Monday, December 18, 2017
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
November 2017 Newsletter
Cornerstone Update
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
Meet Alex Gust, a sophomore involved in our Freshmen Ministry Team. Read more about his Cornerstone experience:
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
October was a wonderful month for us! As you can see from the chart (next page), we made $3,606; 92% of our monthly goal! Thank you to everyone who has supported us in our ministry. My ministry to College students, like Alex, 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. 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 $5 to $25 on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach my goal. 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
We celebrated Benjamin’s 11th birthday and Asher’s 8th birthday over the past two months. For Ben’s birthday, we just had an intimate celebration at home, where he got (almost) every Lego set his heart desired. For Asher, we went to my sister Bekie’s house in Fredericktown, OH for the weekend, and had a dual birthday party with my nephew, Noah. Both kids had a wonderful time at their respective parties, and both felt very loved.
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
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
Monday, September 11, 2017
September 2017 Newsletter
Cornerstone Update
The new school year is officially in full swing. At the end of August, leadership students moved back, freshmen moved in, and the whirlwind known as orientation week began. Orientation week is truly like no other, and this one was exceptional. We didn’t have the most grandiose events, but the staff and leadership team had more conversations with freshmen than ever before. The week always begins with our “water giveaway,” in which we hand out 6000(!) bottles of water to students moving in. From here, we played games, had a campfire night in Bellefield’s parking lot, and topped it off with our annual “Welcome Back Picnic” complete with a giant inflatable Slip ‘N Slide. Here, we could meet and have conversation with student upon student. Even when our leadership became uncomfortable, they forged ahead and met new people. There is no other week quite like it!
Meet the Students
Meet Nick Vezzuto, a sophomore that helps to lead our Freshmen Bible Study. Read more about him.
The scariest part of moving to college six hours away from home is that you start school knowing absolutely no one. With all of my closest friends and family still in New Jersey, I started freshman year totally alone in a city that the last time I visited, I was three years old. For as social of a person as I am, I often found it difficult to be the one who approached people to make new friends. Then, about two months into my first semester, as I was rushing to class twenty minutes late, I was stopped by some members of Cornerstone who were handing out coffee along my route and talking about what Cornerstone is. These people were some of the nicest people I had met since being away at school. Walking away, I thought to myself “If everyone in that ministry is as friendly as these people were, then this is where I belong.”
Once I started going to Cornerstone the following week, Pittsburgh—a city that is so far from my house in Jersey—finally started to feel like home. I have been lucky to grow up in a Christian household and to have strong faith-based friendships for all of my life. Having to leave all of those friendships and family in Jersey wasn’t the easiest thing, but I suddenly found myself a part of a new family with all of the students and staff in Cornerstone. I was welcomed by lots of friendly faces as if I had been a member of Cornerstone my entire life. I immediately started to make friends as I felt drawn to hang out at Bellefield (the church where Cornerstone is housed) more often. I learned so much about my own faith from all of these new people, and by the end of my first semester, I was a part of the Freshman Ministry Team, which runs weekly bible studies for freshman, as well as other activities.
An important way in which I have grown in my faith over the years has been through lengthy discussions with my family about what we believe as Christians, and why we believe it. The environment that Cornerstone creates made me feel comfortable having these kinds of discussions with anyone I saw while hanging out at Bellefield. Not only have I learned so much about my faith over the past two semesters, but I have also started to lead a more prayerful life, both in the quiet of my mind and around other people. I recall one night especially where I was stressing over a large assignment I had while doing homework in Bellefield, and everyone in the room started to pray for each others’ anxieties, homework or otherwise. It was one of the coolest moments of my freshman year. If these are the kinds of experiences that I have to look forward to for the rest of my college career, then I’m excited to see what God has in store for me.
