Lake Chapala Baptist
“Many admit they need a power beyond their own to solve issues when they feel powerless. Some turn to astrology, fate, crystals, science or some universal force to find a greater power than themselves,” says Gary Smith, associate pastor of Lake Chapala Baptist Church.
For the Sunday, October 25, 11 a.m. morning worship service, Smith turns to Ephesians 1:20. “Paul tells us that God used this power to raise Christ from the dead to seat Christ on a heavenly throne high above everything,” he says. “Paul doesn’t say that Jesus rose from the dead, but that the Father raised Christ from the dead. This power is real, a power that meets us at the point of our need, a power that is dependable and consistent. God is ready to use his power when we are overcome with fear, worry, grief and pain.”
Sunday school starts at Lake Chapala Baptist at 9:45 a.m. The church is at Sta. Margarita 147 in Riberas del Pilar.
New Hope
A children’s Bible lesson will open the service at New Hope Christian Fellowship on Sunday, October 25, 11 a.m.
“A five- or ten-minute lesson matches the attention span of children, and parents will know what the children are taught so they can continue the discussion at home,” says Pastor Gene Raymer. “Then, while the youngsters have play time, their parents can fully participate in the adult worship service and the message, ‘The Joys of Christian Living According to Isaiah.’”
New Hope Christian Fellowship is a nondenominational congregation seeking to live by the principals taught by Jesus and lived by the first century Christian church. The congregation currently meets in the pastor’s home at Privada Jesus Garcia 11 in San Antonio at 10:30 a.m. for a refreshment time. After the service, members join for a 12:30 p.m. fellowship meal. For information phone (376) 766-3435.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
“He is not on anyone’s list of Jesus’ followers, and he is easy to ignore. The last disciple to be called before the crucifixion still speaks to believers across the centuries,” says Fr. Winston Welty, whose sermon for the Sunday, October 25, 10 a.m. worship service at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church tells the story of “The Unrecognized Disciple” and his contemporary challenge to people of faith.
Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m. Refreshments are served in the garden after the service. The last Sunday of each month, donors provide lunches for Mezcala schoolchildren. Every Sunday donations of non-perishable food items for the feeding program supported by St. Andrew’s can be left in baskets by the church doors.
The men of the parish will gather for lunch Wednesday, October 28, noon at Viva Mexico Restaurant in San Juan Cosala.
St. Andrew’s is at Calle San Lucas 19 in Riberas del Pilar.
Lakeside Presbyterian
Continuing his “What’s Next?” series, Pastor Ross Arnold’s sermon at Lakeside Presbyterian Church on October 25, 10 a.m. will be “I Needed Clothing.” Arnold says, “When Jesus said to his followers, ‘I needed clothing and you clothed me,” (Matthew 25:36), he meant it as very real and practical instruction that Christians should provide clothing to those in need. In fact, Jesus emphasized the point by saying that as we provide for those in need we quite literally are providing for Jesus himself.”
In obedience to these instructions, Lakeside Presbyterian has launched efforts to provide clothing for people in the community in need. Wanted are new or gently used clothes and sturdy shoes for men and women, or quality school, play clothes and shoes for children. More about this important ministry outreach, and how everyone can participate, will be explained at this Sunday’s service.
The church is on San Jorge in Riberas del Pilar, two blocks south of Mom’s Deli.
San Andres English
With Fr. Basil G. Royston enjoying the week in Cancun, Deacon Bill Shaidnagle will present the homily for the congregation of the English-speaking mass at San Andres on Sunday, October 25, 9 a.m.
This week’s service and Shaidnagle’s homily center on the blind faith that is required for believers. “We worship Christ who opens our eyes to see the marvels that he has done for us as our high priest and mediator with the Father,” the deacon says.
Christ Church Episcopal
Christ Church Episcopal celebrates the Holy Eucharist Rite II at the Little Chapel by the Lake on October 25, 9:30 a.m. with Fr. Danny Borkowski presiding. Borkowski’s message, “Bringing others to Jesus,” is based on Mark 10:46-52.
The congregations of Christ Church Episcopal and the Little Chapel share a common coffee fellowship between their respective services from 10:35 until 11:10 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the Little Chapel at Carretera 10 in Chula Vista.
The Tuesday Bible Study sponsored by Christ Church Episcopal meets at 2 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The group continues their study of the Gospel of John.
Little Chapel by the Lake
The guest speaker for the Sunday, October 25, 11:15 a.m. service at the Little Chapel by the Lake is missionary Tony Rojas from San Juan Tecomatlan. He will give a presentation on his work during the past year with Youth with a Mission in Norway and other locations.
Unitarian Universalists
Fred Harland will lead the service of the Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalists on Sunday, October 25, 10:30 a.m. Dave Miller’s planned talk is “Politics and Religion: Is Polite Discourse Possible?”
In order to deal with the often heated and hostile political discussions, Miller presents ideas from Jonathan Haidt’s book, “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion,” which uses moral psychology to explain peoples’ differing moral bases and offers ways for connecting with people who do not share views.
The group now has an enhanced personal sound system to help those with hearing issues. Attendees can use headphones or ear buds connected to an FM radio or FM capable cell phone.
The English-speaking, lay-led fellowship meets on the west side of Ajijic in Plaza de la Ribera, Rio Bravo 10A, a wheelchair-accessible facility.
Buddhist Community
When the Heart of Awareness Community meets on Wednesday, October 28, Noble Silence begins at 4 p.m. followed by a formal meditation, dharma teachings and discussion at 4:30 p.m. The final segment of a video talk: “Entering the Stream,” by Stephen Batchelor, a contemporary Buddhist teacher and writer will be shown.
The sangha is at Guadalupe Victoria 101, suites A-B, in Ajijic. The Heart of Awareness is a non-sectarian community grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Prior meditation experience or affiliation is not required. For information on the community and scheduled activities, visit www.heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert at (376) 766-6069.