Lakeside BLING
Lake Chapala’s International Business Group (BLING) will gather for the August Mixer from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 30 at the Market Café. For more information, contact group founder Shannon Conshue at the café, Carretera 24 in Ajijic.
Ukulele Club
The Club Ukulele de Laguna (CUL) announces its expansion to a larger, more public location. Effective Monday, September 1, CUL will convene the weekly meetings at the Cultural Center of Ajijic, on the north side of the plaza.
CUL meets each Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. Free beginners’ classes are held from 1:15 to 2 p.m. each week. Ukulele players or those who would like to play ukulele are encouraged to attend the meetings. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or call 33 1096-4920.
Bilingual Toastmasters Club
The members of the Lake Chapala Bilingual Toastmasters Club now hold weekly meetings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Neill James Sala of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS). This month the meetings focus on the theme “Building Enthusiasm.”
The group alternates Spanish and English to assist members in learning both languages. An improvisational contest centered on Table Topics during the Monday, August 18 meeting. Spanish winners were Arturo Gutierrez, first place; Karuna Gomez Mont, second place and Marissa Urrutia, third place. Those in first and second place will move on to the regional competition to be held at lakeside in October.
English winners were Beth McDonald, first place; Arch Crane, second place; and Andrea Buenzli, third place.
The meeting on Monday, August 25 will be held in English. For more information in English, contact Guy Jobidon (376) 766-5181. Marissa Urrutia at (33) 1600-5937 has data in Spanish.
Paper balloon classes
The Lakeside Presbyterian Church is holding classes to learn to make globos, Ajijic’s traditional tissue paper balloons, on Monday, September 1 and Tuesday, September 2, scheduled for 10 a.m. on both days.
Those who make globos will participate in the annual Saturday, September 13 regatta.
Participants need to attend both sessions to allow drying time for the glue. There is a 30-peso materials charge.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is on the Carretera between Vigolari and S&S Auto.
Bus Tour
The next LCS Bus Tour will leave from the sculpture area of La Floresta at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 3. The group will be taken to Guadalajara to visit Galerias Mall, which is anchored by Liverpool, Sears and Best Buy, and includes dozens of shops and boutiques. The Cheesecake Factory and PF Changs are two of the mall’s newly opened restaurants. Shoppers will also have the opportunity to shop in the adjoining Super Walmart, Sam’s, Mega and Costco. The bus will leave the Costco area at 4 p.m.
Tickets for this trip are 250 pesos per person and are available at the table at the LCS from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
Barkeritaville with Brots
Friends of The Ranch (Lakeside Spay Neuter) are singing new words to that Jimmy Buffet song “Wasting away again in Barkeritaville, longing for those great German brots …” as they prepare for the German Sommerfest fundraiser on September 10, 5 p.m.
At Barkeritaville participants will find Gudren Jones’ famous bratwurst, German potato salad and homemade pickles. The cash bar will feature the soon-to-be famous Barkeritas. There’ll be music by Sol y Luna for dancing. Autographed copies of Jones’ latest book, “Memories of the Heart,” a collection of inspirational and heart-warming poems and short stories will be available for 200 pesos.
Lakeside Spay and Neuter Ranch & Adoptions, a no-kill rescue and adoption dog sanctuary, provides a safe, caring home to more than 70 dogs, with new rescued animals taking the place of those that have been adopted.
This event will be held in upper La Floresta. The full address is on the 200-peso tickets which must be purchased in advance at Diane Pearl Colecciones, Handy Mail, Pet Care, the Bagel Shop, Zaina Boutique and the Ranch table, which is in front of Banco Actinver on Friday mornings.
Conservatives
The next general meeting of the Lakeside Conservatives Group will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 10 at Plaza de la Ribera, Rio Bravo 10 in Ajijic. The speaker, Carl Goldberg, is coming from Nevada to speak to the group about the Jihadists and why they are targeting the United States.
