Thursday, December 15, 2016
2016 Christmas Letter
Please click on the picture below (or click on the link below) to read our 2016 Christmas Newsletter. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
November 2016 Newsletter
Cornerstone Update
Quite a lot has happened within the Cornerstone community. First, we had our annual Fall Retreat. Due to some scheduling conflicts, we had to move our retreat from its usual location, Suncrest (a C&MA camp), to the new location of Ligonier Camp and Conference Center. It was a great change of scenery. Sixty students heard John McElwain (the CCO Staff Director for Southwestern Pennsylvania) give three meaningful, memorable, and challenging talks on Scripture. We played various games, grew in community, and ate…a lot. Honestly, it was one of the better Fall Retreats we have had.
Second, we have introduced something new to Cornerstone on Wednesday nights: discussion times and “O” Nights. After every Cornerstone large group, a handful of students get together for a discussion time. Here, students ask questions to the speaker, make their own points, or discuss the talk. At the end of every talk series, we have taken our discussion group to “The Original Hot Dog Shop” (aka The “O”) for “O” Nights. The owner of the “O” (Bruce Simon) as graciously opened the top floor of the “O” for us to provide this Bible Study space, and has also provided food. It has been a fantastic time, and students love it! If you are ever in the Oakland area, give the “O” some of your business as a thank you for ministering to students!
Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
As many of you know from reading past newsletters, I took over as the advisor for Habitat for Humanity two years ago. This role has given me the unique opportunity to meet and work with students. One such opportunity is taking part in a spring break trip to Birmingham, Alabama to help work on houses. I cannot, however, do this alone. The trip costs $400, so I would like for you to prayerfully consider supporting students and me in this endeavor. The expenses include transportation, housing, and food for the week. If you are able and willing, I’m asking for your support to help to cover trip expenses for students and me. I realize that some of you already support me and I am thankful. So, I am asking that you to pray about giving an extra $10-$50 on top of your usual contribution. If you would like to help support me on this trip, please make a separate check out to:
Bellefield Presbyterian Church
Attn: Habitat Trip
4001 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
Meet the Students
Meet Will Leisner, a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major from Oaks, PA. Will has been a part of our ministry since orientation week his freshman year. Read more about him:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory has to be with my grandmom, Nan, and my Grandpop, Captain Bill, when I was 5. My family went down to visit them in Florida for a week over the summer, and one night my twin brother and I were out on the porch with them. Captain Bill turned on the sprinklers and him and Nan tried to convince us to play in the sprinklers…naked! They finally convinced us by telling us it was legal to run through sprinklers naked on Sunday night in Florida!
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I have been involved in Cornerstone since first semester freshman year. I started sporadically attending in the fall on Wednesday nights and at freshman bible study. Chris Ansell encouraged me to stick with it and he even convinced me to do leadership and the NAOMI spring break trip. Now this year I have been on Freshman Ministry Team as a leader, and I attend prayer team meetings as well!
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has definitely helped me during my time at Pitt. It’s really the first time I've witnessed and been involved in Christian community that is so immersed in and lives out the Gospel. It has helped me to grow in my faith immensely and has equipped me for ministry in the Church Universal. At Cornerstone, I finally realized what loving thy neighbor really looks like!
Financial Update
As you can see from the chart, we made $3,331 for the month of October; 84% of where we need to be. We are so thankful for all of our supporters! The Christmas season is rapidly approaching, and we know that many of you are looking for some place to give financially. If that is the case, we are asking that you prayerfully consider giving to our ministry. Whether it be $10 or $100, any gift is a good gift. It is through your generosity, and willingness to listen to the Holy Spirit, that makes this ministry possible. If you are interested in giving, go to www.ccojubilee.org/donate. We are thankful for what God has done, and will continue to do, through you! Please be in prayer that God will continue to build our support team and that we would be faithful in doing our part.
Moore News
It is the end of the Fall baseball season. Ben and Josh’s team only lost one game, and had a spectacular season! Benjamin became one of the starting pitchers, and led the team in strike outs. He doesn’t have the fastest stuff, but he is very accurate. Joshua got his first taste of kid pitch baseball, and held his own. There were few growing pains here and there for him, but he adjusted nicely. The highlight of his season is when he made a sliding catch in center field. It could have been a web gem! Both Ben and Josh are dynamic baseball players.
Asher finished his art class, and absolutely loved it. He is a gifted drawer, and very creative. He also loves a good story, and has found numerous outlets for that as well. I was fairly artsy growing up, so it’s awesome to see one of my sons be so as well. We are very proud of all three of my boys!
In other fun news, Benjamin entered an art contest for Attorney Edgar Snyder and won! The theme of the contest was “My Holiday Wish.” Ben wrote that his holiday wish was, “That the world will be reunited as friends. To me, there is no world without love.” The drawing consists three pictures of The United States, France, and Italy uniting as friends. Ben won $250, $1000 for his school, and his picture and drawing will be on a local billboard! We are extremely proud of him! As Emily said when she posted the picture on facebook, “Nearing the end of a harrowing political season, God is showing me that there is always hope. Especially if our younger generations are thinking such great thoughts.”
We thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, and pray that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Quite a lot has happened within the Cornerstone community. First, we had our annual Fall Retreat. Due to some scheduling conflicts, we had to move our retreat from its usual location, Suncrest (a C&MA camp), to the new location of Ligonier Camp and Conference Center. It was a great change of scenery. Sixty students heard John McElwain (the CCO Staff Director for Southwestern Pennsylvania) give three meaningful, memorable, and challenging talks on Scripture. We played various games, grew in community, and ate…a lot. Honestly, it was one of the better Fall Retreats we have had.
Second, we have introduced something new to Cornerstone on Wednesday nights: discussion times and “O” Nights. After every Cornerstone large group, a handful of students get together for a discussion time. Here, students ask questions to the speaker, make their own points, or discuss the talk. At the end of every talk series, we have taken our discussion group to “The Original Hot Dog Shop” (aka The “O”) for “O” Nights. The owner of the “O” (Bruce Simon) as graciously opened the top floor of the “O” for us to provide this Bible Study space, and has also provided food. It has been a fantastic time, and students love it! If you are ever in the Oakland area, give the “O” some of your business as a thank you for ministering to students!
Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
As many of you know from reading past newsletters, I took over as the advisor for Habitat for Humanity two years ago. This role has given me the unique opportunity to meet and work with students. One such opportunity is taking part in a spring break trip to Birmingham, Alabama to help work on houses. I cannot, however, do this alone. The trip costs $400, so I would like for you to prayerfully consider supporting students and me in this endeavor. The expenses include transportation, housing, and food for the week. If you are able and willing, I’m asking for your support to help to cover trip expenses for students and me. I realize that some of you already support me and I am thankful. So, I am asking that you to pray about giving an extra $10-$50 on top of your usual contribution. If you would like to help support me on this trip, please make a separate check out to:
Bellefield Presbyterian Church
Attn: Habitat Trip
4001 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory has to be with my grandmom, Nan, and my Grandpop, Captain Bill, when I was 5. My family went down to visit them in Florida for a week over the summer, and one night my twin brother and I were out on the porch with them. Captain Bill turned on the sprinklers and him and Nan tried to convince us to play in the sprinklers…naked! They finally convinced us by telling us it was legal to run through sprinklers naked on Sunday night in Florida!
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I have been involved in Cornerstone since first semester freshman year. I started sporadically attending in the fall on Wednesday nights and at freshman bible study. Chris Ansell encouraged me to stick with it and he even convinced me to do leadership and the NAOMI spring break trip. Now this year I have been on Freshman Ministry Team as a leader, and I attend prayer team meetings as well!
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has definitely helped me during my time at Pitt. It’s really the first time I've witnessed and been involved in Christian community that is so immersed in and lives out the Gospel. It has helped me to grow in my faith immensely and has equipped me for ministry in the Church Universal. At Cornerstone, I finally realized what loving thy neighbor really looks like!
Financial Update
Moore News
Asher finished his art class, and absolutely loved it. He is a gifted drawer, and very creative. He also loves a good story, and has found numerous outlets for that as well. I was fairly artsy growing up, so it’s awesome to see one of my sons be so as well. We are very proud of all three of my boys!
In other fun news, Benjamin entered an art contest for Attorney Edgar Snyder and won! The theme of the contest was “My Holiday Wish.” Ben wrote that his holiday wish was, “That the world will be reunited as friends. To me, there is no world without love.” The drawing consists three pictures of The United States, France, and Italy uniting as friends. Ben won $250, $1000 for his school, and his picture and drawing will be on a local billboard! We are extremely proud of him! As Emily said when she posted the picture on facebook, “Nearing the end of a harrowing political season, God is showing me that there is always hope. Especially if our younger generations are thinking such great thoughts.”
We thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, and pray that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
September 2016 Newsletter
Cornerstone Update
This summer we held our annual summer large group gathering, Common Ground. Common Ground takes most of the CCO groups in Pittsburgh, from various campuses, and combines them into one large group which meets once a week. We decided to do Francis Chan’s “Basic” series this year, as a way to get new perspective on the many Christian truths we already know (Fear, The Holy Spirit, Fellowship, etc.). Common Ground had a great turn out with some great discussion on the BASIC series.
After Common Ground, and an extended vacation, came the time for planning the upcoming school year. This meant that orientation week was soon coming up, complete with multiple fun activities and tireless hours spent working. Here our student leadership took on orientation week events, as well as events scattered through the upcoming semester. We have a great group of leadership students, who came up with some big (and new) ideas. Orientation week went off without a hitch, and we had phenomenal turnouts to all of our events.
Now we are part way during the semester, and I am just trying to catch my breath. It has been, by far, my busiest semester to date. Granted I am taking two seminary classes on top of working, which (of course) makes it busier. Bobbi, Mark, Meagan (our new fellow), and I are all still finding out what does and does not work to our individual strengths. Cornerstone has been great so far, though. We are exploring new ideas and trying new things, constantly seeking God though out all of this. God has certainly been moving here.
Meet the Students
Meet “Backwards Hat” Nick Pezzuti, a junior Mechanical Engineering major from Mechanicsburg, PA. Nick has been part of our ministry since the orientation week cookout his freshman year. Read more about him:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory has to be playing games with my family. We had a soft mini ball when I was little. My brother, sister, dad and I would run around the house and play ball tag. Sure a few lamps were broken, and a few bumps on the head were given, but the memories will last a lifetime.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I've been involved in Cornerstone for two years, and have been on leadership for one. As a small group leader, I've really enjoyed leading a bible study and getting to know the people that come to Cornerstone even better. Being involved in Cornerstone has been a huge blessing in my life, and I've learned a lot through my experiences there.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has taught me a lot about my faith in Jesus, and has really helped me understand the Gospel and what it means and looks like to find my identity solely in Jesus Christ. Through the talks, bible studies, outreach events, hangouts, and everything in between, Cornerstone is helping me bring Glory to God throughout my life each and every day.
Financial Update
As you may have noted from the chart that our monthly giving is $3,681, 94% of where we need to be. I have been raising these funds so I can minister to students like Nick, and see how God has worked in his life during his years at Pitt. It is because of God working through you that all this is possible, and I am completely in awe by all of your graciousness. If you would like to help this ministry, we are always looking for new supporters. If God leads you to prayerfully do so, we would love for you to be a part of this ministry through gift. Remember that any gift is a good gift. We trust that God will provide. He always has, and He always will. We thank you, and may God bless you richly because you have given to advance His kingdom! Please be in prayer that God will continue to build our support team and that we would be faithful in doing our part.
Moore News
It seems as though the entire month of July was spent in vacation, and it was (for the most part) relaxing. We started July by going to Vermillion, Ohio to Family Camp at Beulah Beach. Here we, were joined by my entire family (my parents, and my sister and family). It was a great five days of playing outdoors, as well as learning some biblical wisdom and meeting new families. There were a lot of great times and memories on that trip, but very little down time.
Immediately after the Beulah trip, we went back home, packed up our things, got our dog, and headed to Colorado to see Emily’s family and friends. We had a great time as the boys played on the farm and we visited various places, like the Denver Museum and a Trampoline park. My favorite part of the trip was when I preached at Emily’s church on the resurrection of Lazarus. It was really a blessing to be able to speak to a church that has supported us for so long.
Now the kids are back in school, and we are trying to settle in to new schedules. Benjamin and Joshua have decided to pursue fall baseball, and will actually be on the same team this time...which makes coaching much more manageable. Asher toyed with the idea of playing Fall Ball, but decided that baseball wasn't his thing (which is absolutely fine). He has decided instead to pursue art classes. He is a fairly gifted artist for a 6 year old, and is really excited about it. He has started drawing constantly, and just keeps getting better and better.
