A few weeks ago, we had our annual signature event: The Fall Retreat. It was a great weekend for approximately forty students to get away from Pittsburgh to Ligonier Camp and Conference Center. Here, Chris White (a former CCO staff worker and current pastor at Gateway Church in Slippery Rock) gave three talks which laid out the overarching story of the Bible. It was a bit like drinking from a fire hose, but I found Chris’ talk series quite refreshing and engaging. The weekend also consisted of activities, games, and (of course) food. The Fall Retreat is a wonderful opportunity to connect with students that I haven’t had the chance of getting to know, and deepening continued relationships. It was, as always, a fantastic weekend.
Meet the Students
Going to college is obviously a huge milestone in anybody’s life. As much of an accomplishment as it is, it is also one of the most stressful (and exciting) points in a young person’s life. It’s hard to prepare yourself for a new home, a new group of friends, and a new list of responsibilities. One thing that is often lost in the shuffle is a person’s sense of religion. With so many distractions, it is easy to see how so many people neglect to go to church; but that still doesn’t excuse us forgetting about God.
I was raised in a traditional Catholic family. I regularly attended mass, prayed, and felt generally comfortable in my faith. One thing I wanted to make sure didn’t happen upon coming to college would be me drifting away from God. In preparing to come to Pitt, my roommate (and good friend from high school) told me about a college ministry called Cornerstone. I admit, I was a bit unsure about coming at first since I had never been a part of a youth group at home that I really enjoyed or connected with. I gave it a shot, however, and came to the first Cornerstone of the semester. I was amazed at how friendly and welcoming everybody was, and being a first-week freshman, finding a group of people who want to be your friends is like a dream come true! Even more, the next night at Freshman Bible Study, I met a lot of people who were in the same boat as me, so it was easy to strike up a conversation with them, and now many of them are close friends of mine. Even more meaningful was the way that Cornerstone allowed us to grow in our faith. By getting involved in Cornerstone, there is no way to not have an opportunity to find a way to get closer to God. From Discipleship Groups and Bible Studies to the Wednesday night talks and everything involved in preparing them, there are tons of different ways to get involved.
Last year, I was challenged in a way I never been before. I joined the Freshman Ministry Team, which leads the Freshman Bible Studies. At home, I had attended Bible Studies, but I had never been in a position to lead one and teach others about the Word of God. The preparation for these studies caused me to further examine scripture and analyze the meaning, not just in the Biblical context, but also in ways it can be applied to life on a college campus, where distraction and temptation are everywhere. I am excited to be on FMT this fall when a new wave of freshman come, being in the same exact position I was a year ago. I am looking forward to helping them adjust and strengthen their beliefs. Having this responsibility has definitely brought me closer to God and held me accountable for my faith. We are taught to be a light in a world of darkness, and that is what I have found in Cornerstone on a college campus.
Financial Update
Moore News
For Halloween, all three of our kids dressed up in fairly unique costumes. Benjamin went as Tetris, Joshua went as an AT-ST Walker (The chicken walker from Return of the Jedi), and Asher went as Captain Underpants. Joshua’s was the most time-consuming costume. Upon watching and episode of Star Wars Rebels, he decided he wanted to be a Walker for Halloween. I looked on the internet to see if you could buy a walker costume, and (of course) you could not. When looking for a costume, I saw that many people had created their own AT-ST costume. So, I looked for a pattern, but came up short. I then decided that with enough cardboard, glue, x-acto knife, and paint, that I could create the costume by site. It took about a month, but I did it. And, I think, it turned out fairly good. He won a costume contest, and got double the amount of candy as his brothers on Halloween. Ben and Asher were not too happy about the latter.
Emily has been keeping busy with working, and running. This past weekend she ran a ten-miler like it was nothing. I feel that everything she does, she does well. When she sets her mind to do something, it gets accomplished above and beyond what was desired. She has the gift of hard-work and diligence, and it pays off well for her.
I pray that all is well.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
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