Moore News (August 2024)

To Donate to the Bike4Haiti: https://givebutter.com/2024bike4haiti/joshmoore2

To Donate to my campaign: https://ccojubilee.org/campaign/4398/Moore-Campaign

To Donate Regularly: https://ccojubilee.org/staff/amoore

Hey everyone! I hope you're doing well. I wanted to give you a quick update on what's happening with Cornerstone and in our household.

Last week was orientation week, and we had several events. You might have seen on my Instagram Stories that we handed out 4,000 bottles of water. A big part of this was during convocation when all the freshmen gathered at the Peterson Events Center for basic instructions. We handed out 2,500 bottles in just 45 minutes to an hour—it was wild!

We also had a doughnut decorating event where people could design their own doughnuts. The idea behind this was to offer something—especially food—that would keep people around for a few minutes, giving us time to have conversations with them. It was a great success, with over 100 people attending.

For our big event, instead of our usual cookout, we hired food trucks this year thanks to the Cornerstone campaign. We had two trucks: Brisketburgh and Sak Pasé. The event went really well, with 250 people getting free food from the trucks, and another 100 or so just hanging out. We served mocktails and soda, so in total, about 350 people joined us. It was a very successful event.

Last night, we had our first Cornerstone meeting at a new time—8:00 PM instead of 8:40 PM. We aim to create a "home away from home" atmosphere, so we're now providing dinner every Wednesday. Of course, we had the college favorite, pizza, last night. I also gave a short devotion. It was a wonderful time, and God is truly moving through Cornerstone right now.

Emily is gearing up for the Bikes for Haiti event, which starts this Saturday. She's fully immersed in that right now. If you're interested in helping or donating, the link is above and below.

Benjamin is no longer looking at colleges. I’m still not going to reveal which college he’ll be attending until he gets accepted, but he’s starting his senior year at SciTech and continues to work at Chick-fil-A. I'm really proud of the man of God he’s becoming. He also just returned from a trip to Alaska with my parents, which was one of his dream destinations, and he had a blast.

Joshua is doing well. He has fully recovered from his surgery and the complications that came with it. Thank you all so much for your prayers; they really meant a lot to us. He’s back to playing football, now as a wide receiver for the University Prep, SciTech, and Obama football team (U.S.O.). He loves the game and is very gifted at it.

Asher has finally found a high school, though it's not SciTech like his brothers. Due to some administrative errors, he couldn’t get in there, but he did get into Allderdice High School, which specializes in engineering. He’ll be in the engineering program there. It’s a large school, but he’s adjusting well, especially since some of his close friends, including one of his best friends, are there with him.

Not much else is happening in the Moore household right now, but I'm sure things will get busier in the coming month. Thank you so much for your support and love. There’s still a chance to give to the campaign—I'll include the link below. If you want to give in other ways, that link will be below too. I love you all, and God bless!

To Donate to the Bike4Haiti: https://givebutter.com/2024bike4haiti/joshmoore2

To Donate to my campaign: https://ccojubilee.org/campaign/4398/Moore-Campaign

To Donate Regularly: https://ccojubilee.org/staff/amoore

2023 June Newsletter

My Cornerstone Testimony - Part 1 - A Pub, Pints, and Prayer

Usually, this part of my Newsletter is dedicated to student Testimony. I decided this time to do something a little different. I wanted to share my testimony of how God is working within Cornerstone.

In 2018, I was visiting my best friends (Clay Fuller and Will Coulson) for a weekend in Morgantown, WV to watch the NFL draft together – something we’ve been doing together for almost 20 years. During those days, we drove around the town, visiting our old college haunts, and I started to get nostalgic. Morgantown is a very special place to me - a place marked with growth – a place where Jesus found me. I thought to myself, “It would be great to move back here. God would have to provide a way.”

A few days later, I kid you not, I got a phone call. It was from a pretty well-known church in Morgantown asking me to apply for the position of Director of College Ministry. Was this a sign from God? Afterall, I had just said “God would have to provide a way.” Seeing no harm in listening to what the church had to offer, and the appeal of moving back to West Virginia, I decided to apply. After a strenuous interview process, where they wined and dined me, I was offered the job. On paper, the job seemed pretty prestigious: it was a big-time job (for a pastor) at a big-time church, with an easy way to work my way up the pastoral ladder. The pay was about the same, but I wouldn’t have to raise half of my salary anymore. However, I turned down the job. There were a few reasons for turning down the job was 1. I wasn’t called to the job, I felt called to stay in Pittsburgh, continuing my job. I felt that I had unfinished business. I also didn’t want to leave behind an already established community. Now some of these reasons have left many puzzled. Couldn’t God use you in Morgantown? Well, yes. God can use anyone anywhere. But power, fame, and money aren’t reasons for leaving. My wife, Emily, felt the same way.