We thank you all for your love and kindness, and pray that you continue to advance in the knowledge and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Hopefully, these newsletters and updates will be a bit more frequent.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
This summer we held our annual summer large group gathering, Common Ground. Common Ground takes most of the CCO groups in Pittsburgh, from various campuses, and combines them into one large group which meets once a week. We decided to do Francis Chan’s “Basic” series this year, as a way to get new perspective on the many Christian truths we already know (Fear, The Holy Spirit, Fellowship, etc.). Common Ground had a great turn out with some great discussion on the BASIC series.
After Common Ground, and an extended vacation, came the time for planning the upcoming school year. This meant that orientation week was soon coming up, complete with multiple fun activities and tireless hours spent working. Here our student leadership took on orientation week events, as well as events scattered through the upcoming semester. We have a great group of leadership students, who came up with some big (and new) ideas. Orientation week went off without a hitch, and we had phenomenal turnouts to all of our events.
Now we are part way during the semester, and I am just trying to catch my breath. It has been, by far, my busiest semester to date. Granted I am taking two seminary classes on top of working, which (of course) makes it busier. Bobbi, Mark, Meagan (our new fellow), and I are all still finding out what does and does not work to our individual strengths. Cornerstone has been great so far, though. We are exploring new ideas and trying new things, constantly seeking God though out all of this. God has certainly been moving here.
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory has to be playing games with my family. We had a soft mini ball when I was little. My brother, sister, dad and I would run around the house and play ball tag. Sure a few lamps were broken, and a few bumps on the head were given, but the memories will last a lifetime.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I've been involved in Cornerstone for two years, and have been on leadership for one. As a small group leader, I've really enjoyed leading a bible study and getting to know the people that come to Cornerstone even better. Being involved in Cornerstone has been a huge blessing in my life, and I've learned a lot through my experiences there.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has taught me a lot about my faith in Jesus, and has really helped me understand the Gospel and what it means and looks like to find my identity solely in Jesus Christ. Through the talks, bible studies, outreach events, hangouts, and everything in between, Cornerstone is helping me bring Glory to God throughout my life each and every day.
Financial Update
Moore News
Immediately after the Beulah trip, we went back home, packed up our things, got our dog, and headed to Colorado to see Emily’s family and friends. We had a great time as the boys played on the farm and we visited various places, like the Denver Museum and a Trampoline park. My favorite part of the trip was when I preached at Emily’s church on the resurrection of Lazarus. It was really a blessing to be able to speak to a church that has supported us for so long.
Now the kids are back in school, and we are trying to settle in to new schedules. Benjamin and Joshua have decided to pursue fall baseball, and will actually be on the same team this time...which makes coaching much more manageable. Asher toyed with the idea of playing Fall Ball, but decided that baseball wasn't his thing (which is absolutely fine). He has decided instead to pursue art classes. He is a fairly gifted artist for a 6 year old, and is really excited about it. He has started drawing constantly, and just keeps getting better and better.
We thank you all for your love and kindness, and pray that you continue to advance in the knowledge and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Hopefully, these newsletters and updates will be a bit more frequent.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
June 2016 Newsletter
Changes
This month marks the end of an era. My beloved boss and coworker for the past nine years, Chris Ansell, has decided to move on from his position at Bellefield/Cornerstone. I actually first met Chris even before I started working at Bellefield. It was at a CCO staff seminar, and we were in a group together. After we were done talking, he asked me to apply to the Bellefield position. I did, and here I am today.
When I first started working at Bellefield, Chris and I didn’t get along too well. Chris is a type A personality, I’m a type B personality, and I think our work styles just clashed at times. As the years went by, we learned to complement each other and our differences. I had strengths where he had weaknesses, and he had strengths where I had weaknesses. Not only did our work relationship develop, but our friendship also developed. I now consider Chris Ansell (aka “Chransell” as known as by the students) to be one of the best friends that I have.
I am heartbroken that Chris is leaving, but I am so excited about how God will use him and his family.
With that being said, we now have a new coworker: our former fellow (intern) Mark Michaelis. I was so happy when Mark applied for the job. He has been a tremendous fellow, and really brings a lot to our team. This year will definitely not be the same without Chris, nor should we expect it to be. I expect it will be downright weird at first. I am, however, super excited to work with Mark, Bobbi, and our two new fellows. Cornerstone will look different, but God will still be there and in control.
Meet the Students
Meet Emily Wenz, a junior Rehabilitation Sciences major, with a Certificate in American Sign Language, from New Hope, PA. Read more about her and her experiences at Cornerstone.
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? I have many, but the first memories that come to mind are my birthday parties growing up. I’m a triplet, so we always had huge birthday parties for my brothers and I all together during the summer. One year, we had a giant water fight party with about 50 kids simultaneously sliding down an inflatable water slide and chucking water balloons at each other. It was awesome, but now I can see why my parents were always so stressed during those parties….Anyway, one of my babysitters would always make a cake with three different sections because my brothers and I could never agree on what we wanted to put on it (some things never change).
Note: I was going to write about the time I attended Farm Camp and learned how to groom and show cows (aka we gave them baths and then walked them around on a lease in a circle) because it was hilarious and more enjoyable than expected, but I now realize that really the only funny/sad thing about that memory is that I was barely still a child when I attended (I was 14), so I wasn’t sure if it counted as a childhood memory.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I’ve been involved in Cornerstone since my freshman year. I started attending every few weeks and slowly got more involved. I joined the worship team at the end of my freshman year and I am now one of the worship leaders. As a musician, worship was one part of Cornerstone that kept me coming from the beginning, so serving as worship leader and growing in my faith through music has been a great opportunity. I am also involved in the outreach team and I attend bible studies.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has been a huge help to me throughout my time at Pitt. My faith has grown tremendously throughout college, which is one thing I never would’ve expected. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the last few years, and without having Cornerstone as a community to lean on and to hold me accountable, I don’t think I would have grown nearly as much as I have during college so far. I’ve learned that liking a place or what you’re doing there is not nearly as important as liking the people around you. Cornerstone has allowed me to meet some incredible people who have taught me what it means to really care for each other and to strive to serve God through everything I do.
Financial Update
You may have seen from the chart that our monthly giving is $3176, 81% of where we need to be. It is because of all of you that I am here and will get to where I need to be. I have been raising this support so I can minister to students like Emily, and see how God has worked in her life during her years at Pitt. Working with College students, and seeing God transform them, is a true blessing and I thank God every day for this opportunity. If you would like to help this ministry, we are always looking for new supporters. This is what makes ministry possible. If God leads you to do so, we would love for you to be a part of this ministry through gift and/or prayer. We trust that God will provide. He always has, and He always will. Remember that any gift is a good gift. We thank you, and may God bless you richly because you have given to advance His kingdom! Please be in prayer that God will continue to build our support team and that we would be faithful in doing our part.
