AACowley - Associate Reformed Presbyterian

Legacy website - bad humor attempts

2009-04-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

About Us
Fairmount Presbyterian Church is focused on worshiping God through the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We hope to serve families and individuals who are seeking light, love and life. The light is Jesus, who is the way to find God's truth and integrity; love is found in a community which adores a personal God and supports each member, because God first loved us; life is given by God so that you can have peace, joy and growth as the Holy Spirit works in you, fulfilling the reason you were created: To Glorify and Enjoy God by loving Him and the People He made for all of us to love and serve!

Why the Church?
God's love and light are gifts that he gives to individuals not only for themselves but to create life together. Jesus died for His Church, called in the Bible, His Body and His Bride. While the Church is made up of individuals who are drawn to Jesus for a very personal relationship with God, it is essential to that relationship that we be drawn into a Body of believers The Church is here, by God's grace, to be a society of love, light and life to the world around her. Jesus established His Church to draw others into the life of the Spirit by means of the truth (light) of Jesus' Word by the Power of God's grace and love. Our job at Fairmount Church, then, is to provide the truth through Biblical proclamation, renew life through classical worship, and spread love by personal fellowship, and Christian service. In the trials and difficulties of day-to-day living, God gives grace and power to find wholeness, healing and purpose not just as individuals, but as a family, a community, a gathered Body of followers of Jesus the Messiah. The Bible calls God's relationship with His people today "the New Covenant." Fairmount is a covenant community that meets weekly to renew their relationship with God and one another through prayer, praise, Scripture study and Communion.

A Little History
Fairmount Church was established as your community congregation in 1822, and has been living and serving Sewickley and Franklin Park ever since. We have folks out in the cemetery who were born before the French and Indian War! But, most of them no longer attend church over here, at least as far as I can see. Seems they found a more beautiful sanctuary than ours. I hope you can someday too. But, ours is pretty - you should see it and if you don't agree, tell me. I'll still be nice to you. Promise.

We meet weekly on Sunday mornings at 9:45 AM to worship the Lord and fellowship with one another. We also have Bible Studies and special gatherings to enjoy the Lord and His people.

Our pastor since 2004 is Tony Cowley, a 1990 graduate of the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary who served congregations in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania and Minneola, Kansas before coming to Fairmount. Pastor Cowley married Natalie Rose in 1981 and together they have five Children (ages 10 to 25 - photo from 2005). She has put up with him all these years. One of Their children escaped already, getting married to a nice young man named Josh who plays guitar better than her father does (Tony's OK - Josh is really good). Talk about respect. You call that respect? You won't like our pastor, but don't tell him, Okay? See, we're Christians and we have to fake it till we make it. Our Lord has graciously provided us with a cross to bear and this momentary light (well, not really, though he used to be really fat) affliction will give us really shiny crowns in glory. If You need to get sanctified, (and who doesn't?), come to our church. I'm sure God gives lots of extra points for putting up with the likes of him.

Our board of elders currently has two men serving, Charles Kulbacki and Tony Atkinson. They pray, and when you're really bad, well, they pray even more. We use oil to pray for people because we figure our prayers need all the help we can get, and it's somewhere in the Bible about oil. Lots of oil in the Bible! We usually only use a little oil, though, even when we pray for sick people.
We have a trustee board to care for the building and grounds of the Church and parsonage (where we keep tabs on the pastor), and a board of caring deacons who help those in need of prayer and other kinds of assistance. You'd like most of these people, and even if you didn't they'd try really hard to like you anyway. Honest. And, the other members are nicer than them, at least that's what they tell me.
We have an active choir, which Natalie directs with much help from our organist, Mrs. Kay Baumann. Boy, does she need it! See why I get in such trouble? You come and listen and tell me she doesn't need help! I mean it, really!
Now, don't get the wrong idea - we take God and truth and doctrine and worship very seriously - we just don't figure that applies to us since we're sinners. If you are not a sinner, please DON'T VISIT OUR CHURCH! All saints, however, are invited. You figure that out, or come on over and ask us at Fairmount, and we'll explain Simul Justus Et Peccator. We experience it every day so we ought to be able to take a stab at it.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet you, and help you in any way we can to "taste and see that the Lord is Good!" (Psalm 34).