You see, I realized that I was deeply unsatisfied with job at Pitt. I was near burnout, and the once-joyful experience had lost its luster. It wasn't solely Morgantown that I desired; I craved change. It was evident that a significant shift was necessary. Instead of simply informing my coworkers via text, I opted for a more personal approach. Hence, we convened at our beloved local pub to share the news.

Over a pint or two, I informed them that I was staying, and they seemed happy and relieved with the decision. However, I didn't stop there. I felt the urge to express my deep concerns about the stagnant nature of our work. It seemed like we were trapped in a monotonous cycle, repeating the same motions endlessly. Let me clarify, there's value in following a familiar routine, but only when it's infused with passion and purpose for the Lord. Sadly, that was not the case for us at the moment. I felt a spiritual drought, and it was evident that our students were far from reaching their full potential, which was disheartening for all of us.

I was fairly emotional, and started to tear up – literal tears in my beer. Both of my coworkers looked at me, with complete empathy, and said that they felt the same. We collectively recognized the pressing need for change. However, we acknowledged that the power to initiate true transformation did not lie within us alone. Our students' renewal required a higher force—only God could orchestrate it. So, in that humble pub setting, we made a resolute decision to turn to prayer. Our heartfelt plea resonated, “God, we are asking for change. We are asking that you just show up!” And do you know what? God showed up! Just not in the way we were expecting…

Financial Update

To Donate:
https://ccojubilee.org/staff/amoore

I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and generosity throughout this incredible, continued journey. Thanks to your amazing help, we have experienced significant financial blessings over the past year. I am delighted to share that I have also been blessed with a raise, which allows me to continue pursuing my passion of reaching college students for Christ. As we strive to do this, I am reaching out today to ask for your assistance in raising $5600 each month to support our ongoing efforts. We are excited about the prospect of increasing monthly support, while recognizing that one-time donations are equally impactful. Additionally, I am seeking to replenish my Ministry Account with an extra $10,000. Please remember that any gift, regardless of its size, is immensely valuable and appreciated. On a side note, any contribution towards the goal of “$10,000” should be marked on the check or as a side note, as "Replenishment of MA" to ensure proper tracking. If interested in donating, you can click on the link above. Your incredible kindness fuels our mission, and together, we can make a lasting difference in college students’ lives. Thank you again for your unfailing support and unwavering belief in this ministry. Thanks, and God bless!

Moore News

To Donate:
https://ccojubilee.org/staff/amoore 

Haiti h2o Podcast, "Lessons of Hope":
https://open.spotify.com/show/1q1RZhmoykCbZSyOkUPnaq?si=c329788cb0c04fec

First and foremost, I want to apologize for the lack of updates recently. It's been a whirlwind of activity, but I am committed to sending out a monthly newsletter for the rest of the year to keep you all in the loop. Your support means the world to me, and I want to ensure that you stay connected and informed about the exciting happenings in our lives.

Now, let's dive into the biggest news of the past year - we've moved! Well, not too far, just 12 houses down from our previous address. We went from 1104 Portland St. to 1144 Portland St. It may seem like a small change, but the new house offers us so much more space, and we feel truly blessed to have it. Also, the dogs love it. If you're curious about how we came into possession of this wonderful home, it's actually a cool story. Feel free to reach out to me, and I'd be more than happy to share the details with you.

I would like to provide you all with an update on my seminary journey. As some of you may remember, I had initially planned to take a sabbatical. However, I am grateful to share that I was granted permission to extend my required campus life to two years instead of one. This wonderful opportunity has allowed me to balance taking classes and continuing my work simultaneously. With this adjusted timeline, I am on track to complete my degree in May 2024. Looking ahead, I hope to pursue ordination in the EPC (Evangelical Presbyterian Church) while also continuing my work with college students.

On the professional front, Emily, my incredible wife, is thriving as the communications director at Haiti h2o. She has recently been involved in producing, directing, and editing a podcast called "Lessons of Hope." If you're interested in getting a glimpse of her remarkable work and learning more about the inspiring mission of Haiti h2o, I invite you to click on the link above to listen. It's a fantastic opportunity to see firsthand the impact she's making and to gain insights into the incredible work happening at Haiti h2o.

Now, let's talk about our boys. Benjamin, who is now in 10th grade, and Joshua, who is in 9th grade, are both attending sci-tech, which happens to be conveniently located across the street from Bellefield. Benjamin is currently an active member of Boy Scouts, where he is dedicatedly working towards achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. As he prepares to enter the next phase of his life, Benjamin will soon be embarking on the exciting journey of exploring college options. Joshua had an eventful year, as he joined the football team, but unfortunately experienced a separated shoulder that limited his playing time as a Wide Receiver and Cornerback. Determined to contribute, he found a new way to shine on the field by volunteering as a punter and kicker, and he thrived in those positions. As for Asher, he continues to pursue his passion for visual arts at CAPA. He's really enjoying it, and is quite the artist. Although he does have one complaint - those flights of stairs he has to climb every day!

