July 2014 Newsletter

Recovering Vocation
Robert Bellah’s landmark book, Habits of the Heart, helped many people name the thing that was (and still is) eating away at the cohesiveness of our culture—“expressive individualism.” Elsewhere, Bellah argued that Americans had created a culture that elevated individual choice and expression to such a level that there was no longer any shared life, no commanding truths or values that tied us together. As Bellah wrote, “. . . we are moving to an ever greater validation of the sacredness of the individual person, [but] our capacity to imagine a social fabric that would hold individuals together is vanishing. . . . The sacredness of the individual is not balanced by any sense of the whole or concern for the common good.” But near the end of Habits, the author proposes one measure that would go a long way toward reweaving the unraveling culture: To make a real difference . . . [there would have to be] a reappropriation of the idea of vocation or calling, a return in a new way to the idea of work as a contribution to the good of all and not merely as a means to one’s own advancement. Every good endeavor, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God’s calling, can matter forever.

But if we are to “reappropriate” an older idea, we must look at that idea’s origin. In this case, the source of the idea of work as vocation is the Christian Scriptures. The Bible teems with wisdom, resources, and hope for anyone who is learning to work, looking for work, trying to work, or going to work. And when we say that the Christian Scriptures “give us hope” for work, we at once acknowledge both how deeply frustrating and difficult work can be and how profound the spiritual hope must be if we are going to face the challenge of pursuing vocation in this world.

Everyone imagines accomplishing things, and everyone finds him or herself largely incapable of producing them. Everyone wants to be successful rather than forgotten, and everyone wants to make a difference in life. But that is beyond the control of any of us. If this life is all there is, then everything will eventually burn up in the death of the sun and no one will even be around to remember anything that has ever happened. Everyone will be forgotten, nothing we do will make any difference, and all good endeavors, even the best, will come to naught.

Unless there is God. If the God of the Bible exists, and there is a True Reality beneath and behind this one, and this life is not the only life, then every good endeavor, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God’s calling, can matter forever. That is what the Christian faith promises. “In the Lord, your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

-Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church

Meet the Students

Meet Spencer Brown, a junior Chinese major at the University of Pittsburgh. I first met Spencer during the freshmen orientation week at Pitt when I noticed he was wearing a Darth Vader shirt, and we struck up a conversation. We have grown closer the past two years, especially during two Dominican Republic trips. Read more about him…

1. What is your favorite movie, book, and band/music? I'm mostly kind of bad at favorites, but I love Star Wars everything. Disney movies are also my thing, especially Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but I also love Pan's Labyrinth and Clue (because Time Curry). My favorite book is Dune by Frank Herbert. My favorite band is this Icelandic post-rock group Sigur Rós, but I'd be remiss if I didn't also give shout-outs to Kimya Dawson, Simon and Garfunkel, and Beethoven.

2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? During orientation week my freshman year I happened to stumble across some Cornerstone folks playing four square and handing out ice cream. I ended up going to Freshman Bible Study, but couldn't make it to an actual Wednesday night Cornerstone gathering until spring semester of my sophomore year because of schedule conflicts, but I've been in a great discipleship group with Cody Latimer and Jeff Schallick since freshman year. I joined the Cornerstone leadership team spring semester freshman year on the Freshman Ministry Team, and continued on Service Team sophomore year.

3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? So, before college I didn't have the strongest foundation in Christianity, and had never experienced a Christian community with my peers. I actually spent about a year of high school wishing I had the discipline to be Tibetan Buddhist. Cornerstone was--and is--a place where I found Christian community. Being surrounded by people who were passionate about their faith put me in an environment where I could grow and develop my own faith and find passion for Christ. It was also a place I felt safe, like I could really be me and finally find self-confidence. Cornerstone is what made Pitt home for me, and it's where I met my best friends.

Financial Update

June was a good month for us, and we are at 84% of where we need to be for the month. We thank you for all of your continued love and support. We are always in awe how God has used everyone to help support this ministry. We honestly could not do it without God working through you. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, I would love to meet with you. Please contact me using the information on the navigation bar or email me at amoore@ccojubilee.org.

Moore News

We just got back from our annual vacation to Colorado. It was great, but we are very exhausted. Most of the time was spent either playing baseball with the boys, or journeying from one place to the next. Our highlights include shopping, catching a Rockies game in Denver (Coors’ field is really nice, but it’s no PNC), wondering around Estes Park, and hanging out with Emily’s Dad and two sisters, Leslie and Polly. We even got to meet up briefly with my coworker and good friend Chris Ansell and his wife Sarah as they celebrated their anniversary in Colorado. Colorado was a wonderful time as always! By the way, if you are ever in Greely, CO, be sure to check out Red’s Dogs and Donuts. Their donuts are the best I’ve ever had!

Now it’s time to get back to “normal” life. I start my annual summer training soon, and before we know it the students will be back. The summer if flying by so incredibly fast.

I hope you are having a relaxing summer as well! May god bless all of you and your summer!

In Christ,
Andy Moore

March 2014 Newsletter

Cattle Truck Confessions
They quickly load us into the cattle trucks. It is time for us to leave the village we were currently working at and head back to the Meeting God in Missions Compound. The Village was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was spread out, mountainous, and jungle-like. It was quite a different experience for quite a different trip.

The truck takes, off leaving a trail of dust behind it. Some stand, but I choose to sit. I think back at the week and reflect and smile. The week was rough, but I love it here. And then it strikes me, and the sadness sets in: this might be my last trip for a while.

