What About Pets?
Again this month members of the expat community graciously stepped up and helped find homes for several orphaned pets. It is so sad when a member of the community dies unexpectedly; it is sadder yet when their beloved pets are left alone until someone can be found to adopt them.
This is the perfect time to remind area pet parents that making arrangements for animals is part of the necessary task of organizing paperwork and plans for their own demise. When plans for pets are in place in advance, the stress on the animals can be held to a minimum as they don’t have to be shifted from one house to another and another before they find a forever home. We know there will always be kind people available to help when needed, it is much kinder to plan ahead to ensure the pets safety and comfort.
A simple form was created eight years ago. Pet owners can access it easily, complete the required information online, print the form and post it in the home, and give copies to close friends.
Read more about the form and download it under the Pet Godparents link at www.anitasanimals.com.
Donation of benches
The Lakeside Garden Guild presented a gift of two large, green, iron benches to the Ajijic Auditorium and the town of Ajijic on September 6. They were placed at an advantageous site in the front entrance section. Shown at the dedication celebration (photo, left to right) are Estela Hidalgo, designer; Vicky Corona of the Jalisco Culture Secretariat; Averial Miller, president of the Lakeside Garden Guild; Chapala councilor Maria de la Luz Mendoza and Carmen Bentivoglio, Community Project chairperson. Thirty members from the Lakeside Garden Guild also attended the celebration. The benches are the Guild’s most recent gift in its ongoing “Community Contribution” program for Ajijic.
Toastmasters Club
Members of the Lake Chapala BilingualToastmasters club are keeping to this month’s appropriate theme, “September is Continued Learning,” as students return to school, and retirees join classes that support their interests.
An evaluation contest in English was held on Monday, September 8 under the leadership of Beth McDonald. Ivan Ontiveros gave the speech to be evaluated. All five contestants placed, with Maureen Jones in first place, Guy Jobidon in second place and Arch Crane, Beth McDonald, and Andrea Buenzli tied for third.
During the Monday, September 15 meeting an evaluation contest in Spanish will be held. Meetings are on Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Sala at Lake Chapala Society. Members must enter through the gate on the side of the society grounds. For more information in English, contact Guy Jobidon at (376) 766-5181; for Spanish information, call Marissa Urrutia at (33) 1600-5937.
Open Circle
Open Circle begins at 10 a.m. each Sunday with a fellowship time and coffee, tea and sandwich bites. The presentation begins at 10:30 a.m.
Marci Bowman will present the 10:30 a.m. program on Sunday, September 14. She is delving into the topic, “The Importance of Your Ancestry.”
According to Bowman, a growing number of adoptees are seeking information about their heritage, their family history and some are hoping to possibly reunite with their birth families. Birth families are trying to reunite as well, as recorded in the recent film “Philomena.” During the discussion Bowman will consider the reasons for this need to reunite and the rapidly changing laws regarding birth and adoption records. The speaker will consider how genealogy records and DNA testing have created many breakthroughs for adoptees.
Marci Bowman, and her husband, Bill Sanders, left their off-grid home in the Colorado Rockies to retire in Mexico six years ago. At Lakeside Bowman has been active in the Genealogy Forum, DAR, and as a volunteer at Lakeside Spay Neuter Dog Ranch and Cruz Roja.
Lakeside Freethinkers
The regular monthly meeting of the Lakeside Freethinkers will be held at 4 pm Wednesday, September 17. This group defines “freethinkers” as those who identify themselves as atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, or skeptics. They reject belief in the supernatural and rely on science and reason to guide their lives.
Chad Olsen, chairperson of the Lakeside Freethinkers will present the program at the September meeting. His topic will be “Innumeracy and The Law of Truly Large Numbers.”
This subject will no doubt generate an interesting debate. Members may also bring up other matters. Attendees usually have dinner together following the meeting and presentation. For additional information, and for time and location, please 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 at 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday beginning at Encarnacion Rosas 9 in Ajijic.
On Monday, September 15 at 5 p.m., the movie of the week will feature “Wheel of Time” a 2003 documentary film about Tibetan Buddhism by German director Werner Herzog.
