Message from Rebecca

April 30, 2009

Dear Starr King Friends,

Our beloved Patti Lawrence, Professor of Congregational Studies, has been in intensive care in recent days, surrounded by friends and family who have been offering her healing touch, music, prayers and blessings. She died today, April 30, 2009.

A beautiful celebration in honor of her years of service to Starr King School for the Ministry was held two weeks ago. That evening, holding her grandchild in her lap, she spoke of her joy in teaching, and said, “All my life I have been surrounded by love.”

Patti gave back that love in full measure. I am deeply grateful for her life, for the gifts she gave to all of us who have been blessed by knowing her, working and playing with her, and learning from her – a true saint.

Patti is survived by her family: Kelly, Stephanie, and Liliana Teague, and Joe Britton.

When plans are in place for her memorial, I will let you know.

In peace,

Rebecca Parker
President


Patti Lawrence

Born and raised a Unitarian Universalist by parents who she says, "lived their religious values seven days a week and placed the church at the center of their lives," Patti Lawrence’s first leadership experience was as an officer of the Liberal Religious Youth at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church. She has been active in Unitarian Universalist congregations, district leadership, lay leadership education, and Unitarian Universalist Association leadership for the past 30 years.

From 1985-1991 she served as administrator and director of volunteer services for the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento. Her denominational positions have included president of the Pacific Central District Board and chair of the UUA Pacific Central District Extension and Growth Committee.

From 1996-2003 Lawrence served on the UUA Board of Trustees where she convened the Faith in Action/Religious Education Working Group, the International Relations Working Group and the Congregations, Districts and Extensions Working Group. She also served on the Committee on Committees, the Finance Committee, the UUA Right Relations Task Force, Accessibilities Committee and Anti-Racism Task Force. She was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Davis, Calif.

An experienced educator and consultant to congregations before joining Starr King's faculty, Lawrence taught congregational organization and development over eight years at the Pacific Central District Leadership School, and served as a consultant to numerous congregations in areas such as board development, lay leadership education, worship, and conflict management.

Lawrence joined Starr King’s staff in 1991 as the Associate to the President for Administration and became a member of the faculty in 1995 as Dean of Students and Congregational Outreach, charged by the board to lead the school to greater partnership with congregations. She revised and improved the school's parish internship program by organizing orientations for congregational lay committees, site visits to teaching congregations and an annual internship conference with teaching ministers.

She created opportunities for Unitarian Universalist ministers and denominational leaders to address Starr King classes, present case studies, and conduct workshops at the school. She frequently taught and preached in Unitarian Universalist congregations and led workshops at General Assembly. An advocate of shared ministry, she published "A Theology of Shared Ministry" in The Shared Ministry Sourcebook (Boston: Unitarian Universalist Association, 1996).

Lawrence was named Professor of Congregational Studies and promoted to the rank of full professor in 2003, and served as acting Dean of the Faculty in 2006.

Widely acknowledged as an outstanding teacher with deep knowledge and experience in the many facets of Unitarian Universalist congregational life, Lawrence pioneered the inclusion of congregational studies in Starr King School for the Ministry’s curriculum. She taught a series of congregational studies courses including Congregational Dynamics,” "Parish Problems and Joys" and "Leadership for Growth and Change,” directed the school’s parish internship program and developed a pilot program for lay theological education.

She was a strong advocate of anti-racism, counter-oppressive work and helped establish Starr King School’s priority commitment to “Educating to Counter Oppressions and Create Just and Sustainable Communities,” (ECO).

“Real world. Real congregations. Real ministry,” is how one student described the opportunity to study with Patti Lawrence.

Memorial Service

Hello all. Patti's memorial service has been scheduled for Sunday, May 24 at 2:00 pm. It will be at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Davis at 27074 Patwin Road, Davis, California 95616.

After the memorial service we will be having a reception at the church. It will be potluck style so if you would like please bring a dish to share. We will be providing drinks and cups and utensils.

