AROUND TOWN

Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 

In the recent US Presidential campaign, Reverend Jeremiah Wright brought an awareness of Black Liberation Theology to the US. At this week’s meeting, Dr. Cynthia Lynch discusses the origins of Liberation Theology in South America and its relationship to Black Liberation Theology to provide a better understanding of Reverend Wright’s seemingly vitriolic preaching.

Liberation Theology is a school within Christianity that emphasizes the Christian mission to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, particularly through political activism. Its theologians consider sin the root source of poverty, recognizing sin as capitalism and capitalism as class war by the rich against the poor.

Dr. Lynch is an ordained Interfaith minister and an assistant professor of public administration at the University of Texas Pan American, which is opening an extension in San Miguel.

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15. Visitors are invited to attend the service and then join the UUs in the hotel restaurant for brunch.




Midday Rotary Club

Andrea Adler, our guest for Tuesday, January 6, is an international speaker, workshop presenter and the author of several books on spiritual/holistic marketing. The Santa Fe, New Mexico, resident is coming to San Miguel to speak to the Authors’ Sala on her new book, The Science of Spiritual Marketing. She also conducts a workshop, The Tao of Marketing, at LifePath Center on January 10.


The core ideas of Adler’s new approach to marketing are holistic, conceptual, philosophical and practical. The intention and energy behind the words and images we use in our materials and outreach make a huge impact on how we are perceived and whom we attract. Her approach integrates spiritual practice and self-inquiry into a concrete and fundamental transformation of people’s lives and their businesses. 


The Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday meets every Tuesday at Hotel Real de Minas at the intersection of Calles Ancha de San Antonio and Stirling Dickinson. Check-in time is 12–12:25pm and the meeting starts promptly at 12:30. Visit www.rotarysma.org  for more information.
 

Social and newcomers club

The social and newcomers club has been here 30 years and is a great way to meet new people and get information from locals. The club meets every Tuesday night either at a local restaurant or a house. For more information about the weekly dinner, call Jean Schikel at 152-4299 or Paula Nesti, 152-4299. 

The next meeting is the New Year’s Eve party Wednesday, December 31, at 9pm, at Ines Roberts’ house in Los Frailes, Lenadores 6. Bring double the ususal food; the extra goes to the casas hogares.

Bereavement Groups Available

Hospice San Miguel is sponsoring two free bereavement support groups for area residents who have lost loved ones. The first group, led by Pat Tirkot, who is a Hospice volunteer and an experienced counselor, is for English speakers and meets on Mondays, 2:30–4pm in Centro. Please contact Pat at 152-8164 or patricia@tirkot.com to arrange to attend the group.

The second group is for Spanish speakers and is led by Leticia Gonzales, a Hospice staff member and experienced psychotherapist and thanatologist. This group meets on Thursdays, 5–6:30pm at Hospice San Miguel, Manuel Rocha 35 in Col. La Lejona. Please contact Leticia directly at 044 (415) 113-9806 or lego_2000_mx@yahoo.com.mx to arrange to attend the group.

The groups will be small, so reservations are necessary. Please call Pat or Leticia for information and to reserve a place.

For more information about the groups or any Hospice service, you may call our office at 154-4287, email us at mail@hospicesma.org  or check our website at www.hospicesma.org. 

Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventure Tours

The next Adventure Tour will be Saturday, January 10. Centro de Crecimiento will be closed for the holidays and will re-open on January 5. We hope to see all of you Adventurers on January 10, for another great tour. 

Instituto Allende Tours to Dolores Hidalgo and Guanajuato

Instituto Allende Tours leads day trips to Dolores Hidalgo and the city of Guanajuato on Saturday, December 27. Dolores Hidalgo is a center for Talavera ceramics. On Dolores’ main square, Miguel Hidalgo uttered his famous “¡Viva Mexico!,” the historical cry for freedom referred to as “El Grito.” The main square also offers ice creams with unique and unusual flavors, such as avocado, shrimp and tequila, along with more traditional types. 

Later, the tour heads to Guanajuato, a charming capital city with a great cultural tradition and home of the University of Guanajuato. Famed painter Diego Rivera’s home is on the easy walking tour, along other sites of interest such as the Plaza de la Paz and the main square. Other points of interest include museums, the university and stately governmental buildings in Centro.

Instituto Allende tours are all-inclusive trips lead by bilingual guides. A free preview lecture occurs every Wednesday at 4pm. Ex-San Miguel mayor Jaime Fernandez often leads tours. Reservations and prepayment are a must. For more information, visit or call 152-0226. Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 20.

Botanical Garden tour

El Charco del Ingenio (Jardín Botánico) offers two-hour tours on Tuesdays at 10am sharp. Bring a hat, water and good walking shoes. Fees are 50 pesos for members and 80 pesos for nonmembers. Private tours are 150 pesos per person (minimum five). 

The easiest way to Jardín Botánico is by taxi. Staff will call a taxi for the return trip to town.

Reservations are not necessary. If you have any questions, email nzerriffi@yahoo.com.  El Charco’s new website is http://www.elcharco.org. 



Performances & Events

New Year’s Day Sit—A Time for Reflection

Many people think of New Year's Day as a time to sleep off the night before and then watch football. Others think of it as a fresh start, a time for reflection and contemplation. For the latter, the Meditation Center of San Miguel de Allende offers a half-day retreat on New Year’s Day, 2009. The day begins at 8am with a 40-minute sitting and 10 minutes of walking meditation, followed by alternate sitting and walking periods until noon. Participants may come and go quietly at any time, and cushions or chairs are provided. Instruction is available upon request. Everyone is welcome at no charge. 

For more information about the New Year’s Day Sit, call 152-2854 or drop by the center at Callejón Blanco 4, near Quebrada.