About Countryside UMC
Countryside UMC
Called to be a Church of Blessing – Gather, Grow, Go!
Countryside United Methodist Church has grown into a vibrant community of faith committed to gathering in worship, growing in discipleship, and going out to serve. What began with a vision to create a welcoming place for people to encounter Christ has become a church deeply rooted in grace, relationship, and mission.
Throughout the years, Countryside has sought to be a church of blessing—walking alongside families in every season of life, investing in children and youth, supporting adults in their faith journeys, and reaching beyond our walls to serve our neighbors. This story continues to unfold as each new generation joins in living out God’s love in tangible ways, shaping the future with hope, compassion, and purpose.
Our Story
A place where children discover God’s love through laughter, learning, and friendship. Each Sunday, kids explore Bible stories, enjoy music and activities, and grow in faith in a safe, caring environment designed just for them.
What We Believe
Teens in grades 6–12 find purpose, belonging, and fun at YG. Through worship, service projects, and real conversations, youth build lasting friendships and deepen their relationship with Christ while making a difference in their world.
Our Values & Beliefs
Life is better together. Our Small Groups are where faith becomes real—sharing stories, studying God’s Word, and supporting one another through life’s ups and downs. Find your group and connect in genuine community.
8:30 Sactuary Service
Our 8:30 a.m. traditional worship service offers a peaceful and reverent start to your Sunday. Rooted in the rich heritage of the Christian faith, this service features familiar hymns led by organ and choir, thoughtful liturgy, and a message grounded in Scripture. It’s a meaningful time to center your heart before the day begins — a space where quiet reflection and timeless traditions invite you to renew your spirit and find strength for the week ahead. For those who appreciate sacred rhythm and beautiful ritual, this service provides a comforting sense of connection and continuity within the life of faith.
9:45 Celebration Service
11:00 Traditional Service
Countryside Staff