Financial Update
August was a wonderful month for us! As you can see from the chart, we made $3,726; 96% of our monthly goal! Thank you to everyone who has supported us in our ministry. My ministry to College students, like Nick, would simply not be possible without you. Just because we are close to our goal for a month does not give me an excuse to rest or be lazy, however. 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 $5 to $25 on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach my goal. 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
Summer vacation is now officially gone. It ended with my father-in-law, LeRoy Winter, coming out to visit us for a week. It has been a while since LeRoy has come to Pittsburgh, so this was a real treat for Emily, the boys, and me. We took him to quite a few “classic” Pittsburgh locations, and had a lot of fun doing so! To top tings off, he bought the family an Xbox One as a belated Christmas present! I wish I could say that I has only been the boys playing it, but I seem to be hooked. I have especially had a small addiction to Star Wars: Battlefront. Don’t worry, I have made sure to take a step back from the Xbox when I get too obsessive.
The school year has not only started for myself, but for the boys as well. Benjamin is now in the fifth grade (this is his last year at Fulton Elementary School), Joshua is in fourth grade, and Asher is in second grade. I wish I could say that they were as excited as me to start the school year, but I cannot. It is always a chore to get them out of bed after summer. During the summer, they would get out of bed every morning at 6:30 to play, but now have trouble getting up at 6:45 for school. Interesting, right?
I pray that you are doing well. God Bless!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
The new school year is officially in full swing. At the end of August, leadership students moved back, freshmen moved in, and the whirlwind known as orientation week began. Orientation week is truly like no other, and this one was exceptional. We didn’t have the most grandiose events, but the staff and leadership team had more conversations with freshmen than ever before. The week always begins with our “water giveaway,” in which we hand out 6000(!) bottles of water to students moving in. From here, we played games, had a campfire night in Bellefield’s parking lot, and topped it off with our annual “Welcome Back Picnic” complete with a giant inflatable Slip ‘N Slide. Here, we could meet and have conversation with student upon student. Even when our leadership became uncomfortable, they forged ahead and met new people. There is no other week quite like it!
Meet the Students
The scariest part of moving to college six hours away from home is that you start school knowing absolutely no one. With all of my closest friends and family still in New Jersey, I started freshman year totally alone in a city that the last time I visited, I was three years old. For as social of a person as I am, I often found it difficult to be the one who approached people to make new friends. Then, about two months into my first semester, as I was rushing to class twenty minutes late, I was stopped by some members of Cornerstone who were handing out coffee along my route and talking about what Cornerstone is. These people were some of the nicest people I had met since being away at school. Walking away, I thought to myself “If everyone in that ministry is as friendly as these people were, then this is where I belong.”
Once I started going to Cornerstone the following week, Pittsburgh—a city that is so far from my house in Jersey—finally started to feel like home. I have been lucky to grow up in a Christian household and to have strong faith-based friendships for all of my life. Having to leave all of those friendships and family in Jersey wasn’t the easiest thing, but I suddenly found myself a part of a new family with all of the students and staff in Cornerstone. I was welcomed by lots of friendly faces as if I had been a member of Cornerstone my entire life. I immediately started to make friends as I felt drawn to hang out at Bellefield (the church where Cornerstone is housed) more often. I learned so much about my own faith from all of these new people, and by the end of my first semester, I was a part of the Freshman Ministry Team, which runs weekly bible studies for freshman, as well as other activities.
An important way in which I have grown in my faith over the years has been through lengthy discussions with my family about what we believe as Christians, and why we believe it. The environment that Cornerstone creates made me feel comfortable having these kinds of discussions with anyone I saw while hanging out at Bellefield. Not only have I learned so much about my faith over the past two semesters, but I have also started to lead a more prayerful life, both in the quiet of my mind and around other people. I recall one night especially where I was stressing over a large assignment I had while doing homework in Bellefield, and everyone in the room started to pray for each others’ anxieties, homework or otherwise. It was one of the coolest moments of my freshman year. If these are the kinds of experiences that I have to look forward to for the rest of my college career, then I’m excited to see what God has in store for me.
Financial Update
Moore News
The school year has not only started for myself, but for the boys as well. Benjamin is now in the fifth grade (this is his last year at Fulton Elementary School), Joshua is in fourth grade, and Asher is in second grade. I wish I could say that they were as excited as me to start the school year, but I cannot. It is always a chore to get them out of bed after summer. During the summer, they would get out of bed every morning at 6:30 to play, but now have trouble getting up at 6:45 for school. Interesting, right?
