2026.11.04 E-news

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." - Matthew 5:4

Last Sunday, on All Saints, we sat with the Beatitudes and a simple refrain: Look again. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, the hungry.  Their circumstances are certainly not enviable, but as Jesus teaches He is teaching us to see differently. To see blessing where the world sees deficit. To see God's presence in the exact places we would rather look away.

That is a hard kind of seeing to hold onto for just one Sunday. This kind of work is meant to outlast the sermon.

So this week, the question isn't just what did we see on All Saints.  It is what are we still learning to see now? We named saints who have gone before us: people whose ordinary, unfinished lives somehow carried the weight of blessing. But the Beatitudes are not only about them. The Beatitudes are a description of the room we're sitting in right now.  They are about the people mourning beside us, the ones who are meek and get overlooked, the ones hungry for a righteousness that hasn't come yet.

The Gospel does not ask us to become blessed. It tells us that we already are, in the very places we assumed disqualified us. That takes looking again, and again. It's not a one-time correction of vision,  It is a practice, the same way grief and gratitude are practices, the same way faith itself is a practice.

A question to carry this week: Where do you need to look again - at someone, at a situation, at yourself - and ask what blessing might already be there, hidden in plain sight?

With you on the journey,

Pastor Erin

Check out the Weekly Bulletin to see the full schedule of what’s happening at TLC this week!

Please join us for Adult Forum every Sunday from 10:20am to 10:50am in the Garden Room.

This Sunday's topic - Update on Cannabis and THC in Cannabis Products, presented by Karen Jensen, RN,PhD

Need a quiet place to get homework done, or looking for a little extra help with your schoolwork? All students (LOGOS and FAM) are invited to the Learning Pit. Join us at the church coffee shop every Wednesday, starting November 4, from 3:15pm to 5:15pm. Whether you want to get a head start on your assignments, work alongside friends, or get help with tricky questions, our doors are open. We offer a welcoming space with snacks, internet access, and volunteers ready to assist.

In December, Downtown Ventura Partners, a local non-profit that provides a weekly breakfast for those in need on the West End of Ventura, will be hosting a holiday luncheon for their walk-up clients, who usually number around 60 individuals.

Trinity has volunteered to provide shirts of all types, gently-used shoes, toiletries, scarves, beanies and socks to be distributed at the luncheon.  Beginning on Sunday, November 1, there will be labeled bins in the Gathering Space for donations of the above items. 

Join us for this month’s Young at Heart Luncheon on Thursday, November 19 at 12pm in Fellowship Hall. The sign-up sheet can be found on the Welcome Desk.

It’s Not Too Late to Submit Your Commitment Card!

If you haven't turned in your commitment card yet, there is still time. Extra cards and envelopes are available at the Welcome Desk. Once completed, simply place yours in the mailbox outside the church office door. These cards are vital to our budgeting process, as they help the Finance Committee and Church Council build our spending plan for the coming year. Thank you for your prayerful support!

Join us for Family Movie Night on Saturday, November 21, at 6:30pm on the TLC lawn featuring “Coco!” Bring your family and enjoy an evening of fun, fellowship, and a great movie. All are welcome!

Right after our movie night on Saturday, November 21, our middle school and high school youth are invited for the Jesus and Jammies Sleepover! The sleepover will run from 8:30pm to 8:00am on Sunday, November 22, in Room 1. Enjoy snacks, music, movies, games, and a photo booth with friends!

Questions? Contact Angela at angela@tlcventura.org.

November 21 - Outdoor Movie  followed by Jesus & Jammies Sleepover

November 22 - VIMA at Temple Beth Torah at 3:00pm

November 25 - Thanksgiving Eve Worship Service at 6:30pm followed by a Pie Social

November 26-27 - Church Office Closed

If you would like to dedicate altar flowers in memory or honor of a loved one, the sponsorship cost is now $40 per arrangement. Thank you for helping keep our worship space beautiful!

City Center is in need of disinfectant and cleaning cloths.  Please place your donations in the baskets located in the Gathering Space.

Thank you for your ongoing support! As a reminder, residents at The City Center purchase their own food and household items, so your contributions help them redirect those funds toward their children’s needs, such as school supplies and clothing.

November 4 - Douglas Miller

November 5 - David Erickson, Ian McClary 

November 6 - Janet Chandler

November 7 - Bradley Paulson 

November 9 - Roman Donnelly

Congratulations to Manny and Danielle Mendoza on the birth of their daughter, Annie and to big sister Clara!

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

For Healing and Comfort

• Jim Aguirre

• Judy, cousin of Joanne Cornelius

• Angie and Luce Steencamp, daughter and son-in-law of Maxine and Larry Nafie

• Emily Reich, friend of Michael Gereau

Let Us Pray for the Families who are Mourning the Death of

• Jim Stone, son-in-law of Joyce Opjorden 

• Ellen, sister of Don Wilt

Week 43 (October 25  - October 31, 2026)