Also, as a tribute to Patti's love of gardening and fresh cut flowers from the garden we would love to fill the church with flowers from your personal gardens. We would love it if you would bring a bouquet of flowers in a vase if possible. We will have some vases available if needed.

Kelly and I are also in the process of getting together a list of a few foundations that donations may be made to in honor of Patti. I will post those when I get them.

In terms of pictures for the slideshow, I need them in digital format if possible. If you have them digitally then please e-mail them to me at MsSteffee@aol.com. If you do not have them digitally you can mail them to me at 5533 Tufts St., Davis, CA 95618 and I can scan them in. If you would like the pictures returned please send a stamped addressed envleope and I will be happy to mail them back to you or I will also bring any pictures I receive to the service and you can pick them up there. I know that lots of people have a lot of pictures that they love of Patti and I hope to fit in as many of those as I can without the slideshow being an hour long! Please know that I will try my best to put in as many as I can that showcases her life as fully as possible.

Our beloved Patti took her last breaths at about 12:50 pm today. She went very peacefully and was surrounded by her closest family and friends.

I will be posting more details of her memorial service here on the blog when we have them. We also want to make a slideshow of pictures so if you have any pictures please start gathering them and I will post how to get them to me soon.

We need your prayers

Hello all. Patti has taken a turn for the worse. All prayers and healing vibes are very much needed right now. We are hoping for a miracle. The family is asking for it's privacy during this sensitive time and please direct your questions to Anya or you may leave comments here on the blog.

Tuesday 10 pm

This is an update from Diane & Ruth that they sent to me much earlier today. Sorry it took me so long to get it up.

Ruth and I spent some time with our beloved Patti today. Dr Gupta was there when we arrived and said that Patti was "going in the right direction" but had a way to go before overcoming the set back of the infection. We were asked to wear gloves and gowns. A few minutes later Dr Barbour came in and talked with us for a while. Ruth and I both felt caring and concern from Patti's medical team and they were very attentive to her needs. Dr Barbour also commented that Patti's condition was improving but did not want to make much comment on the possibility of surgery. She said the evaluation was day-to-day. For now, Patti's condition needs to continue to stabilize.

They have reduced the sedation and Patti opened her eyes often. I wish I could say she responded to our voices but it wasn't so. That didn't stop us from talking with her and stroking her head. I let her hand rest on the stuffed giraffe. I'm sure she could sense our presence and I am so grateful to her family for allowing us to be with her as often as we can.

Tuesday 11:30 am

I called Mark a little bit ago and he said Patti is doing better today. He was able to stop the pressers that were helping to control her blood pressure. He took them off at 7 am and with them off she is maintaining a borderline but normal blood pressure.

He also stopped her sedation this morning to give her a "wake up". She was able to open her eyes but was not responding to commands. She started to get agitated and so he restarted her sedation but only at 1/3 of the amount he was doing earlier. He said around 1 pm he was going to turn it off again and she if she can wake up a little.

He said she has not had fevers today and although they have not gotten the cultures back it appears the antibiotics are working. She is on two broad spectrum antibiotics and when they get the cultures back they can take away the ones she does not need and just give her the ones that target the infection that she does have.

Patti's regular cardiologist, Dr. Barbour has been out of town but she is back in town today. The cardiologist that was caring for Patti's while Dr. Barbour was out of town said that Patti is too unstable for surgery right now. Mark said he will page Dr. Barbour again today and see if she will come in a reevaluate her. As of now Mark said they may just try and get her off the ventilator and stable and then reassess when they can do the bypass surgery.

Kelly will be going out today and he will call me with an update later.

Update from Beth Banks

Elaine Aron and I delivered the talisman to Patti Monday afternoon. The talisman was created as a part of a loving, healing ritual on Sunday evening. Her giraffe sits on her pillow, with a beautiful red "cape" filled with roses, hearts, stones, lavender, and many small objects that represent the presence of the women who wish her peace and healing. She is surrounded by love. We also gave the hospital staff the chocolate muffins from the healing circle and added a few more treats. It seems right to share some of Patti's favorite flavors with those who are caring for her. In an effort to recycle packaging, the treats were in a shoe box. I think Patti would chuckle about that!