I pray that you are doing well. God Bless!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
July 2017 Newsletter
Meet the Students
Meet Cornerstone student leader Fiona Eichinger, and learn more about her through her testimony:
Geborgenheit. In German, this word captures a combined sense of security, belonging and love that I can’t explain in another language. Over the past two years, Cornerstone has embodied geborgenheit for me. The people of this community value and invest in friendships that are rooted in Christ, evidencing the beauty of God’s family.
The geborgenheit I’ve found at Cornerstone has also been an incredible support when transitioning to a large, public university. I attended a Christian school from 1st through 12th grade, where I was blessed to have strong role models and classes such as Doctrine, Apologetics and Pentateuch that taught me the foundations of Christianity. Yet now I realize that, in my “Christian bubble”, I never really had anyone question my beliefs--and I certainly didn’t question them myself. In my high school Bible classes, I learned big words like epistemology and prolegomena. If I could master topics such as the classical, evidential, cumulative, and presuppositional arguments of apologetics, I passed the exams. Yet it wasn’t until coming to college that I first got some push-back to the arguments I had thought would convince anyone on the spot.
It was then that I suddenly felt challenged to begin asking why I believe what I do. If God is sovereign and will carry out His plan, why should I pray? Would it even make a difference? How do I know that what I believe is really true? These questions scared me. Yet through conversations and prayer with friends at Cornerstone, I realized that I didn’t have to be afraid of questions. I had thought that my doubts made me a “bad Christian” and was ashamed to share them, but now I understand that seeking is an important part of truly understanding and proclaiming our faith. I’ve also come to realize that God is the one who saves, not me or my arguments! Through this growing process, I’ve learned that a fear of doubts implies that God is too fragile to overcome them—that He is not capable of withstanding my human objections. Yet I am convinced that the sovereign, omnipotent, holy God is not jeopardized by my questions. Rather, my faith is strengthened when I come to Him with a simple prayer: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.
Financial Update
Last month, I wrote a newsletter largely dedicated to support raising. The initial response was wonderful. As you can see from the chart, we made $3,471 in the month of June; 89% of where we need to be! That means we had a 7% increase in giving from the month of May to June! This increase is nothing to sneeze at, and I will not take that for granted. It is proof of God’s provision, and how he has worked through each of you. For that, we are so thankful! Working with College students, and seeing God transform them, is a true blessing. A blessing made possible through you and your giving!
We still, however, have at least 11% more to go. That means we still need your help financially. As I said in the last newsletter, our ministry account as dwindled down more than I feel comfortable with. I need help putting that cushion back into my ministry account. Having this cushion helps me to minister to students like Fiona, and see how God has worked in his life during her years at Pitt.
If you would like to help this ministry, we are always looking for new supporters. This is what makes ministry possible. Now is as important as 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 $5 to $25 on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach my goal.
God has always provided, and he always will!
Remember that any gift is a good gift. We thank you, and pray that 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.
If interested in donating, please click the link below:
Moore News
The 14th Ward Diamondbacks are three-peaters! That’s right, the Diamondbacks won the World Series! Let’s go back to game 1, when the number one seated Diamondbacks played the number two seated Mets. The thing is, the Mets had had our number all year. The mentality carried over with the first world series game as the Mets beat us 6-7. After three straight rain-outs, we finally scheduled game two early on a Saturday morning. When we got there, we found out that half of the opposing players’ parents had made vacation plans, and weren’t planning to have a game three. In other words, they thought a win was in the bag. Needless to say, this didn’t sit to well with our team. During a real pitchers’ duel, our team won 2-1. It took a while to schedule our final game (because of the Mets’ vacation plans), but we finally did in a bit over a week later. The only bad part? We were taking Joshua to his STEM camp in Trenton, New Jersey. That means the Diamondbacks would be short one coach and (more importantly) one player. As we were in New Jersey, my mom (who came up to watch Ben and Asher) and pastor were both giving us live updates. For the first time, we put a hurting on the Mets. Ben had the game of his life pitching, fielding, and batting, and the Diamondbacks emerged victorious 11-7. Ben and Josh (from Trenton) were so happy! Let’s see if we can make it a four-peat!
