Autumn News from The Grove!

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November 5, 2026

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We will be the Body of Christ in our community by connecting with God, growing in discipleship, and serving the world.

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Enough

by Hannah Garrity

Inspired by Exodus 16:1-18 (Manna in the desert)

We have enough... I have been contemplating this phrase for the

last two years. We recently moved. In the process, we downsized.

How could so many things that I remembered paying money for

now become so irrelevant that I would choose to put them in the

trash? My Honda Accord had to hold our bags, the inflatable bed,

the two children, and me. Sitting on my front stoop, I slowly realized

that I had to send everything else to the dump. I had two hours.

1-800-GOT-JUNK was scheduled out for days, so was College Hunks Moving Junk. Glen from Stevens City was available. For $50/load, he would take everything left in the house in the back of his blue pickup. Four loads. I had always contributed one trash can per week to the landfill. This was different. It was jarring. I began to feel lighter, but heavier at the same time. Why had I purchased all of these things? Enough is better than more, more, more.

In this painting, I have overlaid my empty hand with sets of circles. The guilloché-style patterning is used by treasuries all over the world to secure paper currency by making it too intricate to counterfeit. Here, guilloché circles represent my deeply personal relationship with the money that supports our lives. Some money falls past my hand, some into my hand. Moses advises the people: take only what

you need, one omer each. In this piece, the idea of enough money is layered with the idea of enough sustenance through manna. The manna is portrayed by another set of circles, reminiscent of the wafers that are used in some traditions as Communion bread. Enough. Thank you, God, for providing enough, that I would take what I need.

— Hannah Garrity

Remember Me

by Lisle Gwynn Garrity

Inspired by Luke 22:1-23 (The Last Supper & Judas' Betrayal)

Peter and John go to prepare the Passover meal in the home of a

generous stranger. Meanwhile, Judas satiates the desires of the

chief priests and legal experts by cutting a deal with them. Many of

us quickly condemn Judas’ betrayal as cowardly and weak. But we

are privileged to know the end of this story, which makes judgment

more enticing than empathy. Judas did not know exactly how this narrative would play out.

He knew what Jesus had told them about their fate, painting a vision of doom and terror: the temple demolished, nations at war,

food shortages, epidemics, harassment and torture from the authorities, betrayal by loved ones, hatred from strangers, possible execution by the state (Luke 21:5-19). With the chief priests on the hunt and Jesus’ disruptive death on the horizon, things were escalating quickly. Judas had to act fast. In the face of so much uncertainty and fear for the future, how might you behave? Judas wants the nightmare to end. He wants security, assurance, quick relief. He wants to go back to how things used to be. And so, evil enters into Judas’ story like ink spilled across the page. But Jesus doesn’t let Judas’ story end here. Instead, he welcomes him to the table—a table where fear and doubt and difference have a place too. He offers him a meal where brokenness just makes more to pass around. He pours into a common cup that promises a new way forward. Scarcity and fear and conflict will always threaten to dismember our story. But can we remember that God has a greater story to tell—a story that re-members us and makes us whole?

— Lisle Gwynn Garrity

Developing a Vision for Our Church –

Listening to Our Community

The church is embarking on the next step in our journey: developing a Vision for our church that will describe what God wants to uniquely do through us.

The first step was to interview the Chesapeake community we serve to understand our neighbor’s needs and concerns. Thank you to the Oak Grove UMC volunteers who helped make that happen!

Next steps:

A small group will meet to discern and shape the Vision Statement for Oak Grove.
The draft will be presented to the Leadership Board in January.
Once finalized, Pastor Amanda and leadership will begin working on a 3–5- ear action plan for the church.
More information will be shared in a “Heard it through the Grapevine” session in 1st Quarter 2027.

Great Win from the Interview Process:

During an interview, a guidance counselor at Indian River High School mentioned that students were looking for volunteer opportunities. We connected the school and those students with the Serve Ministry and they’re helping with the Food Pantry / Community dinner team on Wednesdays.