Moore News
The boys’ school days and baseball season are at an end. Ben’s team won their World Series, placing them 1st in their league, while Josh’s team ended the season in 2nd place. All the boys on both teams worked so hard this year, and were led by great coaches. With baseball done, it is feeling like summer is finally beginning. So far, our future summer plans consist of joining my entire family for Beulah Beach Family Camp, followed immediately by a cross country trip to visit Emily’s family and friends in Colorado. This (along with some summer training) will pretty much take up our entire July. It’s going to be a bit chaotic, but a good chaotic. Emily has also volunteered to spend a week helping to lead Bellefield’s youth by doing the Pittsburgh Project, a Christian nonprofit community development organization with a nearly 30-year track record of developing leaders and serving the city’s most vulnerable residents. Throw in some baseball “lessons” with the boys, and you pretty much have a description of our summer
In other news, I have decided that the time is right to start taking seminary classes. The CCO offers discounted classes through Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. I have decided to take them up on that offer, apply, and was accepted. I know that working on my MAR (Master of Arts in Religion), will take up extra time, but I love learning about the Bible and am really excited for this opportunity.
I pray that this letter finds you well, and pray that God continues to bless you.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
This month marks the end of an era. My beloved boss and coworker for the past nine years, Chris Ansell, has decided to move on from his position at Bellefield/Cornerstone. I actually first met Chris even before I started working at Bellefield. It was at a CCO staff seminar, and we were in a group together. After we were done talking, he asked me to apply to the Bellefield position. I did, and here I am today.
When I first started working at Bellefield, Chris and I didn’t get along too well. Chris is a type A personality, I’m a type B personality, and I think our work styles just clashed at times. As the years went by, we learned to complement each other and our differences. I had strengths where he had weaknesses, and he had strengths where I had weaknesses. Not only did our work relationship develop, but our friendship also developed. I now consider Chris Ansell (aka “Chransell” as known as by the students) to be one of the best friends that I have.
I am heartbroken that Chris is leaving, but I am so excited about how God will use him and his family.
With that being said, we now have a new coworker: our former fellow (intern) Mark Michaelis. I was so happy when Mark applied for the job. He has been a tremendous fellow, and really brings a lot to our team. This year will definitely not be the same without Chris, nor should we expect it to be. I expect it will be downright weird at first. I am, however, super excited to work with Mark, Bobbi, and our two new fellows. Cornerstone will look different, but God will still be there and in control.
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? I have many, but the first memories that come to mind are my birthday parties growing up. I’m a triplet, so we always had huge birthday parties for my brothers and I all together during the summer. One year, we had a giant water fight party with about 50 kids simultaneously sliding down an inflatable water slide and chucking water balloons at each other. It was awesome, but now I can see why my parents were always so stressed during those parties….Anyway, one of my babysitters would always make a cake with three different sections because my brothers and I could never agree on what we wanted to put on it (some things never change).
Note: I was going to write about the time I attended Farm Camp and learned how to groom and show cows (aka we gave them baths and then walked them around on a lease in a circle) because it was hilarious and more enjoyable than expected, but I now realize that really the only funny/sad thing about that memory is that I was barely still a child when I attended (I was 14), so I wasn’t sure if it counted as a childhood memory.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I’ve been involved in Cornerstone since my freshman year. I started attending every few weeks and slowly got more involved. I joined the worship team at the end of my freshman year and I am now one of the worship leaders. As a musician, worship was one part of Cornerstone that kept me coming from the beginning, so serving as worship leader and growing in my faith through music has been a great opportunity. I am also involved in the outreach team and I attend bible studies.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has been a huge help to me throughout my time at Pitt. My faith has grown tremendously throughout college, which is one thing I never would’ve expected. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the last few years, and without having Cornerstone as a community to lean on and to hold me accountable, I don’t think I would have grown nearly as much as I have during college so far. I’ve learned that liking a place or what you’re doing there is not nearly as important as liking the people around you. Cornerstone has allowed me to meet some incredible people who have taught me what it means to really care for each other and to strive to serve God through everything I do.
Financial Update
Moore News
In other news, I have decided that the time is right to start taking seminary classes. The CCO offers discounted classes through Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. I have decided to take them up on that offer, apply, and was accepted. I know that working on my MAR (Master of Arts in Religion), will take up extra time, but I love learning about the Bible and am really excited for this opportunity.
I pray that this letter finds you well, and pray that God continues to bless you.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
April & May 2016 Newsletter
University Sunday
Every Year, Bellefield gives Cornerstone the privilege of being in charge of its services. This includes the worship, ushers, prayers, readings, and the sermon. We call it, “University Sunday.” This year, we had two speakers: Zach Herbster, who spoke on “suffering” at the first and second service, and Kevin Tracey, who spoke on “love” at our third service. If you would like to hear their full sermons, please go to www.bellefield.org. In the meantime, here are some snippets from their manuscripts.
Zach Herbster, Saved to Suffer: “While all this talk of suffering might be easy to grasp theologically and intellectually, the affluent west still likes to avoid this reality at all costs. We have tremendous wealth, resources, and time that allows us to forget suffering by comforting ourselves with whatever we please. A recent New York post article announced that in America, and especially college campuses, “comfort is a preeminent value” that undergirds the American lifestyle. I hope we can grasp that this is incompatible with the Christian life, as it numbs us to the reality that Christians will often be uncomfortable in this world.
Let me be clear: affluence is not inherently sinful; it is a privilege and a great responsibility to have so much in order to be a steward of God’s kingdom. However, as Paul makes clear to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 4:8, affluence is a severe spiritual liability that can lead to complacency.
A final illustration: in 1978 Soviet author Alexander Solzhenitsyn gave a commencement speech at Harvard. He boldly claimed that the west had grown so comfortable that they focused more on “rights and freedoms more than responsibilities and purpose.” When comfort is preeminent, we inevitably are quick to proclaim what we are entitled to. But this is theologically bankrupt, for we know that God owes us nothing, and we have been made sons and daughters of God only by grace! Instead, we must focus on our responsibility as sons and daughters to gospel and our purpose: which is to be made into the image of Christ by following him in suffering. Solzhenitsyn puts it this way when addressing the contentious ideal of becoming “western-like”:
‘No, I could not recommend your society as an ideal for the transformation of ours. Through deep suffering, people in our own country have now achieved a spiritual development of such intensity that the Western system in its present state of spiritual exhaustion does not look attractive.’