Speaking of Joshua’s NYLF: STEM camp, he had a wonderful time. The week was spent at the College of New Jersey and consisted of engineering (mostly robotics work), forensics, and medicine. Being a pretty big extrovert (like his father), he was quick to make friends and experience a myriad of memories with them. He built a few robots, did blood analysis, and dissected a cow’s heart! It was an experience, I’m sure, he’ll never forget. While Josh was in class for most of the day, Emily and I had a nice vacation to ourselves. We went to New York City for two Days, Philadelphia for a day, the beach for a day, and Wilmington, Delaware for a day. It was such a great getaway!
We pray that this Newsletter finds you well! God Bless!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Meet Cornerstone student leader Fiona Eichinger, and learn more about her through her testimony:
The geborgenheit I’ve found at Cornerstone has also been an incredible support when transitioning to a large, public university. I attended a Christian school from 1st through 12th grade, where I was blessed to have strong role models and classes such as Doctrine, Apologetics and Pentateuch that taught me the foundations of Christianity. Yet now I realize that, in my “Christian bubble”, I never really had anyone question my beliefs--and I certainly didn’t question them myself. In my high school Bible classes, I learned big words like epistemology and prolegomena. If I could master topics such as the classical, evidential, cumulative, and presuppositional arguments of apologetics, I passed the exams. Yet it wasn’t until coming to college that I first got some push-back to the arguments I had thought would convince anyone on the spot.
It was then that I suddenly felt challenged to begin asking why I believe what I do. If God is sovereign and will carry out His plan, why should I pray? Would it even make a difference? How do I know that what I believe is really true? These questions scared me. Yet through conversations and prayer with friends at Cornerstone, I realized that I didn’t have to be afraid of questions. I had thought that my doubts made me a “bad Christian” and was ashamed to share them, but now I understand that seeking is an important part of truly understanding and proclaiming our faith. I’ve also come to realize that God is the one who saves, not me or my arguments! Through this growing process, I’ve learned that a fear of doubts implies that God is too fragile to overcome them—that He is not capable of withstanding my human objections. Yet I am convinced that the sovereign, omnipotent, holy God is not jeopardized by my questions. Rather, my faith is strengthened when I come to Him with a simple prayer: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.
Financial Update
We still, however, have at least 11% more to go. That means we still need your help financially. As I said in the last newsletter, our ministry account as dwindled down more than I feel comfortable with. I need help putting that cushion back into my ministry account. Having this cushion helps me to minister to students like Fiona, and see how God has worked in his life during her years at Pitt.
If you would like to help this ministry, we are always looking for new supporters. This is what makes ministry possible. Now is as important as 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 $5 to $25 on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach my goal.
God has always provided, and he always will!
Remember that any gift is a good gift. We thank you, and pray that 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.
If interested in donating, please click the link below:
Moore News
Speaking of Joshua’s NYLF: STEM camp, he had a wonderful time. The week was spent at the College of New Jersey and consisted of engineering (mostly robotics work), forensics, and medicine. Being a pretty big extrovert (like his father), he was quick to make friends and experience a myriad of memories with them. He built a few robots, did blood analysis, and dissected a cow’s heart! It was an experience, I’m sure, he’ll never forget. While Josh was in class for most of the day, Emily and I had a nice vacation to ourselves. We went to New York City for two Days, Philadelphia for a day, the beach for a day, and Wilmington, Delaware for a day. It was such a great getaway!
We pray that this Newsletter finds you well! God Bless!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
June 2017 Newsletter
Meet the Students
Meet Jack McAuliffe, a sophomore that has been involved in Cornerstone, and read his testimony…
Starting college is truly overwhelming. It’s a place where you are forced to make choices that shape who you will be and what your future will look like. You’re away from your home for the first time and students must choose between so many different facets of life to find their foundation. After applying to nine schools, I really questioned if coming to Pitt was the right choice of where I was supposed to be. I remember researching the campus ministries at Pitt and coming across Cornerstone. I mentioned it to my mom and she said, “Oh I know what that is, that’s where I went at Pitt.” I was blessed to grow up in a Christian household and upon going to school I knew I wanted to make God the priority in my life. Immediately upon walking into Cornerstone I felt welcomed into the community with friendly faces and interesting ice breaker questions from some of the students. I really enjoyed my first Cornerstone nights and Freshman Bible Studies and decided to go on the fall retreat.
