The Guadalajara Reporter

Laguna Chapalac - December 13, 2013

Want to generate some holiday cheer for impoverished kids? Chapala’s San Francisco parish curate Enrique Monteon Curiel and the church’s Salesian lay missioners welcome your generous contributions to the annual Jugueton toy collection marathon to be held this weekend at the central plaza.

The event gets underway Saturday, December 14, 7 p.m., running through to 10:30 p.m. the following night. There will be continuous entertainment and a team of helpers waiting to receive gift items for little nippers who might otherwise have nothing to unwrap and brighten Christmas spirits. Organizers are hoping to surpass last year’s record of 2,563 playthings donated by individual citizens and sponsor businesses.

For more information, contact Jugueton coordinator Ramón Ceja Ávila at cel. 331-411-4938 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

 

 

Local youngsters had a ball at the Christmas cookie decorating fest held December 7 at the Ajijic plaza. A jolly crew of expat elves kept things rolling at the workshop sponsored by Diane Pearl.

 

 

 

 

History Club

The next meeting of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) History Club will be on Monday December 16, 2 p.m on the society’s grounds.  The lecturer will be Arnold Smith and the subject is “Truman, Oppenheimer and the Bomb” examining the U.S. nuclear attack on Japan.

All are welcome.  Membership in the LCS is not required.

Seminar, lecture

The Tuesday, December 17, noon seminar, available for Lake Chapala Society members, will be chaired by Dr. Rick Rhoda.  It features (via TED Internet podcast) social psychologist Amy Cuddy: “Body Language Shapes Who You Are.” Dr. Cuddy provides some surprising answers to questions such as: How should you prepare for a very important job interview?  How much attention should you give to body language? Does one’s attitude and confidence shape their body language or vice versa? 

The Tuesday, December 17, 2 p.m. lecture in the LCS Sala will be delivered by Economist Roger Heath.  The lecture, “What’s Behind the World-wide Economic Stalemate,” will investigate the causes, complicating issues and potential solutions to current economic situation. 

 

 

Just 16 months old and still in diapers, mini-horseman Ivan Martinez stole the show at last Saturday’s Festival de Charrería with an astonishing lariat twirling demo.

 

 

 

 

Singles holiday bash

The second annual Lake Chapala Society Singles “Holiday Bash” takes place Tuesday, December 17 on the society’s grounds. The action starts with cocktails at 4 p.m., followed by a festive dinner with all the trimmings at 5 p.m.  Ricardo and Blanca provide music for dancing at 6 p.m.

Tickets are 180 pesos in advance, and are available at LCS from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Diane Pearl’s and from committee members Sue Hurst at 331-405-4911 and Tinker Lafata at 331-531-1464.  Tickets at the door are 220 pesos.

Carolers

Lakeside Carolers annual caroling at retirement/assisted living homes is planned for the afternoon of Thursday, December 19.  Those who choose can have lunch at the food court at the Laguna Mall across from Walmart about 11:30 a.m.  The group will gather at the Little Chapel by the Lake at 1:15 p.m. for a brief rehearsal before going to Casa Nostra to sing at 2 p.m. They will sing at Alicia’s at 3:30 p.m.

Spanish classes

The Lake Chapala Society’s next term of Spanish-language classes will begin on Monday, January 6 and cover seven weeks of study, ending on February 22.

The LCS program uses the Warren Hardy Spanish-language course designed for the adult student. Several levels of learning are available as students progress.

Registration for these upcoming classes is currently underway at the LCS office on weekdays. Sign-up for classes will also be held the week of December 30 to January 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the LCS campus. LCS will be closed December 31 and January 1.

Introduction to Spanish

This is a casual class offered for the beginner that covers the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary and phrases to use about town for shopping, and other useful information on this area and Mexican culture.

Classes are held each month starting the first Tuesday of the month and going on for three weeks. Next month’s classes start on January 7, and are held at the LCS campus from noon until 1:30 p.m. Learning materials are provided to the student and the tuition costs 150 pesos.

Sign up is currently available at the LCS office from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

LCS is located at 16 de Septiembre 16A, Ajijic. Telephone: (376) 766-1140; website: www.lakechapalasociety.com.

Open Circle

Pete Soderman will talk on “the Higher Self” at the Open Circle on Sunday, December 15, 10:30 a.m. at the Lake Chapala Society.