This is humbling stuff. Let us not forget our true purpose as Christians while living affluently in an affluent culture.”
Kevin Tracey, Lord, You Know I Love You: Our time in Easter is amazing and beautiful and thrilling because we have all these moments of the risen Lord. These moments when God, in risen form, reminds us that even death wasn’t strong enough to overcome his love for us. That even in our darkest moments, when we nailed Love itself—Christ our Lord—to a cross, there will never a single thing that can overcome what Christ did for us. No matter where we are or where we turn, God is always waiting for us—always coming to us and loving us without restraint.
But sometimes that’s a really uncomfortable truth to hear. Sometimes, we don’t want to hear that God loves us unconditionally. We want a reason to scream and curse and cry, and not have to be confronted with the cross. Sometimes we want to deny what has been done for us, because honestly, that would be easier.
And so, probably because I’ve written too many papers over the years, I want to give you my main idea before we jump into some scripture: Jesus loves us in spite (and through) all we do to run the opposite way. And then, He charges us to go out into the world and love in exactly the same way.
Meet the Students
Meet Megan Graybill, a (now) sophomore Rehabilitation Science major at the University of Pittsburgh who is from McAlisterville, PA. Read more about her and her experience at Cornerstone:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? It’s really difficult for me to pick a single, favorite childhood memory, but one that is definitely close to the top is the day I got my dog, Indy. My parent’s played it off like we were just going to visit an old friend of my mother’s. As it turned out this friend was fostering a dog who had just had puppies because their owner could no longer care for them. I picked one of the puppies up to play with it (because who doesn’t love playing with puppies), and you can only imagine my surprise when my parent’s told me I got to keep her.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? Honestly, my involvement with Cornerstone is so much more than I ever thought it would be in one year. I thought because I was a freshman that I would just stand by and watch everyone else run the show. However, I’m so glad I changed my attitude because being a part of Cornerstone, Freshman Ministry Team, Worship Team, and a Discipleship Group has had such a positive impact on my life. I love being involved in various aspects of Cornerstone because it means that I get to see God working in so many different areas of my life.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has been such an influential part of my life since coming to Pitt. It has shown me how beautiful it is to have the love and support of a Christian community and what a difference that can make in how I see the world and how the world sees me. I have grown so much in my faith in such a short time which has given me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone and push past the limits I thought I had. I’m so thankful that God led me to Cornerstone because not only have I grown so much in Him but I have also made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Here’s to the next three years.
Financial Update
God has blessed us recently by helping us reach our monthly goal. Now, we are asking for help on a unique way of giving. If you are interested in learning more, please click on the picture below.
Moore News
In my last Newsletter I mentioned that all three boys are currently playing baseball; Benjamin now plays for The Diamondbacks, Joshua is continuing with The Mariners, and Asher is now playing for The Scrappers. Just to give you a little picture of what our Saturday looks like: Three kids on three different baseball teams, playing (usually) at three different times, in (usually) three different locations. And that’s just a Saturday. Five other nights of the week are usually spent trying to coordinate practices and/or games. Is it busy? Yes. Is it tiring? Absolutely. Do I love it? You better believe it. Emily also seems to be handling it like a champ, but time will test our sanity.
We were recently able to take a weekend trip to the lovely Hidden Valley area of Pennsylvania, about 1 ½ hours outside of Pittsburgh. It was great to unplug for a couple of days, sleep in, and not be on any time restraints (except for three little stomachs)! Between the rain and the snow, we were able to play many board games, read books, and spend an afternoon at Seven Springs Resort to bowl, play miniature golf, and try our hand at some arcade games. But the best thing was hearing that the boys’ favorite part of the weekend was just spending time together.
I pray that this Newsletter finds you well!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Every Year, Bellefield gives Cornerstone the privilege of being in charge of its services. This includes the worship, ushers, prayers, readings, and the sermon. We call it, “University Sunday.” This year, we had two speakers: Zach Herbster, who spoke on “suffering” at the first and second service, and Kevin Tracey, who spoke on “love” at our third service. If you would like to hear their full sermons, please go to www.bellefield.org. In the meantime, here are some snippets from their manuscripts.
Zach Herbster, Saved to Suffer: “While all this talk of suffering might be easy to grasp theologically and intellectually, the affluent west still likes to avoid this reality at all costs. We have tremendous wealth, resources, and time that allows us to forget suffering by comforting ourselves with whatever we please. A recent New York post article announced that in America, and especially college campuses, “comfort is a preeminent value” that undergirds the American lifestyle. I hope we can grasp that this is incompatible with the Christian life, as it numbs us to the reality that Christians will often be uncomfortable in this world.
Let me be clear: affluence is not inherently sinful; it is a privilege and a great responsibility to have so much in order to be a steward of God’s kingdom. However, as Paul makes clear to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 4:8, affluence is a severe spiritual liability that can lead to complacency.
A final illustration: in 1978 Soviet author Alexander Solzhenitsyn gave a commencement speech at Harvard. He boldly claimed that the west had grown so comfortable that they focused more on “rights and freedoms more than responsibilities and purpose.” When comfort is preeminent, we inevitably are quick to proclaim what we are entitled to. But this is theologically bankrupt, for we know that God owes us nothing, and we have been made sons and daughters of God only by grace! Instead, we must focus on our responsibility as sons and daughters to gospel and our purpose: which is to be made into the image of Christ by following him in suffering. Solzhenitsyn puts it this way when addressing the contentious ideal of becoming “western-like”:
‘No, I could not recommend your society as an ideal for the transformation of ours. Through deep suffering, people in our own country have now achieved a spiritual development of such intensity that the Western system in its present state of spiritual exhaustion does not look attractive.’
This is humbling stuff. Let us not forget our true purpose as Christians while living affluently in an affluent culture.”
Kevin Tracey, Lord, You Know I Love You: Our time in Easter is amazing and beautiful and thrilling because we have all these moments of the risen Lord. These moments when God, in risen form, reminds us that even death wasn’t strong enough to overcome his love for us. That even in our darkest moments, when we nailed Love itself—Christ our Lord—to a cross, there will never a single thing that can overcome what Christ did for us. No matter where we are or where we turn, God is always waiting for us—always coming to us and loving us without restraint.
But sometimes that’s a really uncomfortable truth to hear. Sometimes, we don’t want to hear that God loves us unconditionally. We want a reason to scream and curse and cry, and not have to be confronted with the cross. Sometimes we want to deny what has been done for us, because honestly, that would be easier.
