1. family and parenting
2. children

Tecumseh United Methodist Church
Est. 1854
By the time you read this, I will be back in Mexico. This will be my
twentieth trip according to the tally I started a few years ago. That’s a lot of tacos.
Every visit to Pimpollo (a home for children in Juchitan, Oaxaca) is
different. I never quite know who will be home, who will have left home, or who
will be new to the house until I arrive. And even then, it takes a few days to ask
questions and get things sorted out.
After the founder Madre Estela died, the mission changed considerably.
The focus now is on raising the children who remain and providing a home for the
youth with special needs who will never live independently. The youngest
children and babies are generally the children of the children I first fell in love
with in 2001. I figure that makes me an abuela, a grandma, by now. The kids aren’t
shy about this. They tell me all about my grey hair.
I really can blame plenty of it on them. I was never planning on this
border-crossing life. I did not expect that a group of Mexican kids would move
into my heart and take up permanent residence. But that’s the way it has worked
out.
When they ask me, as they always do, “When are you coming back?” I’ve
never had it in me to be vague. Too many people have abandoned these kids in
their lives and I’m just not going to be one of them. So I tell them, it will be
another year. I’ll be back in a year. It’s always too long for any of us to be really
happy about, but I figure it’s not too shabby considering all the other parts of life
I’m juggling.
So here we are. Another year has passed and 2015 is upon us. I return to
Mexico again because that is a commitment I have made to a family I have chosen,
and what about you? What are the commitments that you have made to others
and to yourselves over the years and how will you live them out in this New
Year?
Maybe this January is a good time to consider how we are doing in our
commitments and especially in our relationships. How are we showing others that
we love them? How are we showing up to listen, to laugh, to play, to comfort, to
provide? How are we paying attention to those dearest to us and is there enough
space in our lives to welcome someone new into our hearts?
It can be a delicate dance, managing our time, our commitments, and our
relationships. But if there is anything that my spiritual mentor Madre Estela
taught me, it is that with faith there is always room for one more. There are always
enough beans for one more mouth. There is always enough love for one more
child. God’s love is abundant and overflowing. It is always more than enough.
May you know this love is absolutely committed to you, now and always.
See you soon!
Peace, joy, and every blessing,
Rev. Marsh
Rev. Sarah Marsh
Office: 379-5005
Home: 379-1586
www.tecumsehumc.com
Helpful Websites
Great Plains UMC
www.greatplainsumc.org
Upper Room
devotional.upperroom.org
Topeka JUMP
topekajump.weebly.com
Facebook
TUMC-Facebook
this issue
Rev. Marsh P.1
Upcoming Dinners P.2
Justice P. 3
Bulletin Board P.4
Thank you /Good Life P.5
Monthly Calendar P.6
Fall Festival P. 8
1|Page
Our Christian Sympathy goes out to…
Rev Sarah Marsh and family, in the loss of Rev. Marsh’s grandmother,
Marjorie whose services were December 17.
Frances Meyer’s friends and family whose services were December 20.
Mark your Calendar
Super Bowl Sunday, February 1, Children’s Sunday school class
will be serving soup or chili, corn bread and brownies following the
church service. Money raised will be used to purchase materials for
the children’s Sunday school lessons and Bible school.
United Methodist Women’s Welcome Dinner
January 20, 2015
6:30 PM
Fellowship Hall
Catered meal by Sweet Dreams Catering
Cost $5.00
Open to all women of the church, join us and learn about what it means to be a
Methodist Women and what we do here at Tecumseh United Methodist Church
to support mission work and our church. Call the church office 379-5005 to
make reservations by January 15.
CROCK POT COOKERY
Saturday, Jan 24 at 1pm
The TUMC Health Ministry team is presenting another of their now-famous cooking
presentations. Bring your appetites, and any personal slow –cooker recipes you might want
to share, and prepare to be wowed with of full range of slow cooking options to sample!!
This afternoon of food and fellowship may be the thing for after the holiday blues. Plus, you may go home
with some great ideas and recipes for feeding your family (or a church potluck).
AND, there is a chance for a great door prize?! Once again, all are invited to this Health Ministry offering.
2|Page
From the Stewardship and Finance Committee:
As of December 1, 2014, the projected cost of the three main areas of necessary expenses for our church-personnel, property (which consists mainly of utilities and insurance), and our connectional commitment to the
Conference-- exceeds our projected income. Income is projected based on the total amount committed by members
and friends of Tecumseh United Methodist Church for furthering God's work through our church in the year 2015.