Soderman is a published author and lecturer with a background in computer engineering. He has been helping others to recover from addictions for over 20 years.  He says we are not powerless over our addictions or other habits and can learn to make the necessary changes to our thoughts and beliefs that will relieve us of any self-defeating behaviors that are keeping us from achieving our goals.

Soderman’s presentation is culled from his book “Powerless No Longer,” which grew out of an effort to discover what works for addiction and how many of the same tools are useful in other areas.

The book is available on Amazon, and locally at Diane Pearl’s. There will be an opportunity to purchase a signed copy at the Peacock Garden restaurant after the Open Circle meeting.

Weekly Open Circle gatherings start with coffee, tea and sandwich bites for socializing at 10 a.m., followed by the program at 10:30 a.m. sharp.

Pot Party

Libby Townsend of the Tarahumara Project has changed the start time of the Pot Party at her house on Sunday, December 22 from 2 to 3 p.m. 

All proceeds from ticket sales and purchase of handcrafts on show go to the Free Tarahumara Children’s Hospital in the Copper Canyon region and help support traditional indigenous people and their families.  Tickets are 100 pesos and available at the Guadalajara Reporter office in Plaza Bugambilias in Ajijic, or at Jose Melendrez Adicciones on the main plaza in Ajijic.  Reserve tickets at (376) 766-3338, or cell 333-495-7263.

The party is being held at Pescadores 2, Riberas del Pilar. From Ajijic, head towards Chapala, pass Maskaras clinic, take the next right and turn left. Go to the end of the street and turn right on Pescadores. (Number 2 is the yellow and orange house with blue doors on the left.) The house is wheelchair and walker accessible. People will be on hand to park cars.

Pet food drive

The monthly pet food drive will be held on Thursday, December 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Animal Shelter store in Riberas del Pilar.

With your purchase you help the Shelter cats as well as Anita’s Animals, or your choice of animal rescue group.  You can make a purchase of dog or cat food at anytime if you are unable to come to the food drive. When making your purchase, inform the store clerk whether the pet food is for Anita’s Animals, or another animal rescue group, and the Animal Shelter will hold your donation purchase for pickup.

After you have made this purchase, you will need to contact the designated rescue group you have selected. Please let that group know that there is a paid food purchase made by you waiting to be picked up at the Shelter.

Robbie Burns Supper

Niños Incapacitados will host a traditional Robbie Burns Supper on Saturday, January 25, 2014  at the Real de Chapala, starting at 5 p.m.  There’ll be tributes and toasts, Scottish country dancing, a piper, a chance to sing the lovely old songs and, of course, a delicious three-course meal complete with a bite of haggis and a wee dram of Scotch.

Tickets are 350 pesos per person.  To book and reserve a table for ten, or a partial table, contact Phyl Gaskell at 766-2722, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; or Kari Higgins at 766-3651, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  All the proceeds will go to the children in the Niños Incapacitados program. For information see www.programaninos.org.

Open Gaming

Want to learn and play new card/table/board games? Looking to share your favorite games with new players? You can do this at the Lake Chapala Society Gazebo every Monday from 1-3:45 p.m. (LCS members and associates only from 1-2 p.m.; public welcome after 2 p.m.)

Participants will play only what is brought along (players without games are welcome). Nearly anything goes – Uno, Monopoly, Mah Jongg, Fluxx, Scrabble, Cribbage, Clue, Pandemic. Don’t bring “loud” or “party” games that may distract or disrupt nearby games and gamers.

Progressives

The Lakeside Progressives held their first meeting on December 4.  They discussed major problems that are faced by the United States, including man-made climate change, the historic and still widening gap between the wealthy one percent and everyone else, the tax loopholes that contribute to that gap, the related heavy influence of corporations on the government, and the gun violence that far exceeds that in any other developed democracy. 

At their next meeting on January 14, members will identify the three most serious problems that the United States faces and propose ways to address them.  All progressives are invited to participate. 

