“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” –Ephesians 2:19
I believe that there are two things people want to feel in this world, and that is to feel welcome and wanted. This is especially true if moving to a new place like many freshmen have. Sometimes you have to go out of your way to make yourself feel welcome and wanted, and sometimes others will do it for you. We want so desperately to feel included. Like we belong.
Verses 11-18, which preface this verse, possess a stunning dramatic sweep. It’s a beautiful thing. It begins with two groups at odds with each other, the Jews and Gentiles, and their radical alienation from each other and from God. Then they rise to their radical reconciliation. The death of Christ has created them to be a new humanity, reconciled both to each other and to God. For the Gentiles, the effects of this radical reconciliation are immediate and astounding. Upon believing, these outcasts moved to the very center of God's purpose. They went from being interlopers to insiders, from aliens to heirs, from the lowest class to first class. With their radical reconciliation they became a radical blessing.
Citizenship was an even greater source of pride in the ancient Greco-Roman culture to which Paul was writing in Ephesus, and was highly personal. Realizing this, we see that Paul was telling the Ephesian Christians something absolutely amazing: their citizenship did not lie in a Roman province, but with God himself! They had been "foreigners and Aliens" before, but now they had become fellow citizens with God's people! They had come to possess a citizenship that superseded city citizenship and even coveted Roman citizenship. They were part of a supreme cosmopolitan community, a third city, God’s city, for a third humanity. That went to their heart because they had been strangers and aliens.
We can travel throughout the world, but as believers wherever we go we are free from alienation, for we are reconciled to God and his Church and we belong. And one day we are going leave this life as we are unavoidably drawn to our city and our people. To a third city; a heavenly city. No longer strangers. No longer aliens. Fellow citizens with the Saints. Here Christ will proclaim, “I will make you feel welcome! I want you!”
Cornerstone Update
Things are officially back in full swing. At the end of August, leadership students moved back and the whirlwind known as orientation week began. Orientation week is truly like no other. During this time, we have the opportunity to "blitz" the freshmen and begin relationships. We do this through various activities or giveaways. That week we gave away bottles of water to students moving in (and their parents who were doing the heavy lifting), coffee and tea, cupcakes, freeze pops, and hot dogs and hamburgers. During the process of giving away these things, we were able to meet hundreds of students and have meaningful conversations with quite a few. Like I said, the week is truly like no other and can be quite exhausting, but also quite worth it. Our leadership students were beyond outgoing this year, and not afraid to get a little uncomfortable as they met new people.
Classes began the week after orientation, bringing our first large group meeting, where my coworker, Bobbi Perkins, spoke on identity. The following week, I was able to kick off a series on the epistle of Ephesians, starting with our core verses in Cornerstone: Ephesians 2:19-22. In fact, the devotion from above is a brief snippet of my talk. The year has truly started off strong. Pray that momentum will continue as we continue to meet new students and seek God in all that we do.
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite movie, book, and band/music? I don't like answering questions about favorites, because I have a hard time deciding. I haven't watched many movies, but I think out of the ones that I have and can remember, my favorite would be either Wreck-It Ralph or Up, but my favorite TV series is definitely Scrubs. I honestly wish that I read more, but I think my favorite book would be Maus. There's just something about historical stories that appeals to me. I don't know if I have a favorite genre, since a lot of it depends on how I'm feeling, but my favorite song would be “Everything's Not Lost” by Coldplay.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I started coming to Cornerstone because a friend invited me one night in about the third week of classes, and I decided to give it a shot. I just couldn't stop coming, and there wasn't a good excuse to miss Cornerstone for me. Even though I struggled with feeling loved, I knew that this was the community that I had been looking for a long time now. I started to open up a lot more after the spring break trip to Arizona and feel so connected and loved in Cornerstone. I am now a leader for the Freshman Ministry Team and absolutely loving it.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Before college, I had been involved in some Christian communities, but I always felt like an outsider and never was able to fully embrace myself or the community. However, in Cornerstone, I have really learned about the love of Christ from this community. I see how it is poured out on the members of Cornerstone and how we show love to one another. Because of God and Cornerstone, I've been learning what it means to love myself and to love others. It's given me a greater sense of God's peace and love and because of that, God's freed me from my insecurities and allowed me to be a lot bolder for Him than in the past.
Financial Update
Please read the following pledge letter. Click on the link for the full picture, or on the picture itself. If you would like to donate, please use the information on the navigation bar or email me at amoore@ccojubilee.org.
Moore News
Joshua and Benjamin also began school a few weeks ago being in first grade and second grade respectively, and they seem to be thriving. Asher still loves his mommy and daddy time at home, but often misses Benjamin and Joshua while they are away. Asher will begin Kindergarten next year. I’m not sure what Emily and I are going to do with the upcoming "empty nest."
Thank you for reading this newsletter, for your support, and for the blessing each of you are to us. May God Bless your richly!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