The fall retreat provided me an opportunity to work on new friendships but more importantly to strongly feel God’s hand on my life. On the last day of the fall retreat weekend during our quiet time I came across Matthew 6, specifically the section “Do Not Worry.” This section calls us to trust’s God provision for our life which I realized I needed to do for my life. I read, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” This is when I first realized that Pitt is where I was supposed to be. I thought of all the amazing, accepting people I had made friends with the Cornerstone community and knew that through all of my uncertainty, God had gone before me and had what was best for me planned. I was aware that God is unchanging and would continue to be my rock in college and that this community will allow me to grow closer to Him.
My freshman year of Cornerstone continually challenged me to reexamine my priorities, trust, and understanding of God and scripture. Freshman Bible Study went through the Sermon on the Mount this spring and I really valued every discussion we had about how God calls us to live our lives. When Jesus gave this teaching, it was very counter cultural and that stands true today. My faith and the support from Cornerstone makes me want to pursue being a better person each day even when it’s not the easy path. I was blessed to be part of a discussion group with two other Cornerstone guys who had so much knowledge of the scripture that I truly benefited learning from them. I’m thrilled by my opportunity to be a part of Freshman Ministry Team next fall and hopefully be a friendly face to help new freshman feel comfortable joining this community. As someone who is generally quieter, I will be challenged out of my comfort zone. But, no one ever grew in their faith or as a person without challenge. And that’s what Cornerstone is all about.
Financial Update
Every so often, I write a newsletter largely dedicated to support raising. As you may have guessed, this is one of those Newsletters. Support raising has been one of those things that I have been descent at. I make my asks and I write my newsletters, and God puts the wheels in motion. I no longer view it as a “necessary evil” as some often do, but as a necessity for living and to see God’s provision. This, however, does mean that support raising is always easy, or that I don’t hit bumps in the road. Lately, it seems that I have hit quite a few bumps.
Do to various ministry expenses, our ministry account as dwindled down; it no longer holds the financial cushion that puts my mind at ease. I know that God has provided, and will continue to provide. There is no doubt about that. My mind is not worry free, however. The thought of providing for my family always pops up. I don’t have sleepless nights over it, but it is a pin prick in the back of my mind. I know that I need to pick things up, or that pin prick might become larger.
To put it bluntly, I need your help financially. I need help putting that cushion back into my ministry account. Having this cushion helps me to minister to students like Jack, and see how God has worked in his life during his years at Pitt. Yes, I will continually need to seek financial help as long as I’m a campus minister, but having a balance to work with frees up my time a bit more.
Working with College students, and seeing God transform them, is a true blessing. It is my ministry. Seeing how God has worked through all of you to provide financially is a true blessing. It is my ministry. I thank you all for that.
As you can see from the chart, we made $3,221 in the month of May; 82% of where we need to be. If you would like to help this ministry, we are always looking for new supporters. This is what makes ministry possible. Now is as important as 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 $5 to $25 on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach my goal.
In every Newsletter, I preach that God has always provided, and he always will. This is something that I not only preach to you, but (like the Gospel) I preach to myself daily. I will say it again, “God will provide. He always has, and He always will.”
Remember that any gift is a good gift. We thank you, and pray that 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.
To donate, go to: http://ccojubilee.org/donate/
Moore News
I am happy to say, that the Diamondbacks (Benjamin and Joshua’s Little League team) are in the World Series again for the second straight year! How they got there is quite the story. Going into the playoffs, we were the first seeded team, so we got a first round bye and were automatically in the semifinals. During the semifinals (against the Dodgers), we started out to an early lead of 7-1. The Dodgers soon mounted a comeback, and took the lead of 11-7 going into the final inning. The Dodgers got the first two outs quickly, and things were looking bleak. That did not stop us, however! We started to rally from behind, and soon we were down 11-10 with the bases loaded. Who came up to bat? None other than Benjamin. I can’t think of a higher-pressure situation for him. On the first pitch, he cranks a ball over the left fielder’s head and gets the walk-off double! The team dog-piled him, and he won star of the game! Now he and Josh are in the World Series. I’m not sure how the season will end, but I can tell you that both Joshua and Benjamin have had a tremendous season. I couldn’t be prouder of them!