Please pray with us that we may see God's purpose for us in the coming year as we seek to teach and share God's
love with all.
Special Sundays 2015
The United Methodist Church designates 6 Special Sunday offerings to be taken churchwide.
Human Relations Day- (Jan 18) supports Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Service and Youth
Offender Rehabilitation programs.
One Great Hour of Sharing- (March 15) provides major support of the United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR) which allows 100% of designated gifts to be used for the specified disaster response or other ministry.
Native American Ministries Sunday- (April 19) - funds urban ministries with Native Americans, scholarships for
Native Americans attending UM seminaries and annual conference Native American ministries.
Peace with Justice Sunday- (May 31) supports peace with justice ministries through the General Board of Church
and Society and the annual conferences.
World Communion Sunday- (Oct 4) supports World Communion Scholarships, the Ethnic Scholarship Program, and
the Ethnic In-Service Training Program.
United Methodist Student Day- (Nov 29) provided loan and scholarship funds for United Methodist college,
university, and graduate students.
The suggestion has been $1 per member. Please give generously. Your gift makes a difference.
More information can be found by clicking link- Special Sundays 2015
Justice Ministry Update
Justice Ministry @ TUMC through our involvement in the Topeka JUMP (Justice Unity Ministry Project) is beginning
its second year. After choosing Mental Illness as this year’s focus, the Research Committee has already participated
in interview meetings and three more are scheduled for the first week of January. We have met with the Director of
the Council on Developmental Disabilities, staff @ Family Service and Guidance Center, Director of the Shawnee
County Department of Corrections, Director of the Topeka Metro, and the Exec Director of Kansas NAMI (National
Alliance on Mental Illness). Starting off January, meetings are scheduled with the Rescue Mission, NETReach, Topeka
Reentry Action Group, and Recovery Oriented Systems of Care.
Through these and many more interview meetings, the Research Committee will look for recurring problems that
will narrow the focus and lead to an issue and hopefully, possible solution.
This is the same process used last year. Updating the Education campaign: we continue to attend Topeka 501 Board
of Education meetings-with our presence still seeking the goal of three more Communities in Schools Coordinators
in the Topeka elementary schools.
3|Page
THE BULLETIN BOARD
January
USHERS
Jan Mason
Olga Hennessey
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
GREETERS
Willa Norwood
DORCAS CIRCLE
4- Marie Winter-Zima
6- Charlene Proper (84)
8- Lucille Zimmer
12- Nancy Rush
14- Justin Chilcott (87)
20-Wade Hapgood
21- Laura Atkinson
24-Bruce Waller
28- Sandra Parnell
29- Tim Lavin
30-Sis Long
Carol Roberts
31-Doris Skinner
Wednesday,
Jan 18
9:30am
JANUARY
ANNIVERSARIES
HOSPITAL & HOME VISITS
NURSERY
EVE CIRCLE
Tuesday, Jan 17
7:00pm
FINANCE REPORT
January 1, 2014
Balance Forward: $3,534.07
TOTAL INCOME NOVEMBER: $15,433.66
TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS: $9,811.69
CASH BALANCE: $1,240.90
February Newsletter
Guest Pastors in January
January 4, Reverend Kent Melcher
a former pastor of Shawnee Heights
Methodist church, Topeka District
Superintendent, and retired from
the Kansas East conference will be
filling in for Reverend Marsh who be
be returning to her children at the
orphanage.
January 11, Reverend Wayne Castle
will be in the pulpit preaching for
Reverend Marsh. Reverend Castle
is a former pastor of Tecumseh
United Methodist church and
recently retired again from Stull
United Methodist church.
Please make sure the office
has any announcements,
articles, or information for the
February newsletter. Deadline
for submissions is Jan 20
Newsletter folding will be on
Jan 26.
28-Boos
Ed & Stacy
31-Krug
Dan & Pat (50)
Dillons Cards
When you buy the cards from this church
Dillons makes a 6% donation to the church!
Therefore, each card you buy Dillons donates $3 to our church.
You do not pay anything extra- you pay $50 for each card and
you have $50 to spend on groceries, gas, and pharmacy items.
We will be selling cards every Sunday after church in the south
room. Cards may also be purchased in the office during regular
office hours. Thank you, Dillons!