In closing, I hope this update finds you all in good health and high spirits. I sincerely pray that God's blessings continue to shower upon each and every one of you. Thank you for your unwavering support, and I look forward to sharing more exciting news with you in the coming months. Thanks, and God Bless!

In Christ,
Andy Moore

 

2022 February Newsletter

Cornerstone Update/Moore News

Click on the video below to find out what Cornerstone and the Moore household have been up to!

To find out more about Haiti H2O, go to: https://www.haitih2o.org/

To donate: https://ccojubilee.org/about/our-team/andy-moore/261/

In Christ,
Andy Moore

February 2019 Newsletter

Cornerstone Update
The new Cornerstone Large Group format continues. This semester, we have had students voluntarily plan our Wednesday nights with the staff. They came up with some great themes, speakers, experiential ideas, and unique worship nights. Not only did they help plan the nights, but the buy in is through the roof. Students have been not just enjoying the night, but growing in their relationship with God because of it. They have been so excited that they are bringing their friends, so we are seeing quite a few new faces. Pray that God continues to work within Cornerstone, and that it would be a welcoming environment where the Holy Spirit is evident.

Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
As many of you know from reading past newsletters, I took over as the adviser for Habitat for Humanity four 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 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (March 9-17) to help build and work on houses. I cannot, however, do this alone. The trip costs $600, so I would like for you to prayerfully consider supporting students, my intern (fellow), 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 $20-$100 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 Josh Young, a sophomore Worship Team leader, who is also involved in the Pitt marching band. Read more about him:

Cornerstone has been a huge blessing in my life during the last two academic years. I always knew that I wanted to get involved with a campus ministry group when I got to Pitt, but as a member of the Pitt Band, which practices four days per week, it was hard to find a ministry group that would fit into my schedule. A friend from my church at home was involved with Cornerstone, and he invited me to attend. I figured I would try Cornerstone out since it met on the only day that I did not have band practice. I am so glad that I decided to try it out. As soon as I walked into the fellowship hall of Bellefield Presbyterian Church, I felt at home. Everyone was so welcoming and kind, and the atmosphere gave me instant peace and rest from the stressors of college life. I quickly became a regular attendee, and now only on rare occasion will you not find me at Cornerstone on Wednesday nights.

During the spring semester of 2018, I went on a backpacking trip with Cornerstone that focused on spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, silence, and solitude. The trip was a very eye-opening experience for me because it showed me a new realm of ways to spend time in the presence of God, and it humbled me, as I realized that most of the people on the trip were more theologically and spiritually knowledgeable than I. That trip gave me an opportunity to just dwell in the presence of God in a way that I had not before, and I felt that I returned from spring break with a renewed soul and sense of purpose.

This fall, I applied for a leadership position on worship team for the 2019 calendar year so that I could give back to Cornerstone, and that leadership position has also been such a blessing for me. As a leadership team, we have seen a lot of turnover in singers and musicians this semester, and God’s presence has been very prevalent. He has brought in a lot of musicians for us that are not necessarily believers. People come to play on the worship band because they just want to play music, and then they stay for the message. One of our musicians has even started attending a Bible study. To see God working so obviously right in front of my eyes is an extremely exciting feeling, and I am very grateful that I have gotten the opportunity to see His work unfold. Cornerstone has been a huge blessing to me, and I have had the privilege to see God at work and grow spiritually in my first two years of college.

Financial Update

January was a pretty good month for us! As you can see from the chart, we made 87% of our monthly goal! Thank you to everyone who has supported us in our ministry. Cornerstone, and ministering to students like Josh, would simply not be possible without you. Just because we made our goal for a month does not give me an excuse to rest or be lazy, however. We are always in need of help financially, and are always looking for new supporters. If God leads you to do so, we would love for you to be a part of this ministry through gift and/or prayer.  I am asking that my current supporters give an extra 10% to 25% on top of their usual giving. This will help to make my goal. Remember that any gift is a good gift. 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

Sorry for the lack of updates, but things have been unusually busy. Between my schooling, work, and family life, along with the boys schooling and Emily’s work, I have felt a bit breathless. I have finished one of my three classes, so things should cool down...a bit.

Ben has been thriving at Sci-Tech. It not only integrates classic learning styles, but integrates some more hands-on, tactile learning styles. He has created science projects and robots, as well as composed some various songs in his music class. They are pretty darn good. Soon, he (and Josh) will be back to enrolling in baseball. We took last year off, so the will be a welcome reunion for them.

Josh has officially been accepted to Pittsburgh Schiller, a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Magnet School serving students in grades 6-8 on the Northside of Pittsburgh! We are thrilled that he got in! It will be challenging having three kids in three schools next year, but we are excited! He continues to be busy on the Fulton Basketball team. It is a joy to watch him play.