Speaking of proud parents, all three of the boys had a great school year! Asher was accepted to the gifted program, Joshua was nominated and accepted to the National Youth Leadership Forum, and Benjamin won Student of the Semester in the gifted program! I always got good grades growing up, but never applied myself. Emily always got good grades growing up, but applied herself. I am glad that they got Emily’s work ethic!
We pray that that you are well, and that God is doing amazing things through you. Have a good a relaxing summer!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Starting college is truly overwhelming. It’s a place where you are forced to make choices that shape who you will be and what your future will look like. You’re away from your home for the first time and students must choose between so many different facets of life to find their foundation. After applying to nine schools, I really questioned if coming to Pitt was the right choice of where I was supposed to be. I remember researching the campus ministries at Pitt and coming across Cornerstone. I mentioned it to my mom and she said, “Oh I know what that is, that’s where I went at Pitt.” I was blessed to grow up in a Christian household and upon going to school I knew I wanted to make God the priority in my life. Immediately upon walking into Cornerstone I felt welcomed into the community with friendly faces and interesting ice breaker questions from some of the students. I really enjoyed my first Cornerstone nights and Freshman Bible Studies and decided to go on the fall retreat.
The fall retreat provided me an opportunity to work on new friendships but more importantly to strongly feel God’s hand on my life. On the last day of the fall retreat weekend during our quiet time I came across Matthew 6, specifically the section “Do Not Worry.” This section calls us to trust’s God provision for our life which I realized I needed to do for my life. I read, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” This is when I first realized that Pitt is where I was supposed to be. I thought of all the amazing, accepting people I had made friends with the Cornerstone community and knew that through all of my uncertainty, God had gone before me and had what was best for me planned. I was aware that God is unchanging and would continue to be my rock in college and that this community will allow me to grow closer to Him.
My freshman year of Cornerstone continually challenged me to reexamine my priorities, trust, and understanding of God and scripture. Freshman Bible Study went through the Sermon on the Mount this spring and I really valued every discussion we had about how God calls us to live our lives. When Jesus gave this teaching, it was very counter cultural and that stands true today. My faith and the support from Cornerstone makes me want to pursue being a better person each day even when it’s not the easy path. I was blessed to be part of a discussion group with two other Cornerstone guys who had so much knowledge of the scripture that I truly benefited learning from them. I’m thrilled by my opportunity to be a part of Freshman Ministry Team next fall and hopefully be a friendly face to help new freshman feel comfortable joining this community. As someone who is generally quieter, I will be challenged out of my comfort zone. But, no one ever grew in their faith or as a person without challenge. And that’s what Cornerstone is all about.
Financial Update
Do to various ministry expenses, our ministry account as dwindled down; it no longer holds the financial cushion that puts my mind at ease. I know that God has provided, and will continue to provide. There is no doubt about that. My mind is not worry free, however. The thought of providing for my family always pops up. I don’t have sleepless nights over it, but it is a pin prick in the back of my mind. I know that I need to pick things up, or that pin prick might become larger.
To put it bluntly, I need your help financially. I need help putting that cushion back into my ministry account. Having this cushion helps me to minister to students like Jack, and see how God has worked in his life during his years at Pitt. Yes, I will continually need to seek financial help as long as I’m a campus minister, but having a balance to work with frees up my time a bit more.
Working with College students, and seeing God transform them, is a true blessing. It is my ministry. Seeing how God has worked through all of you to provide financially is a true blessing. It is my ministry. I thank you all for that.
As you can see from the chart, we made $3,221 in the month of May; 82% of where we need to be. If you would like to help this ministry, we are always looking for new supporters. This is what makes ministry possible. Now is as important as 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 $5 to $25 on top of their usual giving. This will help to make up the difference and reach my goal.