The dharma talk on Wednesday, September 17 will be a teaching on “The Parami of Truthfulness.”
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 those with Zen, Tibetan, and Shambhala backgrounds as well as people with no prior experience with meditation. For more information, call Karin Miles at (376) 766-002
Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian Universalists search for truth along many paths. They gather around common moral values that include the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Universalists are a caring, liberal, open-minded community that encourages attendees to seek theur own spiritual path wherever it leads.
During the service of the Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday September 14, Paul Bennet will speak on “Natural and Unnatural Highs.” The group meets at Plaza de la Ribera, Rio Bravo 10A in Ajijic. A coffee hour will follow.
The Little Chapel
Preceding the Sunday September 14 service, the interdenominational congregation of The Little Chapel by the Lake will share a 10:45 a.m. fellowship and refreshment time with Christ Church.
Rev. Gene Raymer will deliver a message titled “Talent Contest” based on Jesus’ parable of the talents found in the gospel of Matthew during the regular 11:15 a.m. Sunday worship service. At the conclusion of the message, the congregation will celebrate open communion. Following the service, members and visitors will visit a local restaurant for food and fellowship.
Wednesday, September 17, the Mid-Week movie will be shown at 4:30 p.m. This week’s selection is “Faith Like Potatoes” and is based on a true story of a farmer and his wife who are forced to leave their South African farm because of racial tensions. They move to a new area trusting God to help them grow a new crop. Then the farmer learns that God has bigger plans for him. Free refreshments will be available.
The Little Chapel is on the Carretera in Chula Vista just east of the golf course.
St. Andrews
“Do I Have To?” is the question asked by Fr. Winston Welty’s Sunday, September 14 sermon at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church. Welty said, “The answer may come as a surprise.” The gospel reading again this week addresses the teachings of Jesus about forgiveness.
The children’s bilingual Sunday School starts at 9:45 a.m. A time of welcome, fellowship, and refreshment in the Garden follows the 10 a.m. worship service. Those attending the service can leave non-perishable items for the food program in the baskets at the church doors.
The congregation will celebrate Mexican Independence Day at the Church on Friday, September 19. The social hour begins at 3 p.m. The comida, catered by Cinco Potrillos, follows at 4 p.m. There will also be a bake sale. Tickets at 150 pesos are available on Sundays.
The St. Andrew’s Book Club will resumes meetings on Monday, October 6 with a discussion of “David and Goliath” by Malcolm Gladwell.
Christ Church
The Sunday, September 14 service of Christ Church will be held at 9:30 a.m. at The Little Chapel by the Lake, Carretera 10 near the entrance of Chula Vista. Father Danny Borkowski’s message, “Forgiveness,” is based on Matthew 18:21-35.
The congregations of Christ Church Lakeside and The Little Chapel by the Lake share a common coffee fellowship between their respective services from about 10:35 until 11:10 a.m.
Deacon Rob Wells is continuing to lead the weekly Bible study at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays in the fellowship hall of the Little Chapel. The group is currently studying the Gospel of Luke with theJerusalem Bible as the basic text due to the rich footnotes and commentary.
Lakeside Presbyterian
Pastor Ross Arnold continues his sermon series on the great truths found in “The Chronicles of Narnia,” by C.S. Lewis, looking on Sunday, September 14 at “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” This most popular of the Narnia books is more than just a story about talking animals, witches and a magical land where it is “always winter but never Christmas.” It also is a dramatic retelling of the Easter story. This is a time to find insights about the Christian faith through a marvelous little book.
The worship service begins 10 a.m. After the service, the congregation gathers in the garden for refreshments and fellowship. Lakeside Presbyterian Church is mountainside on the Carretera in San Antonio, west of S&S Auto.
San Andrés English
Father Everardo Sanchez will substitute for Rev. Basil G. Royston to say the Mass and present the homily during the 9 a.m. English Mass on Sunday, September 14 at El Templo de San Andrés, the Ajijic parish church.
The second Sunday of each month is the white envelope offering by the congregation. This money allows the congregation’s outreach program to assist many local groups and charities.