The Church at the Santa Barbara Theater

The Church, at the Santa Barbara Theater, led by Pastor Ric Lehman, features participatory worship songs and practical teaching in a casual atmosphere. Everyone is invited to participate from 9:30am to 10:30am Sundays at the Santa Barbara Theater on Olas Atlas Street. The theater is just off the corner of Basilio Badillo and Olas Altas.

The purpose of The Church is threefold: to provide helping hands and hearts to the various nonprofits and other ministries in our community, to provide a contemporary worship service for English speaking residents and visitors, and to provide a community of faith for those desiring to connect with others living in Puerto Vallarta.

Pastor Ric, along with his wife Joy, and 16-year-old son, Tucker, has lived in Puerto Vallarta for two years. They have established a nonprofit called CompassioNet Impact, which has partnered with the Southside Rotary Club to provide free English classes and computer skills in the poorer neighborhoods surrounding Puerto Vallarta. Another goal of CompassioNet Impact is to release the members of the Church into service opportunities throughout the local community. Church members already released include Dennis and Faye Janson who teach literacy classes and English to children near the City Dump.

The Church also encourages individuals, families and church groups to add meaning to their visits to our community by taking a “Vacation with Purpose.” They have been escorting these visitors with them to teach English, deliver drinking water to the workers at the dump, provide school supplies and toys, repair roofs, paint, and replace dirt floors with poured concrete for those in need. Besides families “Vacationing with Purpose,” the Church also hosts mission teams from churches in North America interested in serving partner churches and the poor in the neighborhoods surrounding Puerto Vallarta.

If you would like more information about The Church or CompassioNet Impact, contact Pastor Ric by e-mail at riclehman@aol.com.