For information, please e-mail Ken Crosby at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Freethinkers

The Lakeside Freethinkers, whose members reject religious belief and rely upon reason and science to guide their lives, will hold their regular third-Wednesday-of-the-month meeting on Wednesday, December 18.  They will discuss Dominionism, the ideology that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and must return to that status.  Dominionists hold that Christians alone are mandated by the Bible to govern society until Christ returns, with government based upon Biblical law and all its activities, including education, controlled by Christians.  They therefore oppose separation of church and state, which they insist was not intended by the founders of the United States.  For information, e-mail Ken Crosby at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

St. Andrew’s Anglican

“This Is It ... Or Is It?”  That’s the question posed by Fr. Winston Welty in this week’s sermon at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church.  It was a question for John the Baptizer, too, in prison and awaiting death.  John had recognized and proclaimed Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the anointed Christ of God.  But now he was having misgivings:  “If He’s the Messiah, what am I doing in this crummy cell?”  Sometimes we have misgivings of our own.  We tell ourselves that as soon as this, that, or the other thing happens, our problems will be solved, contentment will reign, and we’ll live happily ever after.  And no matter how often we settle for counterfeits, we keep convincing ourselves that next time it will be different.  Advent is that season in the Church year when we seek to rid ourselves of our counterfeits, in preparation for receiving God’s genuine gift at Christmas. 

Sunday worship services at St. Andrew’s are at 9 and 11 a.m., with a time of welcome, fellowship, and refreshment in the garden at 10 a.m., between the services.  Children’s Sunday School is at 10:45 a.m.   St. Andrew’s is located at Calle San Lucas 19, just a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar. 

Don’t forget – the annual Carol Sing and Potluck and Children’s Christmas Pageant begins with a social hour at 4:30 a.m. on Friday, December 13.

Spiritual Living

The Reverend Tim Schubert will celebrate “Celebrating the Light” at the Center for Spiritual Living (Nicolas Bravo 17, Ajijic)  on Friday, December 20, from 5-6 p.m. A social hour follows.

On Wednesdays, Schubert leads a class on “Conscious Living” from 10:30 a.m. to noon.  The Thursday discussion group, “The Unfettered Soul,” begins with an optional meditation from 10 to 10:20 a.m., followed by the group from 10:30 a.m. to noon.  The Thursday discussion group, “The Untethered Soul,” is at the same times.  

For information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , call 766-0920 or check the website at www.cslchapala.com.

Unitarians

The Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Plaza de la Ribera, Rio Bravo 10A.  This Sunday Sue Kelley will give the talk, “The Christmas War,”about the debate between the liberal and the conservative Puritans, concerning not only if Christmas would be celebrated but how.  There will be a coffee hour following the service.  For more information call 766-1119 or 765-7231, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Little Chapel

The Little Chapel by the Lake will continue preparing for Christmas with a message by the Rev. Gene Raymer, “The Unexpected Messiah,” on Sunday, December 15 at 11:15 a.m.

Says Raymer: “Since Adam and Eve’s ejection from the Garden of Eden there has been expectations of a Messiah among the Jewish people.  But not everyone had the same idea of what that Messiah would be and most did not expect a humble man preaching love for God and their neighbor.”

A colorized version of the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be shown at the chapel on December 18, 6 p.m. Snacks will be provided. 

The Little Chapel by the Lake is an interdenominational congregation welcoming all Christian believers.  The church is located on the Carretera just east of the Chula Vista Golf Club.

Christ Church Anglican

Christ Church Anglican fellowship will celebrate the third Sunday after Advent on December 15 by celebrating the Holy Communion right II at 9:30 a.m. in the Little Chapel by the Lake in Chula Vista. Warden Jim Powers sermon topic is” Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” based on the Gospel according to Matthew 11: 2-11.

Christ Church and the Little Chapel by the Lake will celebrate a joint fellowship time in the fellowship hall between the two services from 10:30-11:15 a.m.

On Tuesday, December 24, there will be a joint Christ Church\Little Chapel by the Lake Christmas Eve service at 6:30 p.m. followed by a reception and fellowship. All those attending are asked to bring finger foods for the social time. 

Christ Church will also hold a lessons and carols service on December 26, 9:30 a.m.

Love in Action

Worshippers at the Christ Church Anglican and the Little Chapel services on Sunday, December 15 are requested to bring unwrapped gifts for the 32 boys and girls living at the Love in Action shelter. Some suggestions are toothbrushes, toothpaste, crayons, coloring books, dolls, trucks, etcetera.