Location: Click on address for a map:
2535 Fairmount Church Road
Sewickley, PA 15143

Meeting Times:
Worship: Sunday at 9:45 AM
Bible Studies in various locations and at various times
Pastoral Counseling and visits upon request

The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you;The Lord lift up the light of His countenance [smile] upon you and give you peace. —Numbers 6:22-27

Been a long time!

2009-04-20T13:23:00.001-07:00

Nothing much new just now, though lots is going on. Do check out our new web site:'
http://www.fairmountarpchurch.vpweb.com/

Thoughts on Readings, random, mostly secular

2008-07-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Written originally to my ANC 77 High School Class list...

I don’t find Dostoyevsky depressing. But, I can see why one might do so. I found it that way in Brothers K, but as I pressed through it became very wonderfully affirming and Christocentric. Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina was more depressing to me. I’ve got War and Peace sitting still unread, lo these many years. But, Russian Nihilism and all the forces that led to the Soviet Revolution and its depressing outcomes were in the air during the times of D and T, so they must be properly analyzed and dealt with. Tolstoy’s Jesus-tinged humanism is much less uplifting in the final account than Dostoyevsky’s primitive Christianity. By primitive I mean returning to the basics, though given in Eastern/Russian Orthodox garb, it is not without serious internal critique. While one of the fathers of Existentialism, Dostoevsky is, in my analysis, not finally a mere Existentialist, but much more. Brothers was written much later than C&P, but the revolution in D’s thinking had already begun, and I’m right now reading the part where a kind of conversion is taking place in Raskolnikov. But, I don’t want to spoil it, and cannot, for I’ve still got a few chapters to go and how it resolves itself is not yet apparent, except in the broadest outlines.

My new position as a Security Guard (same firm for now, different work place) will not allow as much reading as I’ve been doing the past three years. But, I’ve had a feast. I’ve been reading a lot by the Mormon Sci-Fi writer, Orson Scott Card. The Singer, the five part Homecoming Saga, The Worthing Saga, Ender’s Game and all the following Ender related volumes. I love it. I never thought a Mormon could be so intelligent, though all the Mormon’s I’ve known have been quite intelligent! See what a rube and prejudiced jerk I am? A Mormon was top of my class in Russian in the Army in 1980-81, and one of my best friends was a practicing Mormon who had already learned Danish for his mission’s trip. And, a number of Jack Mormons, and former Mormons - who had read themselves “out” of Mormonism - were also friends. One of my good friends, now studying for a Ph.D. in Durham England, is a former Mormon (look for Kevin James Bywater on the web, By Living Waters is his web site). But, now that I’ve read O. Scott Card, I am getting more of the Mormon mind set. Their theology is a mash of polytheistic proto-new age craziness mixed with a fundamentalistic ethos. Really odd to me, but quite an interesting study. You don’t have to even realize his Mormonism as you read, but it does make me want to take a look a the Book of Mormon by way of background – kind of like learning more about Finnish language and Norse mythology to illuminate Tolkien – you don’t buy it or believe it, but it is interesting stuff.

Even more enjoyable has been the fantasy of the Pendragon Cycle (Pendragon, Merlin, Arthur, Taliesin, Avalon, etc.) by Stephen R. Lawhead. I read everything by him I can find. He’s working on a Welsh version of Robin Hood just now, Hood and Scarlet are the two that have already come out. Lots of violence in most of the books, but I don’t mind that.

