PRAYER CONCERNS AND JOYS FOR MAY 1, 2008

Some good news!  Rev. Rita Platt and  Rev. Don Anderson,

were married Saturday, April 19, 2008 at St. Paul's United Methodist

Church in Allison Park. Rev. Dr. Donald G. Scandrol, Pittsburgh

District Superintendent, officiated.

The couple traveled to Williamsburg and Washington, D.C.

for a wedding trip, and will be a part of  the November Conference

trip to Italy, Greece and Malta as they join  Bishop Bickerton in

Paul's journey.  For now, the couple will be living at the Albright

United Methodist parsonage, 486 South Graham Street,

Pittsburgh, PA 15232.

Have a great week!   Don Anderson

------------------------------------------------------

Change E-Mail Address:

Please note the new e-mail address,

Thanks

Bruce Knapp    ebknapp2000@yahoo.com 

---------------------------------------------------------

REV. CECIL CLYDE COWDER

March 8, 1914 - April 19, 2008

Rev. Cecil Clyde Cowder, 94, of Bigler, PA., died Saturday

April 19, 2OO8 at his home. Born March 8, 1914, at Mocks Hill,

West Decatur, PA., he was the  son of the late Grant and

Daisy (Williams) Cowder.

He graduated from Morris Township High School in 1932 and

Bonebrake Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, in 1939,

when  he was ordained an Elder in the United Brethren Church

and assigned his first charge at Coalport and Beaver Valley that

 September (1939-1942).

Cecil became a U. S. Army chaplain in 1942, attended Chaplain

School at Harvard University and was assigned to the 73rd Bomb

Wing, 498th Bomb Group, serving in Saipan as one of eight base

 chaplains on the South Pacific Island during World War II. (1942-1946)

After the war, he served as pastor of the Altoona Pleasant Valley

United Brethren Church (1946-1948). In 1948 he became a Chaplain

in the U. S. Air Force and served numerous tours of duty

throughout the United States; Shemya; Alaska; Okinawa; and Izmir,

Turkey, with a final tour as wing chaplain at Andrews Air Force Base

in Washington, D.C., where he retired with the rank of lieutenant

colonel in 1963.

Chaplain Cowder served the nation proudly and was awarded six

Bronze Medals and two Distinquished Service Citations for

outstanding performance of duty. The Rev. Cowder loved to attend

his Bomb Wing reunions, enjoyed his church activities, teaching

Sunday school, traveling and gardening. He was an avid amateur

archaeologist and loved to present his vast collections of Indian

arrowheads, stones and artifacts from around the world.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Bigler United Methodist

Church and the Bigler YMCA.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Josephine (House-Owens)

Cowder; a son, John and his wife Linda, of Dunmore; a step-son,

James, and his wife, Deanna, of Silver Spring, MD.; a son-in-law,

Fred Plummer and his wife, Sigrid, of Houston; seven grandchildren;

and nine great-grandchildren.

The Rev Cowder was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife,

 Margarette (Houser); a daughter, Ann Marie Plummer; four brothers,

Leo, Weldon, Carrol and Arnold; and a sister, LeVaughn "Dot" Peters.

Funeral services for the Rev. Cowder will be held Wednesday, April 23,

at 2 p.m. at the Bigler United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Thomas

C. Lenker officiating. Interment will be at Summit Hill Cemetery.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Bigler

United Methodist Church in care of the Rev. Thomas C. Lenker, P. O.

Box 416, Bigler, PA 16825; or to the Bigler YMCA, P.O. Box 417, Bigler,

PA 16825.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

'A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.'

--------------------------------------------------------------

How Rare Is Your Name? 
Go to this web site called http://www.howmanyofme.com. 
Put in your first and last name and see how many people in the USA 

Have your name as well.

------------------------------------------------------------

ANNUAL CONFERENCE JUNE 12-15, 2008 AT GROVE CITY

COLLEGE.

------------------------------------------------------------