St. Paul's Spirituality In Nature Group

05/27/2026

Looking for some summer reading suggestions?

Trees are more than background scenery. They are teachers, neighbors, and witnesses to God’s renewing work in creation.

05/14/2026

Coming up in August

05/14/2026

Good news about the Ventura Hills Nature Preserve https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/special-reports/outdoors/2026/05/13/judge-rules-on-access-to-a-new-ventura-preserve-heres-what-happened/89996024007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z11xx17p119850l116350c119850e005400v11xx17&gca-ft=13&gca-ds=sophi&fbclid=IwdGRjcARyJXFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEevJBE_5NRnPrlQu0h1Xgq8ypBeUGP0HkBWEmgdK6W-G_WVL_ypjgC4UrBQ_4_aem_N-zIddGvFVzgTb31BQmYEQ&link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a04ae4f31f4e800014cbefd&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Oil companies asked a judge to limit access to the Ventura Hills preserve. Here's what happened.

05/05/2026

Access to wild spaces is not a given, everyone has a responsibility to protect nature wherever they live

Spread the word! Public access to Ventura Hills Nature Preserve is under threat due to a lawsuit brought by Chevron and Aera Energy.

They claim that allowing the public to use Hall Canyon Road interferes with their asserted legal rights to use the road for oil operations. Chevron and Aera have asked the Court to close Hall Canyon Road and VLT’s trailhead to the public.

Ventura Land Trust is currently in active litigation fighting to keep this vital community asset open to the public. Ventura Hills Nature Preserve is the product of more than 25 years of community effort and public investment. This preserve exists today because people across Ventura came together to ensure it would be preserved and accessible for future generations.

1,645 acres of open space, 12 miles of publicly accessible trails, countless opportunities for generations to connect with the landscape that surrounds us, and an incalculable community asset are all at stake in this fight. We need your help and support. Visit our website to learn how you can be a voice for public access, stay informed on the case, and support our efforts to keep this incredible piece of land accessible to everyone.

Visit www.venturalandtrust.org/access for information.

05/03/2026

04/25/2026

Does caring for God’s creation keep you engaged in the church, or is it the other way around?

I still go, even though it’s often easier to join like-minded people beyond church walls.

04/25/2026

Worth reading if you can get past the paywall

Pastor John Mark Comer has won a massive audience by encouraging his followers to free themselves from the gnawing sense that there is always more to do.

04/22/2026

Update on the Deanery trip to Santa Rosa Island - three seats have become available.

Deanery congregations and clergy are welcome to join on a trip (out of Ventura Landing) to Santa Rosa Island on Saturday May 2nd. We have reserved 20 tickets at the group rate (89 dollar) rate. We will cover approximately half the price and participants will be expected to pay 45 dollars per person, payable to Deanery One.
Sign-ups will go as follows: they will be on a first-come, first-served basis by contacting Deanery President John Brunson at [email protected]. Please respond to ASAP if you are interested.

When you are confirmed, you can mail a check to
Deanery One, 144 S C St, Oxnard CA 93030.
Information from John Brunson:
Boat check-in is 7:15 AM. The boat leaves Ventura Landing at 8:00 AM. Crossing is 2.5 to 3 hours, so plan on landing at 11AM.
Return boat leaves Santa Rosa Island at 4:00 PM with an approximate return of 7:00 PM.

Information from Dan Wakelee regarding the Santa Rosa Island boat trip and hiking options:
Santa Rosa Island is a different experience from Santa Cruz. The time on the boat is twice as long as going to Scorpion, you get to see the entire length of Santa Cruz during the trip (depending on the route taken by the boat captain), and normally get to go into Painted Cave (the 4th largest sea cave in the world) on the return. There is a several-mile-long white-sand beach and definitely fewer visitors than at Santa Cruz.
The most varied and interesting day hike (unless you are a fast hiker and want to go to the Torrey Pines) is Cherry Canyon, which I would rate a moderately strenuous hike, but which offers a variety of geology and usually substantial blooms until May or June, depending on whether we get late rain. The Cherry Canyon hike also offers expansive views of Santa Cruz Island and the mainland from the ridge and includes Water Canyon as part of the loop. This hike is a solid 3 1/2 miles that requires steady hiking because of the limited time on the island. An alternative is the coastal/cliff hike to Water Canyon, which is an easy 2 1/2-mile round trip on flat terrain with the option to visit Water Canyon Beach at the midway point.
Accessibility: The pier on Santa Rosa has some stairs (not a ladder) but the historic ranch area is flat and accessible, as is the route down to Water Canyon beach (about 2 miles round trip). The hike to Water Canyon is basically flat and open, ending at a large white-sand beach.
Spirituality in Nature: As on last year's trips, we will gather, learn about local history and geological features from Dan Wakelee, engage in a meditation/reflection together, and have the opportunity to hike.
To Bring: Layers, good shoes for walking/hiking, sun protection, a jacket for the boat crossing if

04/22/2026

Please share with someone you think would love this

Ventura Land Trust is looking for a Field Technician. Go to our careers page (link in bio) to learn more and apply. Share with a friend!