A bit more mainstream, lots of fun, but less edifying in general, are the two medieval works by Suspense writer, Ken Follett – I’ve not read Key to Rebecca or any of his other stuff, but Pillars of the Earth and World without End were right up my genre after all the Arthurian stuff. But, beware of the rapes and cruelty. In fantasy violence is less offensive than in mere historical fiction, for some reason. Great craftsmanship in any case (Follett).

Speaking of historical fiction mixed with fantasy, Sci-Fi author, Gene Wolfe is amazing. Deep writer. Not for everyone, but pretty addictive once you get a taste for him. Urth of the New Sun and a series of stories about a Roman soldier, Soldier of Arte, Soldier in the Mist, etc., as well as The Wizard Knight series and the whole Short Sun, New Sun series, have given me hours of challenge and pleasure.

I’ve read a good bit of the historical works of Jeff Shaara and his father -Their books were made into Gettysburg and Gods and Generals Movies. He keeps writing. I’ve not kept up, but its fun stuff. I read his two volume account of the Revolution, and then read the John Adams bio that David McCullough wrote, which became the recent PBS series (which I’ve not seen). I’ve picked up his Teddy Roosevelt book Mornings on Horseback, and hope to read it in the near future. I enjoyed an intellectual history of Abraham Lincoln, Redeemer President, by Allen C. Guelzo. A few books by T. Davis Bunn have been really great. To the Ends of the Earth is set in Byzantine times. It complimented Byzantium, which is really Stephen R. Lawhead’s best so far. And, the condensed version, or the three volume work, of John Julius Norwich is a great history of the Byzantine empire. To compliment that thousand year stretch, check out the much more detailed and time limited, 1453: The Holy War For Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West, by Roger Crowley.

I enjoyed Tolkin’s new release, The Children of Hurin. I’ve read a lot of juvenile literature to keep up with my 14 year old, Samuel. Another Pendragon series, this one Bobby Pendragon - set in modern times, and not having much directly to do with Arthur as of yet - by D. J. MacHale is a lot of fun. Of course, then there are all of the Harry Potter books, and re-reading most everything by C.S. Lewis, especially his Sci-Fi Trilogy, Perelandra, Out of the Silent Planet and That Hideous Strength, and his Narnia series as well as his Mere Christianity, etc. That would lead into theological writings, with which I’ll not trouble you, except to note the works of Anglican Bishop Nicholas Thomas Wright (N.T. Wright). He is doing a massive, very serious historical and exegetical account of the life and meaning of Jesus. . I’ve only read parts of these three big works in the Christian Origins and the Question of God series (six volumes expected): The New Testament and the People of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God., 1992. Jesus and the Victory of God: Christian Origins and the Question of God, Volume 2. 1996. The Resurrection of the Son of God. (Augsburg Fortress, 2003). He has an interesting take on the Apostle Paul as well. His two more recent volumes of apologetics parallel and compliment the works of C.S. Lewis, to whom he often refers: 1. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense. (Hardcover ed. SPCK, 2006 co-edition HarperCollins Pub., 2006); 2. Evil and the Justice of God. (Intervarsity Press, 2006). His most recent book, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. (HarperOne, 2008) got him interviewed on Stephen Colbert’s show. Of course, I read lots in Bible Commentaries for sermons, and the Theological realm as well, but that’s for “work” not “fun.”
And, finally, I’ll mention Annie Dillard, who grew up in Pittsburgh, and was all over the neighborhood where Bobby Stein and Natlie grew up (Point Breeze). An American Childhood (1987) is a fabulous memoir of life in Pittsburgh in the 50s and 60s. The Living is a fictional account set in the 1800s in Washington Territory/State. I have her Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, but have not gone far in that one. It looks like I’ll be working the overnight shift, so maybe some reading will be acceptable. Oh, based largely on your recommendations and discussions, I read The Red Tent. Kinda weird, but interesting.
Well, I want to get back to reading Crime and Punishment so I can finish it and give it to Nina. She’s starting the audio version, and I need to attempt James Joyce next.
What have the rest of y’all been reading lately?
Xox, Tony
PS: Though rather dated, for further musings on books you can check out my Xanga site – lots of other stuff in there as well:
http://www.xanga.com/AAFairmount