Rev. Michael Tomson-DeGreeff
Senior Pastor

Rev. Jeff Potter
Associate Pastor

Kristen Wooten
Office & Facilities Administrator

Terri Woodbury
Bookkeeper

Sharon Austin
Giving Secretary

Brenda Bauman Swank
Member Development & Mission Coordinator

Becky Ericson
Children's Ministry Coordinator

Rebecca Bowles
Youth & Young Adult Ministry Coordinator

Brittney Tilley
Director of Countryside Child Development Center

Jamie Meyer
Worship & Arts Director

Thomas Pi
Sanctuary Choir Director

Max Linares
Organist / Pianist

Jenna Beam
Child Care Coordinator

Paul Swank
Sports & Kitchen Ministry Coordinator

Ernest Hickerson
Custodian

Christi Steward
Wedding Liaison
Reconciling Ministries
We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.
Membership
Discover Countryside is an informational gathering about how to become involved in the various ministries and activities offered at Countryside. A visit to our coffee bar for refreshments, facilities tour, and Q & A are included. Child care is available by prior arrangement. For details about our Discover Countryside class, contact Brenda Bauman Swank.
If you are interested in joining Countryside UMC, contact us at [email protected]
Baptism
In baptism, we acknowledge and celebrate the grace of God, freely offered to us before we were even aware of it. We confess our sin, accept membership in the family of Christ, and vow to trust in and serve Jesus Christ as our Lord. Baptism is the outward and visible sign of our covenant (holy agreement) with God to accept God’s gifts of freedom and power and to grow in faith through the constant efforts of the Holy Spirit and the lifelong practice of prayer, study, service, witness, and worship. Baptism is a communal celebration; the congregation vows to nurture and support those being baptized – adults or infants.
More information from The United Methodist Church.
Please contact us for more information on baptism at Countryside!
Confirmation
We recognize children are members of their human families, but no one expects them to clean their rooms or empty the dishwasher until much later. In the same way, “baptized infants are members of the Church—the family of faith—but are not yet capable of sharing everything involved in membership,” By Water and the Spirit, The United Methodist Church’s official statement on baptism, teaches.
Confirmation is an opportunity to respond to the grace of God available to us, as acknowledged in baptism, and to promise to live as a person of faith. “What God offers us must be accepted in repentance and faith,” This Is Your Baptismal Liturgy states. “Confirmation and reaffirmation are our responses of commitment, profession of faith, and rededication.”
More information from The United Methodist Church.
If your child is entering 7th grade, please contact Rebecca Bowles for more information regarding our Confirmation Classes.
Worship Services
Renew. Recharge. Rejoice.
At Countryside UMC, worship is at the heart of who we are. Whether you join us in person or online, our services offer a welcoming space to praise God, hear Scripture, and encounter Christ through uplifting music and meaningful messages. We celebrate traditional and contemporary styles of worship, inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to experience God’s love, find spiritual renewal, and join in community.
8:30 AM Sanctuary Service | 9:45 AM Celebration Service | 11:00 AM Traditional Service
COUNTRYSIDE UMC – 3221 S.W. Burlingame Rd. Topeka, KS
What We Believe as United Methodists
The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.
A Diverse Community
All persons are welcome in the United Methodist Church. Celebrating a diversity of peoples, age levels, ideas and cultures, we are enriched by our history. The United Methodist Church was formed with the union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1968.
United Methodists trace their spiritual heritage back to the 18th-centery evangelical leaders John and Charles Wesley, Jacob Albright and Philip William Otterbein. As these men changed their world then, today the church seeks to rethink how to effect change in the world.
Biblical, Evangelical, Connectional
United Methodists trust free inquiry into matters of Christian doctrine. Our faith is guided by Scripture, tradition, experience and reason. Scripture is of paramount importance. For United Methodists, the Bible is the record of God’s people living out God’s promise.
In the 21st century, The United Methodist Church seeks to expand its robust evangelical heritage. The church seeks to give a younger generation new ways to express their faith, translate that faith into actions and make a difference in the world. Wherever the churched or unchurched turn, they will find congregations seeking to create opportunities to encounter Christ.
Sharing God’s Gifts
United Methodists have believed from the beginning that each of us is called to participate in the outward-reaching ministry of Jesus Christ, John Wesley and others in our “cloud of witnesses” saw our work in the simplest, plainest terms: Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.
United Methodists open many doors that create opportunities to make an enormous difference in the world. Our wonderfully diverse ministries are made possible by United Methodism’s connectional giving system. We do more together than any one congregation can do alone.
Living & Giving God’s Love
We support worldwide ministry with other churches to spread the gospel, care for those seeking a connection with God and nurture communities of Christian disciples, following Jesus’ model of love and generosity. We listen, reach beyond ourselves, and offer help, hope and healing to those who are rethinking how to have more meaning in their lives.
For more than 200 years, The United Methodist Church and our predecessors have addressed poverty and the disenfranchised. We are committed to growing congregations and developing Christian leaders with the skills and spiritual strength to cope with the demands of the world. We play a significant role in educating others about devastating diseases, especially those which disproportionately affect the poor. We discern ways to fight disease and to provide better health conditions for people around the world. Our church advocates for justice and equality, and offers a voice when the struggles of the helpless are unheard. We are connected, caring and concerned about ministry that challenges our passion for making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Values & Beliefs
5 DISCIPLESHIP PRACTICES
worship, study, serve, give, share
ACCEPTANCE
We respect differences in people and seek to include all in the ministries of Countryside.
JESUS-LIKE
We value the teachings of Jesus and intentionally live our lives like Him in all that we do.
RELATIONSHIPS
We desire to know and be known by God and one another.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
We nurture the continuous growth of love and faith.
LOVE-IN-ACTION
We respond generously through mercy and justice to the needs of people in our city, nation, and world.
SAFETY
We diligently attend to the physical and emotional safety of all who gather in our church community.
INVITATION
We intentionally invite others to grow in faith and share life with us.
Events at Countryside
Find Your People. Find Your Purpose.
There’s always something happening at Countryside UMC! From worship and study opportunities to fun community gatherings and meaningful service projects, our events are designed to help you connect, grow, and serve. Check out what’s coming up and join us — everyone’s welcome!
Watch Sermons Online
Stay up-to-date with our current sermon series, revisit a past favorite, or explore something new in our extensive sermon collection.
Watch Live Search A Past Sermon

Rev. Michael Tomson-DeGreeff
Senior Pastor
Michael grew up in St. Louis, MO, and then, moved to Boston where he attended Berklee College of Music, played drums in bands and worked in restaurants. After surviving his battle testicular cancer at the age of twenty, he began searching for answers to the questions of life the way a man with his hair on fire seeks water. Michael’s spiritual journey led him to study world religions, and eventually, he came full-circle back to Christianity.
Michael (a boy from Missouri) and his wife, Steffani (a girl from Kansas), met in Boston, MA. They moved to Lawrence, KS, to attend the University of Kansas and were married at Lawrence First UMC where Michael heard the call to ordained ministry. Michael earned a Bachelor of Religious Studies from the University of Kansas and a Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology.
Michael served as the Campus Minister at KU, then as the Senior Pastor at Pleasant Hill UMC in Topeka, KS, Eudora UMC, Wamego UMC and Trinity UMC in Hutchinson, KS. Michael has a passion for revitalizing churches and nurturing spiritual leaders through mentoring and coaching.
Michael and Steffani have four young adult sons: Zac, Nic, Ben and Alex. Steffani works for TARC (Topeka Area Resource Center) as an Early Interventionist Social Worker (MSW, LSCSW). Steffani and Michael enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, hiking, cooking and going to concerts

Rev. Jeff Potter
Associate Pastor

Terri Woodbury
Bookkeeper
Terri grew up around Topeka and has her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Baker University. She had worked for 15 years as a bookkeeper prior to getting her degree. She has one daughter, Rachel, who grew up at Countryside UMC. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking, puzzles, and cooking.

Kristen Wooten
Office and Facilities Administrator

Brenda Swank
Member Development & Missions Coordinator

Becky Ericson
Children's Ministry Coordinator

Brittney Tilley
Director of Countryside Child Development Center

Jamie Meyer
Worship & Arts Director

Thomas Pi
Sanctuary Choir Director

Max Linares
Organist / Pianist

Rebecca Bowles
Youth & Young Adult Ministry Coordinator

Jenna Beam
Child Care Coordinator
Jenna started working in the nursery in 2009 and started the Child Coordinator job in 2017. Jenna got married on September 2, 2023, here at Countryside! Her husband, Kevin, joined Countryside United Methodist Church after transferring from the Catholic Church. Jenna’s biggest loves are animals, children and water! “Hakuna Matata!” is Jenna’s favorite phrase-“It means no worries, for the rest of your days!”

Paul Swank
Sports & Kitchen Ministry Coordinator

Ernest Hickerson
Custodian

Christi Steward
Wedding Liaison