Beth Banks

Picture from a friend

Here is a picture that someone asked me to post. They say it is a talisman of items sent with healing prayers.

Monday 6:30 pm

I just called to get another update before her nurse Mark left for the night. He said everything was still about the same. He was able to lower her blood pressure support so that is a good sign. Her heart rate was still in a normal rhythm and she is resting comfortably. He said the doctors came in to check her and adjusted a few of her fluids but did not do much else. Her cultures have still not come back and they will not be able to do anything (transfer or surgery) until those cultures come back. Mark paged the cardiologist earlier and never heard back from her.

Monday 2:30pm

Patti is about the same as she was last night. She is still fighting the infection and the doctors are still waiting for the cultures to come back to know exactly what kind of infection she has. They are giving her broad spectrum antibiotics until they get the cultures back. She has had a fever off and on all day. Her heartrate jumped to over 170 this morning but they have that under control now. She is continuing to have blood pressure medication to keep it within a normal range. Her heart is not in a-fib any more and it is currently beating at a normal rhythm. Her urine is only about 20 cc's per hour so it appears she is still having problems with her kidneys.

The doctors and nurses are also asking that we keep visitors to a minimum while Patti is fighting this infection. Last night they asked that anyone touching her be gowned and gloved. I am not sure if they still want that today but if you do go visit you might want to ask. The cardiologist has not been in yet today and as if now her transfer to Mercy is on hold.

Prayer Circle for Patti tonight

Here is a picture from the prayer circle that her dear friends held for her tonight. I know there was a lot of love and healing and this is just what she needs right now.

Sunday 6:30 pm

Update from Faye and Anya:

Faye and I went to see Patti this afternoon.  We also saw Ibrahim, his son, and wife Catherine there who was doing some healing chanting and singing.  Shortly after they left, Kelly, Steph and Liliana returned.  As we were all there, the doctor's came in to give us an update on Patti.

Apparently Patti has experienced a bit of a setback today and will not be moving to Mercy for surgery tomorrow as she is too unstable.  Earlier this morning she had some afribrilliation, where the upper and lower chambers of her heart are not beating in the right rhythm and therefore not working as efficiently.  They increased some of her heart medications.

But in addition to this, Patti also has some kind of an infection (she has sepsis with elevated white blood cell counts).  She has had a fever on and off today (measured 100.2 while we were there) but looked physically about the same, or at least as comfortable as could be.  Her heart rate and breathing rate was a little higher than yesterday, but her blood oxygen level looked good at 96 (she is maintaining this good level of oxygen with the ventilator back down at 35%, so that is good news!).  They are currently treating her with two antibiotics and will know in a day or two what the blood and urine cultures show (what the infecting agent is) so that they can target it with the best medication.

And the latest news that aren't so good is that Patti's kidneys are starting to show some stress... her creatinine level (the blood indicator that measures kidney function) is elevated a little at 1.3 and her urine output is very low today as well as being very concentrated.  Part of the urine output being low also has to do with her lasix being discontinued (the doctor explained why the lasix was discontinued and I don't recall exactly why, but I think it had to do with additional stress on her system).

Tim was there today as well, and this is the last day of his workweek so he'll be taking a few days off.  If you've met Tim, you know he is kind of quiet, but he did admit that today he was worried for Patti.  

Please continue to keep Patti in your thoughts and prayers.  Hopefully she will stabilize enough tomorrow that they can figure out the next step.

Late Saturday night update

Ray and I took Bill and Ruth over this evening - about 6:45-8:00. Tim said that they're looking at surgery on Monday and probably won't take her to Mercy until then. As Diane said, she's really much more stable and "breathing over" the ventilator, which means she's doing it all herself except for the bit of extra oxygen it gives her. Good signs!!!

Love,
Jane