Asher recently won Student of the semester at the gifted center! He has enjoyed the gifted center so much, and we are so proud of what he has accomplished there. Asher continues to love anything that involves art, creativity, and storytelling. Recently he told us that he would like to direct movies as an adult. That’s right up his alley!

Emily continues to keep herself busy with her new work at Haiti H2O and nannying. In May, she plans on running the half-marathon portion of the Pittsburgh Marathon. It will be the second half marathon that she has ran.

I pray that you all are well!

In Christ,
Andy Moore

October 2018 Newsletter

Fall Retreat Testimony

Meet Grant Larson, a junior microbiology major that is part of our Ministry Team, and read more about his experience on our Fall Retreat:

The fall retreat provided me with an awesome opportunity to get out of the city, slowdown from the fast-paced campus lifestyle, build community with other college students, and grow with Christ. I had two exams during the week leading up to the trip, so I was excited to go out in nature and spend time with God. I learned strategies for carrying out my faith from the daily devotions led by Dan Dupee; he spoke about power, peace, and hope from a biblical perspective. I was given the opportunity to spend time alone and reflect with God during solitary time, which made me realize how easy it is to take this time for granted back on campus. The importance of reflection stood out to me and I returned to campus with a desire to implement quiet prayer and reflection into my daily routine.

The fall retreat also provided a great opportunity to grow in a community together as a Christian body. I built relationships with students I had not met before and grew deeper with the ones I had already gotten to know. Whether through worship, games, or dancing/singing around a campfire together, I felt at home with the students and leaders who came on the retreat. I continued to feel this way after returning to campus and the sense of community remained strong after we returned. The retreat was a wonderful experience for me to grow in my faith and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Meet the Students

Meet George Muirhead, a sophomore Bible Study Leader and Political Science Major. Read more about him: I was raised in a Christian household, so the idea of Christ being my Lord and Savior has always been close to my heart. But, I would say that understanding was quite limited to the verse of John 3:16 and did not extend past the understanding of that verse. So, leaving my hometown of Madison, Alabama and joining Cornerstone Ministries in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has completely changed my life and how I understand the depths of my love for my God and his love for me.

Firstly, I would consider myself a non-denominational Christian, so for me I could receive a word from any pastor in any denomination as long as they clearly could back it up with the Scripture, and as long as they kept that Scripture in context of the Biblical story. When I came to Cornerstone the staff here helped me further my understanding of just how important this is. That the Bible is the finished Word of God, and that the Word does not come from a teaching at odds with what has been written, so a pastor that clearly did not support their claims with the Word would be quickly dismissed from my mind because of this new fortified understanding. So, from the bottom of my heart I cannot thank the Cornerstone staff enough for convincing me that my faith comes from the Word and it alone. Not from an outside source that is at odds with the Word.

Lastly, my relationship with Christ has grown exponentially, because of this simple realization that I might have been told things in the past that might not hold true to the Word of God. Because of this, I have been forced by my love for God and this realization, to go through the Scriptures to confirm just what I have faith in, and this simple act has made me a better believer as a result. So, I cannot thank Cornerstone and its staff enough for giving me the resources and opportunities to truly dive into the depths of my faith.

Financial Update

September was a wonderful month for us! As you can see from the chart, we made $3,893; 91% of our monthly goal! Thank you to everyone who has supported us in our ministry. My ministry to College students, like Grant and George, and Cornerstone would simply not be possible without you. Just because we are close to our goal does not give me an excuse to rest or be lazy, however. Now is the time for me to work harder than ever! If God leads you to do so, we would love for you to be a part of this ministry through your giving. I am asking that my current supporters give an extra 10% to 25% on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach 100% of my goal with my new raise. We are always in need of help financially, and are always looking for new supporters. Remember that any gift is a good gift.   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

After celebrating Benjamin’s birthday last month (September 8th), we had the privilege of celebrating Asher’s ninth(!) birthday on the 6th of this month. Asher absolutely loves video games. As he told me the other day, “I’m different than most kids. I like newer video games, but I also like the classics.” So, because of his love of classic video games, he asked for a Nintendo classic...which we gladly bought him. Needless to say, he went gaga over it. Though, it does pain me to say that the video games I grew up with our now considered “classics.”

In other news, Emily got a new job! She will now be the administrative assistant of Haiti H2O. Haiti H2O is a non-profit founded by our landlords and friends, Jeff and Sarah VanderMolen, which works with rural Haitian communities, cultivating hope and opportunities, in response to the love of Jesus. Emily is very excited for this opportunity, and will be working closely with the director, and friend, Rhonda Smith.

I pray that you are well, and that you continue to grow in Christ. God Bless!

In Christ,
Andy Moore