Community Church welcomes all
By Jeannie Schnakenberg

Have you been to Sappo’s Restaurant on a Sunday morning recently? Did you notice the building at the back of the patio? Well, if you were there between 11 and 12, you may have heard some lively music filtering through the windows and doors from the Sunday morning service of the Community Church of San Miguel.

This new church is interdenominational and English speaking. All are welcome to join in every Sunday. The congregation is friendly and the service is composed of scripture readings, prayer, communion (open to all) and wonderful music with familiar hymns, new hymns and spirituals. Plus, a talented music director plays the keyboard and directs a small, enthusiastic and growing choir.

Among regular attendees you will find Protestants, Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Buddhists and more. Currently the attendance is from 40 to 50 and growing. A volunteer clergy led by the Rev. Dr. Harold Weicker shares duties with the assistance of lay members. Soon a Lay Ministry training program will allow more members to participate in the services in a meaningful and knowledgeable way.

Following the services, all are invited to the fellowship coffee hour to mingle and make new friends. There are no particular requirements to be a member. The church is blessed with a hard-working group of volunteers who have formed a board and several committees to carry out the many details required to keep things running smoothly.

From the very beginnings of the church, the membership agreed that community outreach would be one of its most important tasks. To this end, the church has given more than half its offerings to various needs in the community for basic items such as clothing and food. The church also has donated to a local micro-lending business so that individuals with no other resources can start very small businesses with small loans, which they pay back without interest.

Now the Community Church is planning to provide school uniforms to children whose parents cannot afford them. In one of the remote villages nearby, they are hoping to pay some of the women to sew the uniforms—thus providing two sources of help with one project. One of the church’s primary missions is to continue with this type of outreach.

It is hoped that many more residents and visitors will visit and decide to make the Community Church of San Miguel their spiritual home, even if they are only here part of the year. No one is required to give up their home church to be an active participant at the Community Church. Visit soon at Sappo’s Restaurant on calle Nueva every Sunday at 11am. You can email for more information or questions: ccsmamx@gmail.com. 

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Attention nonprofit organizations
By Atención staff

Preparations are underway for a nonprofit conference sponsored by leading San Miguel ACs (Civil Associations)—the Fundación Comunitaria Dishani, La Fundación Comunitaria de Desarrollo Social y Humano del Nornoreste de Guanajuato and The San Miguel Project and Mayor-Elect Luz Maria Nuñez Flores.

The purpose of the conference is to further collaboration and communication between government and the nonprofit community. The conference is scheduled for the end of October and will be inaugurated and attended by Nuñez and key members of her new administration.

If your organization wishes to be kept informed of developments and the specifics (date, time, place), send an email to thesanmiguelproject@gmail.com by Monday, October 12, and include the following information:


Name of organization (specify if an AC)

Address and website (if applicable)

Name of President of the board and/or the director of the organization

Contact information for the above (phone numbers, email addresses)

Year organization was established

Mission statement (or purpose) of organization

Services the organization provides, geographical area which it serves