And so, probably because I’ve written too many papers over the years, I want to give you my main idea before we jump into some scripture: Jesus loves us in spite (and through) all we do to run the opposite way. And then, He charges us to go out into the world and love in exactly the same way.
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? It’s really difficult for me to pick a single, favorite childhood memory, but one that is definitely close to the top is the day I got my dog, Indy. My parent’s played it off like we were just going to visit an old friend of my mother’s. As it turned out this friend was fostering a dog who had just had puppies because their owner could no longer care for them. I picked one of the puppies up to play with it (because who doesn’t love playing with puppies), and you can only imagine my surprise when my parent’s told me I got to keep her.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? Honestly, my involvement with Cornerstone is so much more than I ever thought it would be in one year. I thought because I was a freshman that I would just stand by and watch everyone else run the show. However, I’m so glad I changed my attitude because being a part of Cornerstone, Freshman Ministry Team, Worship Team, and a Discipleship Group has had such a positive impact on my life. I love being involved in various aspects of Cornerstone because it means that I get to see God working in so many different areas of my life.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone has been such an influential part of my life since coming to Pitt. It has shown me how beautiful it is to have the love and support of a Christian community and what a difference that can make in how I see the world and how the world sees me. I have grown so much in my faith in such a short time which has given me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone and push past the limits I thought I had. I’m so thankful that God led me to Cornerstone because not only have I grown so much in Him but I have also made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Here’s to the next three years.
Financial Update
God has blessed us recently by helping us reach our monthly goal. Now, we are asking for help on a unique way of giving. If you are interested in learning more, please click on the picture below.
Moore News
We were recently able to take a weekend trip to the lovely Hidden Valley area of Pennsylvania, about 1 ½ hours outside of Pittsburgh. It was great to unplug for a couple of days, sleep in, and not be on any time restraints (except for three little stomachs)! Between the rain and the snow, we were able to play many board games, read books, and spend an afternoon at Seven Springs Resort to bowl, play miniature golf, and try our hand at some arcade games. But the best thing was hearing that the boys’ favorite part of the weekend was just spending time together.
I pray that this Newsletter finds you well!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
March 2016 Newsletter
Jubilee Testimony
The Jubilee Conference is an annual conference put on by the CCO that talks about faithful living in every area of life, and is designed to help you wrestle deeply with the challenges of being students of Jesus, citizens of His Kingdom, and of this world. Jess Mattox, a freshman Pitt student, shares her experience:
Having been a member of Cornerstone from the beginning of my freshman year, I had heard a lot about Jubilee. The more involved with Cornerstone I became, the more I was intrigued by the concept of Jubilee. What was this conference that “transformed everything”? This past February, I had the opportunity to see for myself what Jubilee was all about.
Coming into Jubilee, the concept of academic faithfulness was a something I had heard before, but not something that I had really internalized. On Saturday morning, I went to a session called Learning for the Love of God. The speaker, Derek Melleby said something that blew my mind, “Academics are not a competition.” I had always viewed academics as a competition—I was competing against those around me, I was competing against myself, I even considered myself to be competing against the material itself. I had always resented on some degree when people would ask me for help. I wanted to have all of the right answers and keep the right answers to myself. For me, school work was a competition that I wanted to win. After Melleby’s talk, a few Cornerstone students shared their testimonies as relates to academics, which really cemented the idea that we should view academics not as a competition, not as a burden, but as an opportunity to glorify God.
On Sunday morning, David Kinnaman said some things in his talk about Restoration that really made me think as well. I’m the kind of person that holds grudges and is not usually the most loving person around. I had always seen this as more of a personality quirk than anything I really needed to work on. I just assumed that some people were more caring than others and that was all. However, Kinnaman said, “You love God as much as the person you love the least,” and “God loves the person you hate more than the people you love the very most.” These quotes struck me in two ways. First, God loves all of us more than we could ever possibly imagine. Second, feelings of hate and anger towards others hinders our relationship with God. I was challenged to look at the interactions I have with the people around me and look for ways to glorify God through my relationships with others.
Overall, Jubilee taught me that I should strive to see the world through God’s eyes. The conference opened my eyes to things that I need to work through while giving me practical examples of what it looks like to live a life that has been transformed by Christ. I now have an understanding of the Jubilee vision and I see that the gospel really does transform everything.
Spring Break Testimonies
I had the opportunity to spend my spring break with 34 students building a house with Habitat for Humanity in Jackson County, Florida. Here are two testimonies from first time goers Alexa Packard (pictured right) and Devon Kroesche (pictured left):
Alexa Packard: When signing up for the Habitat for Humanity Spring Break trip, I was mainly looking for a different way to spend my spring break. I knew that I wanted to do some sort of service, but I didn’t expect to get so much out of the experience. I learned so much about myself, the people I was working alongside for five days, and just how good God is. I had hoped that I would be able to see the light of Christ through this experience, but I didn’t realize just how many ways He would impact this trip.
Upon arrival, the only structure at the worksite was the concrete foundation. The Habitat crew, including myself, built an entire house in just a week, which is amazing in itself. On top of that, I was pleasantly surprised to have had the opportunity to meet the owners of this new house. They were extraordinary people, with kind hearts, and I felt honored to be providing them with a home that they could build their family in. Working alongside me were some of the most compassionate, caring, and self-less people I could have ever hoped to work with. Going into this trip, I never expected to make so many new and wonderful friendships. The presence of Christ was evident in each and every one of my crew-mates and I am so grateful to have met them.
Aside from these new friendships, I got to experience the exceptional hospitality that the South is known for. Not only were we welcomed with open arms, the entire community of Marianna, FL showed us just how thankful they were to have us there. We were provided with host families and every meal (in abundance), and we were blessed or prayed over multiple times a day. This is something that will stick with me forever and I hope to provide such kindness in my own life. This experience was definitely one of the most eye-opening and humbling experiences, and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my spring break any other way.
Devon Kroesche: When I first signed up for the Habitat trip, I thought of it just as something fun to do over spring break. I had no idea how much it would change my life. I met so many new friends and became really emotionally invested in a cause I had never really thought about before. I thought of the trip as a "one and done" kind of deal, but after this trip, I don't think I'll ever be able to stop volunteering for Habitat. Who would have thought that I would fall in love with using a hammer?!
