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Larned & Garfield United Methodist Churches

The Evangel “Making Ends Meet”

I have always heard this as “making ends meat”, understanding it to mean that you made enough to actually have meat as part of your meal. You know, being able to afford everything. Then a book was recommended to me called “Margins” by Richard A Swenson, in which he describes making ends meet as when we have just enough money to make it to our next paycheck. Thus, the ends meet when our paycheck arrives just as we spend our last dollar.

Having lived that way, I know the stress this situation causes. So, when he talks about the need for us to have a “margin” in order to live a more healthy life, I am with him. He describes margin as the white space, like the margin on a page, which leaves room in any aspect of our life to breath.

As I read the book, I found myself agreeing with so much, because I have seen the loss he talks about. With the loss of margins in all aspects of our lives, we live on the edge; one more thing,

whether financial, emotional, or time consuming, will push us over the edge into chaos. It is this reality that seems to be ripping our families and communities apart.

The answers he gives will seem simple and familiar; slow down, spend less, do less, but when we look at our schedules, our finances, the list of things that have to get done - there is nothing to cross off. In fact, there is a list of things we feel we should be doing waiting to be added. The good news is that through scripture he invites us to explore each in a way that expands these simple answers in to practical life giving actions.

This idea of margins seems like a good one for the New Year, so, I will be sharing more from the book and scripture as I explore the idea of making space in our lives in a sermon series throughout January.

Peace & Joy in Christ, Bethann

Notes from the Pastor - JANUARY 2014

Embrace with love;

Empower through the teachings of Jesus Christ; Engage in active mission

This is the new vision statement for Larned UMC. As we have talked about what we value, three things stood out: inclusion of all people, teaching, and missions. As we move forward into the future, we will use the vision statement to help us strengthen our ministries.

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January 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

New Year’s

Day

Church Office

Closed

2 3 4

5 6

Public Schools

begin today

LUMC:

Compassionate

Responders

6:30 PM

7

LUMC:

Cub Scouts @

5:30 PM

GUMC: Office

Hours 4-6pm

Bible Study 6PM

8) LUMC:

UMW Meeting 10

AM with potluck

lunch; Wacky Weds

with Jesus 6:00PM;

Choir - 7:30pm; Women’s Bible Study @7:30pm

9 10 11

12

LUMC:

Choir singing at

10:15 AM Service;

GUMC:

Garfield Church

Council 6:00 PM

13

GUMC:

Food Pantry

Week @ 4-6 PM

14

GUMC:

Food Pantry

Week @ 4-6 PM

15 GUMC: Food

Pantry Week @4-6 PM

LUMC: Wacky

Weds with Jesus

6:00PM; Women’s Bible Study 7:30pm;

NO CHOIR

16

GUMC: Food

Pantry Week

@4-6 PM

17

GUMC: Food

Pantry Week

@4-6 PM

18

19

GUMC:

Movie Night

@6:00 PM

20

LUMC:

Church Council

@5:30 PM;

Trustees Meeting

@ 7:30PM

21

LUMC:

Cub Scouts @

5:30 PM

GUMC: Office

Hours 4-6pm

Bible Study 6PM

22) LUMC: Wacky Weds with

Jesus 6:00PM

Choir - 7:30pm Women’s Bible Study @7:30pm

23 24 25

26 27

LUMC:

Emmaus

Reunion

@ 6:30pm

28

GUMC: Office

Hours 4-6pm

Bible Study 6PM

29) LUMC: Wacky Weds with

Jesus 6:00PM

Choir - 7:30pm Women’s Bible Study @7:30pm

30

Finance Meeting

@

31

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I want to say Thank You to Pastor Bethann

Black, and the Larned United Methodist Church congregation for all of the cards, prayers, tele-phone calls, and encouraging words with the passing of my mother, Mildred Bohannon.

God’s Blessings, From Judy & Stan Smith

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I want to thank everyone who came to my 80th birthday celebration.

Thank you all for the cards and the thoughtfulness.-

Glenna Taylor

_______________________________________________________________________________________

SNOW REMOVAL

A big THANK YOU to David Woods, Jeff Delaney, and

Dean Leslie for helping us with the snow removal at the

church.

Marcy Wagner & Sally Dreiling

Photos by Sally Dreiling

WACKY

WEDNESDAY

WITH JESUS

Starts again on Jan 8th, 2014 !

Continues to welcomed

nearly 70 kids and Adults

each Wednesday.

A meal is served followed by

fun, lessons, learning,

singing, and prayers.

It continues on

Wednesday

evenings at 6:00PM to

7:30 PM at the LUMC.

Larned UMC Giving Through Service:

Contact the office 285-3183 if you are willing to help in these areas or would like to remove your name.

Thank you all so much for helping! THERE ARE STILL SIGNTHERE ARE STILL SIGN--UP SHEETS IN THE UP SHEETS IN THE

HALLWAY FOR HELPERS NEEDED IN HALLWAY FOR HELPERS NEEDED IN 20142014! !

We need your help in this New Year!!We need your help in this New Year!!