Suddenly, the skies open up and the rain hits. Not a drizzle, but a pour. The rain pelts us in the face, and it hurts. I stand up, letting the beads smack and abuse me – and I love every single minute of it. This week has smacked and abused me – and I have loved every single minute of it. Was it my experiences that made the trip? No. It was the student’s experiences.

When I was a kid, I loved receiving presents as a kid at Christmas. My face would light up as I violently tore open package after package. Now, as a parent, I take delight in giving gifts. I take delight in watching my kids’ excitement as they receive a new gift. That is the way I feel about this trip. My delight comes not from my own experiences, but through the experiences of my students. Yes, I am sad because of the realization that this experience may not happen again for a while, but I take solace in the experiences and memories God has given each and every student.

Dominican Republic Student Testimonies

Spencer Brown (left), Cody Latimer (middle), and Jeff Schallick (right) are students who are repeat Dominican Republic visitors. They decided, in their discipleship group, to write up their collective testimonies about their experience.

All: When it comes to sharing testimonies from the Dominican Republic, really no one story could accurately describe what everyone got out of this trip. For each student, what was learned on the trip was as diverse and unique as each person was on the trip. We each had our own story, so instead of sharing just one story we opted to share three.

Cody: For me, returning to the Dominican Republic presented an opportunity to see the different ways that God is moving all over the world. Whether it be in the daily on-goings of students here taking classes at Pitt, or in the lives of Dominicans living in the middle of a sugarcane field with hopes and dreams just as big as yours, it was encouraging to see that God is present in all things. It's often hard to grasp God's sovereignty, and my week spent in the Dominican Republic really reminded me that He has a plan for all of His people - one that’s too big and too perfect for us to even begin to comprehend.

Spencer: Last year when I came back from the Dominican Republic, I guess you could say I had a small existential crisis. I had this overwhelming sense of insignificance as I returned to the tedium of classes, feeling as though I had no meaningful impact now that I had returned to my life. I wasn’t alone in my feelings; some of my friends shared them. As the trip wound to a close this year, I felt a similar helplessness: a helplessness to break the systems of governmental corruption, of corporate abuse and enslavement, and of all the forces working against justice in the Dominican Republic. But God was working even in this seemingly desolate place of impotence. In this feeling of weakness, He revealed to me the need for representation of all professions, all walks of life, and all kinds of people in the Body of Christ. We need Christians equipped to fight in Washington, in board rooms, before national leaders, and inside corporations; equipped to fight for the manifestation of Christ’s Love in all these spheres. It’s something I’ve always heard in church and read in the Bible—that the Body of Christ has many members—but I’d never fully understood the beautiful truth that is until now. Work glorifying to God is not confined to mission trips, abroad; it includes every career path; it extends into education as people collect the equipment they need ignite change from within; it intertwines with every aspect of our lives as we go about our days and interact with the world and people around us. God needs instruments everywhere. The Body of Christ needs every organ and digit to function. You can always make a difference where you are now. Insignificance doesn’t exist.

Jeff: Going back to the DR for me was a mixture of excitement and anxiety. As much as I tried not to have expectations, I couldn’t help but think of playing with the kids again. The problem with that was I wasn’t allowing myself to be open to where God wanted to send me. Though I realized how selfish I was being and how I didn’t have it together for this mission trip, God was still able to use me that week. He revealed to me His love in new and creative ways that I never expected. This year I got to see how beautiful the people of the Dominican Republic are and how, like the kids, they have such a deep rooted joy in knowing Christ despite the brokenness all around them. I know a lot of people struggle with seeing the poverty and depravity in the DR, but the unexplainable joy these people have kept me from ever taking in their circumstances. It may seem like they’re missing so much, but in reality I’ve discovered they have everything. I realize now I do these trips not to do more for people or do more for God, but to simply give more of my heart to God. Only then does the work I’m doing have an impact and it’s only then we can begin to make things change.

All: Though we may all have different experiences, God is present in all of them. And that’s the beauty of it; God is amazingly personal and intimate. I believe it was by no mistake we all had unique takeaways. God knew what we all needed from this trip, and what we all learned will stay with us forever. We have all been changed and our change continues to this day.

Financial Update

This past month was much better for us than January, and we are so thankful for your giving and God’s providence. He always has provided and always will. He has taught us that many times over. We are very thankful for the support given to us as well as our wonderful supporters! If you are interested in supporting this ministry, I would love to meet with you. Please contact me using the information on on navigation bar or email me at amoore@ccojubilee.org.

Moore News

As you may have read in my last newsletter, my family and I just spent a week in Disney World. I had the preconceived notion that it would be quite chaotic and stressful. What I experienced was quite the contrary: it was chaotic and wonderful, going from ride to ride, and from character to character. The entire family had a blast. It was a wonderful time to spend with my entire family. And the best part? Getting the Lego Millennium Falcon set and being able to build it with the boys at home. It created some awesome family time. If you are interested a reading an article I just wrote about my trip to Disney, and some theological thoughts about it, click and check it out: http://thepittstop220.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-theology-of-disney.html.

It seems that Emily survived the week alone with the boys while I was gone to the Dominican Republic, and that minimal damage was done. They did give me a huge surprise by meeting me at the airport. It is always great to hear the excitement in their voice when they first see me. They (including Emily) are all doing well.

We thank you all so much for taking the time to read this newsletter and for your constant support. May God Bless you!

In Christ,
Andy Moore