This group meets every month to discover many topics of concern to aware, thinking, and listening U.S. citizens. For membership information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
LCS Spanish classes
The next term of the Warren Hardy Spanish-language classes for adult students are beginning at the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) on Monday, September 8. The term will end on October 25.
Several levels of learning are available as student progress in the program. Registration for this session is currently underway at the LCS office. Students can also sign-up for classes September 1 through 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the blue umbrella patio at the LCS campus. The instructor will be available to evaluate students and help them select the correct level of study. Classes are 750 pesos.
Introduction to Spanish
Each month the Lake Chapala Society offers a casual course for beginning Spanish speakers to help them learn the sounds of the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary and phrases to use about town. The classes also include useful information about lakeside and Mexican culture.
Classes start on the first Tuesday of the month and continue for three weeks from noon until 1:30 p.m. at the LCS campus. Students’ learning materials are provided. The tuition is 175 pesos. Sign up is currently available at the LCS office from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.
The society campus is at 16 de septiembre 16A in Ajijic. Phone the office (376) 766-1140 or visit the website www.lakechapalasociety.com for more information.
General Meeting
Niños Incapacitados del Lago will hold its general meeting on Thursday, September 11 at the Hotel Real de Chapala in lower La Floresta. Coffee is served at 10 a.m. and the meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
Open Circle
David Bryen’s address for Open Circle attendees on Sunday, August 24 is titled “What the Soul Wants: From Success to Significance.”
Says Bryen: “Don’t attend the meeting expecting answers. Instead, come to enlarge your questions, deepen internal dialogue, embrace your life, and learn skills to dialogue with the elusive matrix of the soul.”
Bryen notes that people view the soul as an active intelligence that shapes fate, as a personality accessory that adds texture to life. He is expected to suggest that the journey from success to significance might be connected with discovering what the soul wants.
Before retiring to Lakeside, Bryen was a psychotherapist, motorcycle safety instructor, woodcrafter, and poet. He recently published “Riding off the Edge of the Map” in which he uses his misadventures to deepen some of his favorite ideas: the value of introspection, living with ambiguity, integrating the shadow, and developing personal authority. He is also the author of “The Man Loves the Wine She Serves Through Her Body.”
Open Circle begins with coffee, tea and sandwich bites served at 10 a.m. The presentation begins at 10:30 a.m.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
During the 10 a.m. Sunday, August 24 worship service at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Father Winston Welty’s message takes a closer look at St. Paul’s exhortation to present ourselves to God as a “living sacrifice.” Welty’s sermon, “Climb Up on the Altar,” examines the relevance the ancient sacrificial altar for today’s people of faith.
The children’s bilingual Sunday School starts at 9:45 a.m. A time of welcome, fellowship, and refreshment follows the worship service in the garden.
The food for the poor program supported by St. Andrew’s is always grateful for non-perishable items such as beans, rice, lentils, pasta, salt, oil, etc. Donations can left in the baskets at the church doors on Sundays.
The men of St. Andrew’s will meet for their monthly lunch at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26 at Arileo Restaurant. Those who plan to attend should sign up in the garden or call the office at (376) 765-3926 for more information.
Unitarian Universalist
The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Plaza de la Ribera, Rio Bravo 10A in Ajijic.
Sharon Woods will present “Unitarians, Universalists, Cats and Dogs” during the Sunday, August 24 service. A coffee hour will follow.
Little Chapel by the Lake
The interdenominational congregation of the Little Chapel by the Lake will share a refreshment period with Christ Church Lakeside at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, August 24. The regular worship service follows at 11:15 a.m.
Along with the songs of praise, prayers and scripture reading will be the message, “Butterflies,” given by Rev. Gene Raymer.
Raymer explains: “I have a Monday morning voice that gives me a central truth that God wants me to deliver on the following Sunday. During the rest of the week He helps me find the best way to deliver that truth. This week that truth is that God doesn’t do anything half way.”