Jan. Sound Equipment: Rob Marshall

Jan. Communion Stewards: Prescotts

Helpers: Froetschners

Jan. Ushers: WE NEED 4 PEOPLE TO HELP! contact the office 285-3183 if you are willing to help

Jan. Greeters: Don & Donna Stejskal

Jan Reader: Dallas Hiebert

Sunday Schedules:Sunday Schedules:

LUMC Schedule: 9:00 AM - Small Group Bible Study in the Library 9:00 AM - Adult Sunday School in the Parlor 9:45 AM - Fellowship Time 10:15 AM - Worship Service

GUMC Schedule: 8:45 AM- Worship Fellowship & refreshments following *********************************************************************************************

For LUMC Fellowship January Cookie BakersJanuary Cookie Bakers 1/5 ~ Connie Fox 1/5 ~ Connie Fox 1/12 ~ need bakers1/12 ~ need bakers 1/19 ~ need bakers1/19 ~ need bakers 1/26 ~ need bakers1/26 ~ need bakers Sign up in the hallway or Sign up in the hallway or call the office at 285call the office at 285--31833183

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GARFIELD CHURCH A NEW LOOK AT AN OLD BUILDING

I thought I’d end 2013 and start the New Year by looking back at old photographs. My mother, Betty Nan (Hall) Williams, and I were looking through old family history pictures and ran across this photo. As some of you may know, my mother was born and raised on a farm near Garfield. She attend-ed the now Garfield United Methodist Church when she was a young girl. She says this picture was taken prior to 1935 because there isn’t a basement for the church. This photo was probably taken by my grandfa-ther, C. Warner Hall, who is also the grandfather of Steve Hall and Cindy (Hall) Cline, and the great uncle of Matt Hall, all who are members of the GUMC. — Laurie Williams

Secretary LUMC/GUMC

GARFIELD CHURCH

NEWS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We had our TLC meeting on the 11th of Decem-ber, and instead of doing a gift exchange, we threw our money into a can that we had been collecting money in, ending up with $115.00.

I then took it to Steve Lewis who is the treasurer for Lyons Basket Program and told him to use it however he deemed necessary. He said he had three different outlets: (1) Kids at school, (2) toys for kids that are in the hospital, and (3) food for the ones that needed it. I told him to choose but, we wanted it to go for the kids, mainly.

It sure gives you a good feeling all over to know that you have done a something positive for someone who may not have as much.

We had a good meal at our TLC meeting. We all brought a dish, and discussed different avenues for the meals for 2014. We will have a movie night on Sunday19th of January at 6:00 pm.

Hope you had a Good Christmas and a Happy New Year, EVERYONE! — Elaine Jenkins

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UMW meets at 10 AM the first Wednesday of most months; however, in January 2014 New Year’s Day with its football and black-eyed peas trumps us. Our first meeting for 2014 will be the Pledge Service on January 8th, with a potluck lunch to follow. All the women of the church are welcome to join the fellowship of Godly women. We hope to see you on January 8, 2014 at 10:00 AM in the Larned United Methodist Church Parlor.

Connie Fox

______________________________________ Christmas Blessings from:

John J. & Lola Mae Gilkison, 7220 SW Asbury Dr., Ingleside # 201, Topeka, KS 66614

“We do miss attending Church services there in Larned and visiting with our church friends. We have a nice Chaplain, Rev Dennis Matthews, here at Aldersgate Village and attend his service on Monday afternoons.

Sending blessings to all of you. Love, Lola Mae & John Gilkison”

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Larned: Health Concerns: Beverly Wilson, Peggy Thomp-son, Bill Woods, Dan Dipman, Ethan Woods, Easton Fitzpat-rick, Angie Murray, Bill Woods

Long Term Care:

Jr. Schneck, Glenn Courtney, Eldred Dipman, Edith Haun, Phyllis Neidig, Bob Bauer, Alta Dutton, Bea Seba, Johnnie Fra-zier, Betty Unruh, Bob Salmans,

Tamsel Rogers, Wilda Jantz, Kenny & Wanda Eye Continuing Prayers:

Polly Newport, Vern Steffen, Shawn Sanneman, Lyndell Fox

Garfield:

Let us keep the following individuals in our prayers:

Vivian, Clarabel, Melvin, Eva-lina, Travis Hall, Marvin, Brian, Cindy, Marilyn, Brenda & Gary

Prayer ConcernsPrayer Concerns

Larned Birthdays: Carol Carlson 5th Marcia King 6th Joan Buhrer 7th Marj Niewald 8th Breilynn Renz 13th Camden McDonald 15th Mark Lessard 16th Alma Frick 16th Beth Pinkston 16th Ceaton Michael Haney 18th Jaidyn Pinkston 18th Michael L. Vratil 19th Audrey Allison 20th Dean Zook 20th Easton Fitzpatrick 21th Robert Bauer 22nd Meredith Allison 22nd Virginia Brownlee 22nd Joann Phillips 22nd Joan Rainbolt 23rd Esthel Cook 23rd Greg Henderson 25th

Debbie Woods 25th Natalie Geiger 26th Mason Geiger 26th Lynda Presley 28th Christobelle Huck 30th Anthony Youngers 30th

Larned Anniversaries: Robert & Virginia Best 1st Dwight & Dixie Shank 6th Greg & Linda Henderson 10th Jason & Jeslyn Woods 12th Rocky & Andrea Tauscher 23rd Bob & Gladys Salmans 28th Tom & Dana McGovern 31st

Garfield: Birthdays & Anniversaries: Kay E. (Price) Roberts 5th Emersyn Davis 10th Marleigh Johnson 23rd Garrett Mead 27th Kent Converse 29th Madeline Vinson 29th