DONALD OLSEN

Donald Olsen was called by the congregation to be the next Senior Minister of Plymouth Congregational Church on Sunday, October 7, 2007.  Dr. Olsen most recently served as Dean of the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies, the educational Division of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.  He also served the Association as an Associate Executive Secretary for the Division for Ministry, the Missionary Society and the Division for Congregational Church Development.  Dr. Olsen was trained by the Alban Institute to provide support and counsel to Association churches and clergy in conflict. 

Dr. Olsen is a graduate of: Bethel College, Arden Hills, MN, BA Philosophy and Theology; United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, MN, M.Div. and Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL, D.Min.  Dr. Olsen served churches in Manhasset, New York and Lathrup Village, Michigan. 

Don and his wife, Penny, will be moving from Waukegan, IL. Penny is the Marketing and Product Development Manger for Chaney Instruments, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  They enjoy reading, gardening, sailing, working on the restoration of their home. Don has four grown children and one grandchild.

LISA DEMBKOWSKI

Rev. Lisa Dembkowski has joined the staff of Plymouth Congregational Church to serve as the church’s Associate Minister.  Rev. Dembkowski has most recently served as the senior minister of Wyben Union Church in Westfield, Massachusetts.  Prior to that, she was part of the ministerial staff of the Florence Congregational Church in Florence, MA, serving as the church’s Christian education coordinator.  She has served on several committees of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches including the Church Services Commission and the Communication Services Committee.

Lisa earned her Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, MA. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.  She is a graduate of the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies.

Lisa worked as a full-time staff writer and office manager for the Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, MA.  She also worked for a publishing company of the Episcopal Church as a writer, editor, and production manager and as the parish secretary of a United Methodist Church.

Lisa is from Northampton, MA.  She has twin sons who are college sophomores.  She enjoys spending time with her sons, appreciating the arts, taking day trips, and watching Red Sox baseball.

HOWARD WEBB

Howard Webb has actively contributed to the advancement of music throughout the community for more than 25 years. He currently serves as the Music Director of Plymouth Congregational Church, where he was instrumental in establishing the Plymouth Chamber Concert series and planned the programming for each season. As one of the co-founders of the Wichita Chamber Chorale, Howard served that organization as President, Board Member and/or Performing Member. He currently is a founding member and Director of the Heart of America Men's Chorus. His career as a musician has found him on both sides of the podium. He has held positions as a tenor soloist with the Wichita Choral Society, St. James Episcopal Church, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church, and College Hill Methodist Church, among others. Howard's conducting career began at the age of 15 when he began conducting a choir in his home church. While serving in the United States Army, Howard conducted the US Army Oratorio Society at Ft. Leonard Wood. He has also served as the director of the choir at St. James Episcopal Church. Although his primary focus is choral work, Howard enjoys a close relationship with the exceptional community of instrumentalists throughout Wichita, and frequently takes the opportunity to collaborate with one or more of these artists in planning the worship calendar at Plymouth. As a pivotal member of the team during Plymouth's restoration efforts, Howard has devoted countless hours of research towards the instrumentation and acoustics of the rebuilding process.

BURTON K. TIDWELL

Burton Tidwell comes to Plymouth Church as organist following more than four decades of experience as a church musician. High school organ studies were with James Strand, Southwestern College, and in 1973 received his BMus Degree in Organ Performance from the University of Kansas. While continuing to serve as a church musician in churches across the country, his primary vocation has been as an organbuilder where he has been instrumental in the design and crafting of nearly 300 organs. Burton's education has included graduate studies in organ at the University of Colorado as well as journalism at the University of Kansas. He has had numerous articles published in national organ journals and  has maintained an active career as a performer, including solo recitals in cities across the nation from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, and on the artists’ series at Wichita State University.

TAMMIE PEPIN - Admin. Assist. to Sr. Minister

SUE MARTIN - Finance & C. E. Assist.

DON TILLOTSON - Building Maintenance