The Wednesday Mid-Week Movie will be “Letters to God,” the story of a young boy who learns he has cancer and begins writing letters to God. The impact of the letters on others is the emphasis of the film which will start at 4:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
The Little Chapel by the Lake is on the mountain side of the Carretera just east of the Chula Vista golf course.
Lakeside Presbyterian
“From Where Does Our Help Come?” is the title of Pastor Ross Arnold’s sermon for the Sunday, August 24, 10 a.m. worship service at Lakeside Presbyterian Church. Arnold has based this message on Psalm 124 which was sung by pilgrims as they approached the temple. He says it is “King David’s reminder that God is on our side and that while with Him all things are possible, without Him prospects could be bleak.” Following the service, the congregation gathers in the garden for refreshments and fellowship.
Playing the Bible Trivia game at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 23 at the church is a great way to meet people and increase Bible knowledge. Bring snacks.
The monthly movie will be shown at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 29 at the church. “Return of the King,” the third of the Lord of the Rings series, will be shown. Free popcorn and beverages are provided.
Lakeside Presbyterian Church is on the Carretera between Vigolari and S&S Auto. Just look for the sign “You have family at Lakeside.”
Christ Church
Matthew 16:13-20 is the basis of “On This Rock,” Father Danny Borkowski’s message for the 9 a.m. service of Christ Church Lakeside on Sunday, August 24. The service of Holy Communion is held in the Little Chapel by the Lake, Carretera 10, near the entrance of Chula Vista.
The congregations of Christ Church Lakeside and the Little Chapel by the Lake share a common coffee fellowship between their respective services from about 10:25 until 11:10 a.m.
Deacon Rob Wells is currently leading a Bible study which meets from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday mornings in the fellowship hall of the Little Chapel. The Jerusalem Bible is the basic text of the group cause of its rich footnotes and commentary. The group is currently looking into the Gospel of Mark with plenty of sidetrack issues as they come up.
San Andrés English
For the 9 a.m. English Mass on Sunday, August 24, the homily theme chosen by Rev. Basil G. Royston, D. Min., is “Peter, the Rock.”
Says Royston: “We rejoice today that Christ chose Peter in spite of his human failings, to be the rock on which he built his Church. The reason for that choice lies in the unfathomable depth of God’s wisdom. The Lord is high, yet he looks on the lowly.”
A group is forming at San Andrés Catholic Parish (English Mass) for those who have been wondering, “Why do Catholics do that?” Those interested in learning more about the Catholic Church or are just curious about what Catholics believe can obtain more information about the group by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Prayer Workshops
The new series of Prayer and Life Workshops beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27, present a more vibrant and vivid presentation of Jesus and address the true adaptation of the needs of today’s society.
Prayer and Life Workshops are designed to help attendees learn the art of prayer and deepen their own prayer experience. The 15 weekly meetings will be held in the classrooms at El Templo de San Andrés in Ajijic. For more information, visit www.tovpil.org.
Center for Spiritual Living
The Friday night socials will start with discussion at 5 p.m. each week through September 20 at Callejon San Antonio 7, Ajijic. These events are evenings with friends, food, games and laughter. Attendees are asked to bring covered dish, salad, or dessert, and beverage. For information call Beth McDonald and Arch Crane at (376) 766-0611.
The teachings of Ernest Holmes in “Living Science of Mind” are being explored, one week at a time, on Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m.to noon. Group leaders Crane and McDonald will offer practical “real life” applications.
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 group discussion from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Centers for Spiritual Living is at Nicolas Bravo 17, Ajijic. For details call Tim Schubert at (376) 766-0920, or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Buddhist Community
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Community meets in Ajijic for meditation and dharma teachings each Wednesday beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Encarnation Rosas 9. The film on Wednesday, August 27 will be “Goal-less Practice,” featuring Brad Warner, an American Zoto Zen priest.
Heart of Awareness is a non-sectarian Buddhist practice community grounded in the original teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition.
Membership is open to everyone, and includes people with Zen, Tibetan, and Shambhala backgrounds as well as those with no prior meditation experience. For more information, call Karin Miles at (376) 766-0020.