In every Newsletter, I preach that God has always provided, and he always will. This is something that I not only preach to you, but (like the Gospel) I preach to myself daily. I will say it again, “God will provide. He always has, and He always will.”
Remember that any gift is a good gift. We thank you, and pray that 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.
To donate, go to: http://ccojubilee.org/donate/
Moore News
Speaking of proud parents, all three of the boys had a great school year! Asher was accepted to the gifted program, Joshua was nominated and accepted to the National Youth Leadership Forum, and Benjamin won Student of the Semester in the gifted program! I always got good grades growing up, but never applied myself. Emily always got good grades growing up, but applied herself. I am glad that they got Emily’s work ethic!
We pray that that you are well, and that God is doing amazing things through you. Have a good a relaxing summer!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
May 2017 Newsletter
10 Years
I am happy to say that I have just completed my tenth year at Bellefield on CCO staff. Ten years ago, I was accepted by the CCO as a theologically cocky young man. After a few months of getting my feet wet as a campus minister, I soon realized that I did not know as much as I thought I did. I was quickly humbled at being a campus minister.
In fact, it took me years for me to feel like I knew what I was doing. I have had good years, and I have had rough ones. In this time, God has provided and continued to teach me. He has humbled me, and given me gifts that I never knew I had. It would be so easy to take credit for this ministry; I did this for Christ, or I helped enrich the life of this student. If I am being honest, I know that everything I have done (or will continue to do) at Bellefield and Pitt has only been because God has enabled me to do so. It is not me, but all him.
Words cannot begin to express my thankfulness. I am thankful for the CCO and Bellefield taking a chance on this “cocky young man.” Christ has done so much through you. I am thankful for my lovely wife and three wonderful boys. You have constantly been an encouragement to me. I am thankful for my coworkers over the years: Chris Ansell, Bobbi Perkins, Mark Michaels, and the countless interns/fellows. You have impacted me more than you could know. I am thankful for my supporters. You have invested in and nurtured me. Lastly, I am thankful for a wonderful God who never gives up on his children.
Here’s to many more years.
Meet the Students
Please read this awesome testimony of one of our student leaders, Morgan Medvedz:
I grew up in the Unitarian Universalist church. My parents, feeling disconnected from the Catholicism of their youth, wanted the comfort of a Sunday community of faith that didn’t necessarily require anything along the lines of supernatural belief. UUism was a great compromise; it didn’t promote any sort of dogma, but encouraged accepting, respecting, and loving one another. As I grew older, I became active in my youth group and dedicated to my beliefs, taking a firm stance against any idea of God. In my junior year of high school, I ended up being elected Worship Coordinator for our District Youth Steering Committee, as which I led worship services during our seasonal youth conferences. Leading worship fulfilled me more than I ever could have imagined, but as time went on, I started to feel as if something were missing. Little did I know, I was about to jump onto a spiritual roller coaster!
While in the car with my mom one day, she told me that not only did she believe in God, but she had always believed in God. I was stunned. I couldn’t understand how my own mother would believe in something that went far against what I had always been taught. This revelation led me on a search for God. I think that in the back of my mind, I had always desired God. I had always wanted the sense of comfort that comes with true faith, and, honestly, I was jealous of those who had it. In my mind, to have strong faith was to toss your intelligence aside in favor of blind obedience. What I came to discover, however, was that true faith comes with tossing the ego aside. True faith is letting go of the strong hold you have on your life and allowing something greater to take over and do something amazing with it.
It took me a while to accept such a concept. Once at Pitt, I continued attending a Unitarian Universalist church in the area, but the God-shaped hole in my heart was only growing larger. I started reading the Bible. I started praying. I started to do anything that could possibly fill that hole, and I can’t say I fully expected Jesus to be the one to do the job. When I started to feel his presence in prayer, though, it did not feel wrong. In fact, I felt at home. I started attending services at Bellefield in November of my sophomore year, and everything fell into place for me spiritually. The more I learned about Jesus and Christianity, the more I found that it all actually did make sense. Not only was my soul satisfied, but my mind was satisfied as well. My walk with Christ has become the most important part of my life, and I’d say it’s my goal at this point to help others with similar backgrounds come to know his love. Existence is amazing, and I cannot thank God enough for helping me to recognize that genuinely.