More Wedding Pictures

2007-11-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

Here at my Blogger site I can only upload a few pictures at a time, but I've managed to send 143 pictures to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/AACowley/SarahCowleyJoshLuperWedding

These are shots by Shawn's friend, Mr. Khrebiel and my brother Malcolm and his wife. They are not in any real order, and I don't have time to go through labelling them just now. Our Church has a special service coming up on November 18th, and I am speaking for the National Reform Association Friday the 16th of November. Then comes the Family get together on Nov. 24th. So, go check out the photos!
Thanks,
Tony

Sarah & Josh Luper Wedding, Reception and Aftermath

2007-11-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

Wonderful Wedding in Wichita

2007-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm the proud new father (in law) of a son, Joshua Caleb Luper, whom we adopted by way of marriage. In fact, by giving a daugther away, we gained a son.
Short of Time just now, so I'll try to append some wedding pictures. However, please take note of the following invitation:

The Fairmount Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 2535 Fairmount Church Road, Sewickley PA 15143, will be the location of a "Reception" for Sarah and Joshua Luper on Saturday, November 24th, 2007 at 4:00 PM. Food will be served. You may be getting an invitation by mail, but if not, please feel invited if you already know Sarah and/or Josh, or are old family friends, relatives, or just friends of Sarah. RSVP here, or to nataliecowley at comcast dot net.

Okay - some pictures!

2007-10-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Now we are a family. First the Cowley family at our Wedding in May, 1981.

Here are Loyal Odhner, Don Rose and Karl Alden. Loyal is my grandpa on mom's side. Don Rose is Natalie's Granfather on the Rose side. Karl Alden is the grandfather of two of my sisters-in-law, Bonnie Alden (m. David Cowley 1972) and Gwenda Parker (m. Michael Cowley, c. 1984). These three young men built a tree house and lived in it together before the war...World War I! Don Rose is an Englishman. He had 12 kids. Loyal had only 10. I think Karl had 12 too.
The following picture is the Cowley siblings at Jenny Blair's house in Bryn Athyn, PA at the funeral for Levi Cowley (David and Bonnie's middle child of 6).
Top Row is Jeb Blair, Kevin Cowley, Terry, Malcolm Cowley, Denise Cowley (Grubb), Terry Cowley Caturano.
Sitting: Jenny Cowley Blair, Bonnie Alden Cowley, David Cowley, Michael Cowley with Gwenda Parker Cowley in his lap. Me. Not all the spouses made the funeral, but all 8 kids did.

Here is my family singing Christmas Carols in 2006. From the left: Sam, Nina, Shawn, Elineke, Natalie, Tony with Guitar.
Our Kids have deep family roots. So, there is something to say for big families!
Have a great day,
Tony

2007-10-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

This is Dad holding me at the Pond in Fallsdale, PA.
We Lived in New York City. Our family went to Coney Island sometimes. Mom holds me.
When I was about 12 we visited some family friends near Scranton, PA (the Matzkos). Mom and Dad in the canoe. Mom is Ingrid Odhner Cowley. Dad is William John Cowley. They were called Mickey and Bill.
Dad fishes me out. I don't remember getting into that fix, but somehow I survived.
Its fun being the baby of the family!
Have a great day.
Baby Tony

2007-10-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Starting with Some Pictures

2007-10-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

I was a very much loved baby. The youngest of 8 children, my parents had been separated for over three years before I was conceived as they rebounded and recovered their relationship. Central to this marriage renewal was Alcoholics Anonymous. Hence I was named Anthony Alan Cowley after A.A. I was born "recovered." Later I became "Reformed." So, I am a mult-generational reformed alcoholic.
I'll try to get some pictures on here, and we'll see if it works.