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
An upcoming course, Building Healthy Relationships: how to grow in relationships and have fun and playful connections with each other, and apply practical approaches to relationship problems. Co-leaders Tim and Arlene Schubert create a non-judgmental space for class exploration. Meetings are from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays from April 8 through May 27 For information and to register email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Spanish Language Group is discussing “The Ten Concepts of Science of Mind” from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays at 16 de Septiembre.
All other activities at Nicolas Bravo 17 in Ajijic. For additional information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (376) 766-0920 or check the website: www.cslchapala.com.
Jewish Congregation
The Passover Seder planned by the Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation is scheduled for April 14 at Roberto’s Restaurant. For information, reservations and tickets, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Chapala Chavurah
A new virtual Community Passover Shop has opened just in time for area residents to order and obtain non-perishable traditional foods for Passover from the largest Kosher distributor in Mexico City. Passover begins on April 14, with the First Seder held that evening.
Among the Kosher for Passover foods available are matzo, gefilte fish, baking mixes, candies, etc. Obtain full details about the Chavurah Chapala Community Passover Shop and an order form by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website, chavurahchapala.org.
Orders are being taken by Chavurah Chapala members at Black Coffee Gallery on the corner of the carretera and the libramiento, on Monday, March 24, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.; Tuesday, March 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, March 27, from noon to 2 p.m.; or by appointment. No orders will be accepted after the March 27, 2 p.m. cutoff time. The orders will be picked up from a central Ajijic location on or before April 9.
Chavurah Chapala does not make any money from this community service. The prices represent the actual amount paid in the stores plus a small addition for shipping.
Open Circle
During the Sunday, March 23 meeting, speaker Dr. Todd Stong will discuss the condition of Lake Chapala, the progress of the aquaculture projects, lakeside community developments, construction of a bio-based wastewater treatment system, ideas and plans for an irrigation dam for an eco-village, windmill/dam water supply for the Huichols, and agricultural ideas related to high valued foods for income crops, the encouragement of the optimal allocation water to the 20 million people in the Lerma River basin, and the urgency to locate weak sections in the pipeline from the lake that supplies water to three million people in Guadalajara.
For 12 years Dr. Stong has tested the quality of the water of Lake Chapala and is working to solve infrastructure needs in 42 villages around the lake. He worked 17 years in Africa, Asia and Latin America as a volunteer engineer with a focus on rural water supplies after nearly 40 years as a U.S. civil engineer, dividing his time between overseas construction and directing U.S. research laboratories and programs.
The Sunday meetings of Open Circle begin each week at 10 a.m. with a social time over coffee, tea, and sandwich bites followed by the presentation at 10:30 a.m. Meetings are held in the rear patio of the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic.
Christ Church Lakeside
Christ Church Lakeside will observe the Third Sunday in Lent by celebrating the Holy Eucharist, Rite II, at 9:30 a.m. in The Little Chapel by the Lake, Carretera 10 at Chula Vista. Deacon Rob Wells’ message is “Come to the Well,” based on John 4:5-42. The congregations of Christ Church and The Little Chapel by the Lake share joint fellowship between their two services from about 10:35 until 11:10 a.m.
Sunday, March 30, Christ Church will pack up “The Church in a Box” and take a Moveable Feast to La Sagrada Familia Mission in Mazamitla. Those who can take their vehicles are greatly appreciated; the fleet of vehicles will leave the Ajijic Farmacia Guadalajara at 9:15 a.m. Food that goes well with fried chicken would be great. All are welcome. Those who wish to attend can email Kay Borkowski at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (376) 766-2495 by Thursday, March 27, so transportation can be arranged.
Rev. Wells continues to lead the 10 a.m. Tuesday Bible Study in the examination of the Gospel according to Matthew. He uses The Jerusalem Bible as his source text.
The 4 p.m. Wednesday movie in the sanctuary will be “Soul Surfer.”
Unitarian Universalists
Dr. Daniel O’Connell, Senior Minister of the First UU Church of Houston will present a message entitled, “Answering the Call.” In youth, again in mid-life, and maybe at other times people ask basic questions: What is my purpose in life? How do I know?
O’Connell reviews the way ministers talk about the idea of a “call” as in, what is your “calling” in life? And he will ask those present, “Who are you called to be? “ A coffee hour will follow.
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets 10:30 a.m.Sundays at Plaza de la Ribera (formerly Sol y Luna), Rio Bravo 10A. For more information, call 766-1458 or 765-7231.
San Andrés English
In addition to the regular 9 a.m. Sunday Mass for the English-speaking members of the congregation of Ajijic’s Templo de San Andrés, Rev. Basil Royston is celebrating a special Lenten Mass each Wednesday at noon for the congregation.
Following the mid-week service, Royston is heading a study group which is currently exploring, “The Bible for Modern Catholics.” For more information, call the congregation’s administrator Trish Conner at (376) 766-5233.
Lakeside Presbyterian
Rev. Ross Arnold concludes his series of sermons based on the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday, March 23. After reflecting on various aspects of Christianity’s most-beloved prayer, Ross’ last sermon looks at the phrase, “To God be the Glory,” based on the text “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
Sunday worship at the Lakeside Presbyterian Church begins at 10 a.m. with a time for refreshments and fellowship following the service.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is in Riberas del Pilar, on the mountain side of the carretera, between S&S Auto and Vigolari, marked by LPC’s sign “You have family at Lakeside!”
St. Andrew’s Anglican
If you go by what you read in the Bible, searching for God is a real waste of time. People who had a close encounter with God weren’t looking for it, expecting it, or even wanting it, yet God came to them unpredictably, inviting them to see the purpose of their lives differently, and to recognize God’s presence in unexpected ways and places. Sunday, March 23, in connection with Jesus’ chance meeting with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, Rev. Winston Welty’s sermon asks, “It Can’t Be, Can It?” A time for refreshment, welcome and fellowship separates the 9 and 11 a.m.worship services.
The seven-part LentenBible Study continues at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the old office building with the fourth session of “A Fresh Look at the Lord’s Prayer” Neither sermon nor lecture, each one-hour session invites exploration of the familiar prayer, discovering ways Jesus intended it to change our whole approach to God. Each session can stand alone so that you can attend sessions when possible. St. Andrew’s is located at Calle San Lucas 19, a block south of the carretera in Riberas del Pilar.
The Little Chapel
The Little Chapel by the Lake, an interdenominational congregation that welcomes all Christian believers, will continue the regular worship schedule on Sunday, March 23 beginning with a 10:45 a.m. refreshment and fellowship period shared with Christ Church Lakeside. The worship service begins at 11:15 a.m. and will include a message by Rev. Gene Raymer, “Our Unjust God.”
The Little Chapel has invited AlAnon and Overeaters Anonymous (OA) groups to meet at the church fellowship hall. Al Anon meets at 10:15 a.m. on Mondays, immediately followed by the OA meeting at 11:45.a.m. OA also meets at the church at 10 a.m. on Thursdays.