My favorite part of the trip was getting to know the family we were building for as well as the community they were surrounded by. We were all divided up into host families, which was a new experience for all of us, but I think by the end we could all agree that it was an awesome idea. Not only did we get to know each other, but we also got to experience true southern hospitality. I loved this setup because we learned what it is like to receive this incredible generosity, which is not something you expect to learn while doing a service trip.
At the beginning of the trip, I didn't really know anyone that was going, aside from Andy of course. But the bonding experiences you have on the spring break Habitat trip cannot be replicated anywhere. It's like we are all working toward a common goal, learning new things and getting to know new people, and having a ton of fun in the process. By the end of the week, I felt like I had a second family. It sounds a little cliché, but I know that thanks to this trip, I have built (no pun intended) lifelong friendships that are unlike any other.
Financial Update
God has blessed us recently in the past few months by helping us reach our monthly goal. Now, we are asking for help on a unique way of giving. If you are interested in learning more, please click on the picture below.
Moore News
Now that Jubilee and Spring Break is over, summer break will be here in the blink of an eye. That can only mean one thing: baseball. This year, all three boys will be playing...in three different leagues. This should be quite challenging, but fun. Benjamin moved up a league and will be playing for the Diamondbacks, Josh will still be on the Mariners, and Asher still has yet to get assigned a team. I will be helping coach both Ben and Josh's team, and giving Asher some personal tutelage. Asher has shown a little bit of interest in baseball, but has yet to show the enthusiasm of his older brothers. He seems like much more of a home-body than the other two. We have been working on his mechanics, and he seems to be enjoying himself. Time will tell if he enjoys sports or not.
In other news, I will be mentoring a CCO Fellow (intern) next year by the name of John Abarca. He will be one of two Fellows joining Cornerstone next year (along with Meagan Nazario whom my colleague, Bobbi, will oversee). This will be a new, unique opportunity to help prepare someone for ministry, and I look forward to it.
In Christ
Andy Moore
Having been a member of Cornerstone from the beginning of my freshman year, I had heard a lot about Jubilee. The more involved with Cornerstone I became, the more I was intrigued by the concept of Jubilee. What was this conference that “transformed everything”? This past February, I had the opportunity to see for myself what Jubilee was all about.
Coming into Jubilee, the concept of academic faithfulness was a something I had heard before, but not something that I had really internalized. On Saturday morning, I went to a session called Learning for the Love of God. The speaker, Derek Melleby said something that blew my mind, “Academics are not a competition.” I had always viewed academics as a competition—I was competing against those around me, I was competing against myself, I even considered myself to be competing against the material itself. I had always resented on some degree when people would ask me for help. I wanted to have all of the right answers and keep the right answers to myself. For me, school work was a competition that I wanted to win. After Melleby’s talk, a few Cornerstone students shared their testimonies as relates to academics, which really cemented the idea that we should view academics not as a competition, not as a burden, but as an opportunity to glorify God.
On Sunday morning, David Kinnaman said some things in his talk about Restoration that really made me think as well. I’m the kind of person that holds grudges and is not usually the most loving person around. I had always seen this as more of a personality quirk than anything I really needed to work on. I just assumed that some people were more caring than others and that was all. However, Kinnaman said, “You love God as much as the person you love the least,” and “God loves the person you hate more than the people you love the very most.” These quotes struck me in two ways. First, God loves all of us more than we could ever possibly imagine. Second, feelings of hate and anger towards others hinders our relationship with God. I was challenged to look at the interactions I have with the people around me and look for ways to glorify God through my relationships with others.
Overall, Jubilee taught me that I should strive to see the world through God’s eyes. The conference opened my eyes to things that I need to work through while giving me practical examples of what it looks like to live a life that has been transformed by Christ. I now have an understanding of the Jubilee vision and I see that the gospel really does transform everything.
Spring Break Testimonies
Alexa Packard: When signing up for the Habitat for Humanity Spring Break trip, I was mainly looking for a different way to spend my spring break. I knew that I wanted to do some sort of service, but I didn’t expect to get so much out of the experience. I learned so much about myself, the people I was working alongside for five days, and just how good God is. I had hoped that I would be able to see the light of Christ through this experience, but I didn’t realize just how many ways He would impact this trip.
Upon arrival, the only structure at the worksite was the concrete foundation. The Habitat crew, including myself, built an entire house in just a week, which is amazing in itself. On top of that, I was pleasantly surprised to have had the opportunity to meet the owners of this new house. They were extraordinary people, with kind hearts, and I felt honored to be providing them with a home that they could build their family in. Working alongside me were some of the most compassionate, caring, and self-less people I could have ever hoped to work with. Going into this trip, I never expected to make so many new and wonderful friendships. The presence of Christ was evident in each and every one of my crew-mates and I am so grateful to have met them.
Aside from these new friendships, I got to experience the exceptional hospitality that the South is known for. Not only were we welcomed with open arms, the entire community of Marianna, FL showed us just how thankful they were to have us there. We were provided with host families and every meal (in abundance), and we were blessed or prayed over multiple times a day. This is something that will stick with me forever and I hope to provide such kindness in my own life. This experience was definitely one of the most eye-opening and humbling experiences, and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my spring break any other way.
Devon Kroesche: When I first signed up for the Habitat trip, I thought of it just as something fun to do over spring break. I had no idea how much it would change my life. I met so many new friends and became really emotionally invested in a cause I had never really thought about before. I thought of the trip as a "one and done" kind of deal, but after this trip, I don't think I'll ever be able to stop volunteering for Habitat. Who would have thought that I would fall in love with using a hammer?!
My favorite part of the trip was getting to know the family we were building for as well as the community they were surrounded by. We were all divided up into host families, which was a new experience for all of us, but I think by the end we could all agree that it was an awesome idea. Not only did we get to know each other, but we also got to experience true southern hospitality. I loved this setup because we learned what it is like to receive this incredible generosity, which is not something you expect to learn while doing a service trip.
At the beginning of the trip, I didn't really know anyone that was going, aside from Andy of course. But the bonding experiences you have on the spring break Habitat trip cannot be replicated anywhere. It's like we are all working toward a common goal, learning new things and getting to know new people, and having a ton of fun in the process. By the end of the week, I felt like I had a second family. It sounds a little cliché, but I know that thanks to this trip, I have built (no pun intended) lifelong friendships that are unlike any other.
Financial Update
God has blessed us recently in the past few months by helping us reach our monthly goal. Now, we are asking for help on a unique way of giving. If you are interested in learning more, please click on the picture below.