4|Page
I would very much like to thank the anonymous individual for the Christmas card I
received at the church. The love and generosity of people in this community never ceases
to amaze me. Thank you for truly touching my heart at a time when it was needed most.
God bless.
-Cindy Whitsell
Thank you for coming to my party. It was a great day!! But I sure blew it the next day. It is a slow process and a
frustrating time. My arm is healing from the x-rays but it will be a month or more before I am out of the sling able to
move my arm much. I am in no pain unless I move it which I am very careful not to. It has been quite an adventure!!
I want to thank all of you who made my birthday party so special! I was sorry I blew it the next day, but I thank you
all for so many cards, visits and prayers. It has been hard and a real challenge to function with one left hand but I
have learned how to slow down and be more patient with life. (I hope) I miss all of you and will be glad when I feel up
to coming back to church. Right now, I just feel safer at home. But thanks for all your love and caring.
-Betty Fergola
We invite you to
Service
January 7
5 pm Community Dinner
Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Jell-O Salad, Vegetables,
Dessert & Drink
6 pm Good Life Service
We will be talking about New Beginnings!
Good Life -New Beginnings
Discovery Club…
will resume after the holidays on Tuesday, January 6, 2015. We are always looking for a “few good men” (or
women!) –actually a LOT! - to join us in sharing God’s love with kids from T North. Especially now. We have
40-45 kids who come eager to be in relationship with adults that care. And we do care. It isn’t always easy
to come each week with the patience that’s required to share God’s love and establish those relationships
that may make a world of difference in a young life. Please give it some thought and consider if this might
be a place for you to make a difference. We can certainly use you!
5|Page
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Sunday Services
Sunday School 9:30
Worship10:45
4
10:30a- Kids choir
practice
5
7p-Boy Scouts
6
3:30p-5:30p Discovery
Club
7
5p-6:30p Community
Dinner
6p- Good Life
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
Office Closed
7p-Choir Practice
2
3
8
7p- Choir Practice
9
10
5-8p- FH Reserved
New Beginnings
11
10:30a- Kids choir
practice
2p- Let’s Go Visiting
12
7p- Boy Scouts
13
3:30p-5:30p Discovery
Club
5:45p-Good Life
Leadership Team
14
11:30a-Golden Age
6:30p- Kiwanis
15
TUMC Serving Lets
Help
12:30p Harvesters
7p- Choir Practice
16
18
10:30a- Kids choir
practice
5p-Stewardship &
Finance
7p Trustees
19
Office Closed
9a-Mission Committee
7p Boy Scouts
20
Newsletter Deadline
3:30p-5:30p Discovery
Club
7p- United Methodist
Women’s Welcome
Dinner
21
9:30a- Dorcas Circle
6:30p- Kiwanis
22
7p- Choir Practice
23
24
9a- CERT
1p-Crock Pot Cookery
25
10:30a- Kids choir
practice
26
7p-Boy Scouts
27
Newsletter Folding
28
6:30p- Kiwanis
29
7p- Choir Practice
30
31
1-4p-FH Reserved
TUMC Calendar
17
Church & FH Reserved 9-9- Church & FH
Reserved
6|Page
TECUMSEH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
334 SE Tecumseh RD
PO Box 5
Tecumseh KS 66542-0005
XL Volume 1; January 1, 2015
June 1, 2014
-CHURCH OFFICE HOURS-
-SUNDAY MORNINGS-
8:30am-12:30
Monday-Thursday
785-379-5005
SUNDAY SCHOOL
children and adults 9:30am
WORSHIP - 10:45am
Nursery Available
www.tecumsehumc.com
Open hearts. Open minds. Open Doors.
The people of The United Methodist Church
Our Mission is to teach and share God's love with all.
A New Year With The Lord
A new year is about to unfold
With new opportunities to explore
Doors will open for new experiences
New adventures with the Lord
Remember not the former things
The things of this past year
The Lord will do new things in us
Much more than we are aware
What God has placed within our hearts
We find we'll be able to do
If we look for the opportunities
We'll see the door to go through
We mustn't let anything hold us back
But rise up and take our place
And be all that God wants us to be
With a fresh touch of His grace!
- M.S.Lowndes
For He will make a way for us
As we put our trust in Him
And He will guide our every step
By His presence we have within
7|Page