Sunday, November 8, 2009
I Kings 17:8-16, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44

Services at 8:30 a.m. in the Chapel and
11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary
The Reverend Kristine Anderson Ostrem

10:00 a.m.  Sunday School

10:00 a.m.  Plymouth Forum, Health Care, Hildebrand Hall

12:15 p.m.  Fellowship Hour, Lounge

Music This Sunday

Prelude: Variations on Wondrous Love  Robert Lau
Anthem: Wondrous Love  Paul Christiansen  
Offertory: When I survey the Wondrous Cross
Gilbert Martin
Postlude: Praeludium in D Major  Dietrich Buxtehude
Hymns: 54, 498, 425

A goal of most healthcare reform proposals is to strengthen our primary care sector. There is a  serious problem mounting as we see that states with stronger primary care have better health, higher quality care, with lower healthcare costs. As our population ages and people with chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease live longer, the care of the chronically ill has become a major component of primary care practice. Many healthcare reform proposals presume that high quality chronic illness care will result in significant cost savings. But the current organization and reimbursement of primary care are barriers to providing high quality care. The Patient-centered Medical Home provides a new vision for the organization and payment of primary care, and has been proposed as the solution to primary care crisis. The goals of this new model are to:

• reorganize primary care practices 
• change practice systems to make practices more responsive to patient values, and needs (patient-centered).
• prevent unnecessary trips to the Emergency Room or Hospital and
  reducing healthcare costs by providing accessible, convenient, high quality medical care.

This Patient-Centered Care Model is being tested in Washington and dozens of other states. Early experience suggests that the above goals are within reach.

Ed Wagner, MD, MPH, FACP is a general internist/epidemiologist and Director of the MacColl Institute for Healthcare Innovation at the Group Health Research Institute. He has written two books and more than 250 publications.

Join us this Sunday, November 8, at 10:00 a.m. in HIldebrand Hall.

Under Article 10.8.1 of the bylaws, a Church Meeting has been called for November 8, 2009. The meeting will be held in the Sanctuary immediately after the 11:00 a.m. service. The business of the meeting will be the election of a Senior Minister Search Committee. The list of condidates and their biographies are presented below. Up to three additional members of the committee may be elected through nominations from the floor. Anyone nominated from the floor must have agreed to serve if elected.

Search Committee for Plymouth Senior Minister

The Nominating Committee is pleased to present the following list of candidates for the Senior Minister Search Committee.  We are very thrilled because we feel the candidates bring a broad representation of the demographics and interest of the congregation to the table, and because they have a variety of skills that will be critical for the successful completion of the task ahead. The candidates were unanimous in feeling honored to have been nominated, and appreciative of the importance of their work, and we are grateful for their willingness to say “yes.”
Bill Durland (Chair), Marcia Almquist, David Boyd-Fliegel, Carol Burkhart, Sue Haas, Anne Kiemle and Connie Wentzel

Robin Appleford Robin Appleford joined Plymouth in 1984 and was on the search committee for Tony Robinson. She has taught Sunday School and served on the Worship Board, Pastoral Relations Board, Adult Education Board, and Open and Affirming Committee.   She has been part of the Plymouth Adult Choir and Bell Choir and is an usher and communion server.  Outside of Plymouth she is an Olympia lobbyist and has many animals on her Vashon farm which Plymouth youth love to visit.  

Kevin Bechtold  Kevin Bechtold has been attending Plymouth Church since his birth. He spent time in each of the Sunday School classrooms, including four years in YF.  This experience was formative for him and has since propelled him to a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies at the University of Oregon.  He has also just begun his journey towards ordained ministry.  He is a student in the Master of Divinity program at Seattle University.  He also works part time at Gregg’s Cycles in Bellevue.

Phyllis Daniels  Phyllis Daniels joined Plymouth in 1974.   She and her husband, John raised their two sons, Matt and Steve, in the church community.  She served as head teacher of the junior high program and the toddler room and she lead Youth Forum for five years.  She has been a member of the Pastoral Care Committee, Nominating Committee, Church Council, including a term as Moderator, and currently the Human Resource Committee. In her professional life she has a Master’s in Social Work and has worked with clients from geriatric to high risk pregnancy.  She obtained a certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Presbyterian Counseling Service (now Samaritan Center) and her Master’s in Transforming Spirituality from Seattle University in 2005. 