Moore News
In other news, I will be mentoring a CCO Fellow (intern) next year by the name of John Abarca. He will be one of two Fellows joining Cornerstone next year (along with Meagan Nazario whom my colleague, Bobbi, will oversee). This will be a new, unique opportunity to help prepare someone for ministry, and I look forward to it.
In Christ
Andy Moore
Thursday, January 28, 2016
January 2016 Newsletter
Coming Home: An Invitation to Prayer
"True, whole prayer is nothing but love." -St. Augustine
God has graciously allowed me to catch a glimpse into his heart, and I want to share with you what I have seen. Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with much-ness and many-ness. He longs for our presence.
And he is inviting you—and me—to come home, to come home to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created. His arms are stretched out wide to receive us. His heart is enlarged to take us in.
For too long we have been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And he welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace and joy, home to friendship and fellowship and openness, home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation.
We do not need to be shy. He invites us into the living room of his heart, where we can put on old slippers and share freely. He invites us into the kitchen of his friendship, where chatter and batter mix in good fun. He invites us into the dining room of his strength, where we can feast to our heart's delight. He invites us into the study of his wisdom, where we can learn and grow and stretch . . . and ask all the questions we want. He invites us into the workshop of his creativity, where we can be co-laborers with him, working together to determine the outcomes of events. He invites us into the bedroom of his rest, where new peace is found and where we can be naked and vulnerable and free. It is also the place of deepest intimacy, where we know and are known to the fullest.
-Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home
Meet the Students
Meet Drew “Slick” Colebank, a sophomore Neuroscience major from Masontown, PA. Drew is, honestly, one of the nicest people I know. He has a cheerful, humble spirit which is absolutely infectious. Drew joined the Prayer team this year, and I can’t wait to work with him. Read more about him…
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? I once went to a camp called Peniel, meaning "face to face with God" from Genesis when Jacob wrestled with God. There, they have a small, modest outside chapel, where a short vespers service was held. In this particular moment, we sang "Abide With Me" while the wind blew softly through the trees of these woods and the sun was just setting. Though simple, it was majestic. Then I remember clearly the Holy Spirit touching my heart when I asked of Him to "Abide with me fast falls the eventide." It is a peace that I can hardly describe.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? After much prayer of the summer, I decided that God wanted me to focus my energy in to this ministry. I have been involved in outreach events, such as Hot Dogs, greeting, and O-Week. I have attended a weekly small group Bible Study. I am now a Prayer Team Leader for 2016.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone instills in me that God intended His people to be creative, to work, and to serve their fellow man in humility. Our diverse Christian community reminds me that God is always present, and by being present love and hope abounds.
Financial Update
God has blessed us recently in the past few months by helping us reach our monthly goal. Now, we are asking for help on a unique way of giving. If you are interested in learning more, please click on the picture below.
Moore News
If you saw our Christmas Newsletter’s picture, you may have noticed that I was holding a new addition to the family. That’s right, we got a dog. She is a Cheaglehund (Chihuahua, Beagle, Dachshund mix) named Olive. Our best friends, Clay and Jenny, teamed with Emily to surprise me and the boys with the early Christmas gift. I was completely surprised. She’s a very cuddly “lap” dog, that goes through random spurts of typical puppy hyperactivity. She especially, and painfully, loves to playfully bite toes or feet. We have to wean her of that one. Oh, and she is possibly the cutest dog you have ever seen. The boys (especially Joshua) love her, as do I. Emily has always said that I become a different person around dogs.
We had a great Christmas as well. We spent Christmas day at home in Pittsburgh and then traveled to Morgantown and Oak Hill, WV the following days. During that week, we didn’t do a whole lot except visit family, and it was fantastic and the relaxing break we all needed. Our house is filled with even more video games, remote controlled vehicles, and Star Wars toys. All of which I appreciate. For those of you wondering, yes I did see Star Wars...five times. If you want to hear my thoughts or review of the movie (I obviously liked it, or I wouldn’t have seen it five times), feel free to email me.
We hope this letter finds you well and that God continues to work through you.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
"True, whole prayer is nothing but love." -St. Augustine
God has graciously allowed me to catch a glimpse into his heart, and I want to share with you what I have seen. Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with much-ness and many-ness. He longs for our presence.
And he is inviting you—and me—to come home, to come home to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created. His arms are stretched out wide to receive us. His heart is enlarged to take us in.
For too long we have been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation. And he welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace and joy, home to friendship and fellowship and openness, home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation.
We do not need to be shy. He invites us into the living room of his heart, where we can put on old slippers and share freely. He invites us into the kitchen of his friendship, where chatter and batter mix in good fun. He invites us into the dining room of his strength, where we can feast to our heart's delight. He invites us into the study of his wisdom, where we can learn and grow and stretch . . . and ask all the questions we want. He invites us into the workshop of his creativity, where we can be co-laborers with him, working together to determine the outcomes of events. He invites us into the bedroom of his rest, where new peace is found and where we can be naked and vulnerable and free. It is also the place of deepest intimacy, where we know and are known to the fullest.
-Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? I once went to a camp called Peniel, meaning "face to face with God" from Genesis when Jacob wrestled with God. There, they have a small, modest outside chapel, where a short vespers service was held. In this particular moment, we sang "Abide With Me" while the wind blew softly through the trees of these woods and the sun was just setting. Though simple, it was majestic. Then I remember clearly the Holy Spirit touching my heart when I asked of Him to "Abide with me fast falls the eventide." It is a peace that I can hardly describe.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? After much prayer of the summer, I decided that God wanted me to focus my energy in to this ministry. I have been involved in outreach events, such as Hot Dogs, greeting, and O-Week. I have attended a weekly small group Bible Study. I am now a Prayer Team Leader for 2016.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Cornerstone instills in me that God intended His people to be creative, to work, and to serve their fellow man in humility. Our diverse Christian community reminds me that God is always present, and by being present love and hope abounds.
Financial Update
God has blessed us recently in the past few months by helping us reach our monthly goal. Now, we are asking for help on a unique way of giving. If you are interested in learning more, please click on the picture below.
Moore News
We had a great Christmas as well. We spent Christmas day at home in Pittsburgh and then traveled to Morgantown and Oak Hill, WV the following days. During that week, we didn’t do a whole lot except visit family, and it was fantastic and the relaxing break we all needed. Our house is filled with even more video games, remote controlled vehicles, and Star Wars toys. All of which I appreciate. For those of you wondering, yes I did see Star Wars...five times. If you want to hear my thoughts or review of the movie (I obviously liked it, or I wouldn’t have seen it five times), feel free to email me.
We hope this letter finds you well and that God continues to work through you.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
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