Courtney Hashimoto  Courtney Hashimoto joined Plymouth in 2007, and soon thereafter, he and Rosemary were married in the church.  He has served on the Fellowship and Recreation Board.  He has been chair of our annual camp at N-Sid-Sen and helps organize the annual men’s retreat. Courtney assists in the grade 6/7 Sunday School class. He is an advocate of small groups at Plymouth and participates in a monthly Covenant Group.  Courtney has three children, Bradford (27), Ann (22) and Gavin (14), who is a member of this year’s confirmation class.  Courtney is a manager with Cascade Bank.

Bruce Lamb  Bruce Lamb has been a member of Plymouth Church since 1999. He and Connie Lamb were married in 1997 by pastor Tim Devine. Bruce has volunteered at nearly all age levels and has co-taught the 8th grade confirmation class for the past five years. He has served on boards and ministry teams including Worship and Community Service and Social Action. A practicing litigation attorney, he    volunteers time to immigrant and social justice nonprofits. He has two daughters at the University of Washington.

Merrily Matthews  Merrily Matthews has been attending Plymouth for three years. She and her husband, Todd joined for their faith development and to provide a Christian community for their two young sons, Graham and Nathan. Merrily was impressed with Plymouth’s youth education and emphasis on the relevance of the Bible to everyday living. She attends Bible Study, Plymouth U and participated in several retreats. Last year she helped create the small group program for N-Sid-Sen. Merrily has earned income as an Architectural Lighting Designer, a Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Move Manager/Organizer.  She is currently working part time, in order to be at home with her youngest, and to volunteer at both her sons’ schools. 

Robert Neer  Robert Neer and his wife ,Amy joined Plymouth in 2001. Both their sons, Sam and Leo, were baptized at Plymouth and are blessed by the continuing nurturing and guidance of our Sunday School. Since becoming a member, Robert has served on the Adult Education Board, the Parish Care Board, as a Companion, and currently as a teacher in the 6/7 grade Sunday School class. Robert’s professional experience involves leading teams in developing and managing technology-driven consumer products.  He spent 8 years with the Walt Disney Internet Group, and currently works in product development and design with T-Mobile.  He is humbled to be asked to serve Plymouth during this time of discernment. 

Marcia Regnier  Marcia Regnier joined Plymouth in 1987 with her husband, David, soon after they moved to Seattle from the Chicago area with their two sons, Michael and Edward. She has taught in Sunday School, and has served as chair of the Worship Board and the Nominating Committee. Marcia has also served a term as Moderator (and ex-officio member of the last search committee) and currently sings in the choir. In years past, Marcia has worked as a teacher, legal secretary and paralegal.

Connie Sandstrom  Connie Sandstrom, an upstate New York native, lives in Ballard with her husband Mark and their children Ursula (19; at Bates College, ME), Catherine (17) and Peter (14). She is a graduate of Cornell University and a practicing architect. Connie has taught in the Sunday School and the Focus program, worked as Sunday School Coordinator and served on the AP&F Board, Property Maintenance Committee and Library Committee. Connie is currently on the Council, Budget Committee and serving as treasurer. In her spare time, she loves to cook, backpack, bike, hike and search for new eggplant recipes.

The Plymouth labyrinth will be open for walking on Wednesday, November 4, from 5:00-6:15 p.m. The Plymouth U Molly meal will be served in Room 221 that evening.  Although the labyrinth walk will be part of the labyrinth class at Plymouth U, all are welcome to walk it before dinner.  Do come and experience the gifts of the labyrinth.

Thanksgiving Weekend has special meaning for Plymouth this year as we give thanks for the eleven-yearministry of Kristine Anderson Ostrem after the 11:00 a.m. worship service on November 29. We will celebrate Kris’s gifts and presence among us at a reception in Hildebrand Hall following the 11:00 a.m. Worship Service. Finger food will be provided. We especially welcome all  children to join us in thanking Kris for her leadership of our Church School. Please mark this special Sunday of Thanksgiving Weekend as our extended family embraces the Ostrem Family in gratitude. Questions? Diane Kenny ( 324-6811); Connie Sandstrom ( 784-4925); Robin Appleford (463-6237).