Financial Update
As you can see from the chart, we made $3,321 for the month of April; 85% of where we need to be. We are so thankful for all who have supported us. We, however, need your help! Due to seminary expenses, our funds have depleted. We are asking that you prayerfully consider giving to our ministry, or up your giving by $5 to $20. Any gift is a good gift, and we are grateful for everything we have received. 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
Spring baseball is officially here. Joshua has moved up a league, and joined Benjamin’s team: The Diamondbacks. I was curious to see how Joshua would adjust to kid pitch. After all, kids can be a far less accurate than the coaches that pitched in the previous league. I must say, that Joshua has taken to the league like a duck to water. He has a hit in every game that he has been in…sometimes multiple base hits. Benjamin is still doing well. He has become a pretty darn good pitcher. He doesn’t have the fastest stuff, but he is incredibly accurate and his pitch has a natural sink to it. They both are still in love with the sport. I’m just grateful that they are on the same team.
Asher has decided not to play baseball. Instead, he has decided to take an American Ninja Warrior class. Yes, that’s a thing. He absolutely loves the television show, and when we found out there was a class he was all about it. He has loved his classes so far. We are extremely happy that he wanted to do something physical.
Emily and I are excited about summer life. It was a pretty busy semester; I started (and finished) my first year of seminary, and Emily started working part time. I think we are both eager for some relaxation, and go on a few dates again.
I pray that you are well, and that God continues to grow you!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
I am happy to say that I have just completed my tenth year at Bellefield on CCO staff. Ten years ago, I was accepted by the CCO as a theologically cocky young man. After a few months of getting my feet wet as a campus minister, I soon realized that I did not know as much as I thought I did. I was quickly humbled at being a campus minister.
In fact, it took me years for me to feel like I knew what I was doing. I have had good years, and I have had rough ones. In this time, God has provided and continued to teach me. He has humbled me, and given me gifts that I never knew I had. It would be so easy to take credit for this ministry; I did this for Christ, or I helped enrich the life of this student. If I am being honest, I know that everything I have done (or will continue to do) at Bellefield and Pitt has only been because God has enabled me to do so. It is not me, but all him.
Words cannot begin to express my thankfulness. I am thankful for the CCO and Bellefield taking a chance on this “cocky young man.” Christ has done so much through you. I am thankful for my lovely wife and three wonderful boys. You have constantly been an encouragement to me. I am thankful for my coworkers over the years: Chris Ansell, Bobbi Perkins, Mark Michaels, and the countless interns/fellows. You have impacted me more than you could know. I am thankful for my supporters. You have invested in and nurtured me. Lastly, I am thankful for a wonderful God who never gives up on his children.
Here’s to many more years.
Meet the Students
Please read this awesome testimony of one of our student leaders, Morgan Medvedz:
While in the car with my mom one day, she told me that not only did she believe in God, but she had always believed in God. I was stunned. I couldn’t understand how my own mother would believe in something that went far against what I had always been taught. This revelation led me on a search for God. I think that in the back of my mind, I had always desired God. I had always wanted the sense of comfort that comes with true faith, and, honestly, I was jealous of those who had it. In my mind, to have strong faith was to toss your intelligence aside in favor of blind obedience. What I came to discover, however, was that true faith comes with tossing the ego aside. True faith is letting go of the strong hold you have on your life and allowing something greater to take over and do something amazing with it.
It took me a while to accept such a concept. Once at Pitt, I continued attending a Unitarian Universalist church in the area, but the God-shaped hole in my heart was only growing larger. I started reading the Bible. I started praying. I started to do anything that could possibly fill that hole, and I can’t say I fully expected Jesus to be the one to do the job. When I started to feel his presence in prayer, though, it did not feel wrong. In fact, I felt at home. I started attending services at Bellefield in November of my sophomore year, and everything fell into place for me spiritually. The more I learned about Jesus and Christianity, the more I found that it all actually did make sense. Not only was my soul satisfied, but my mind was satisfied as well. My walk with Christ has become the most important part of my life, and I’d say it’s my goal at this point to help others with similar backgrounds come to know his love. Existence is amazing, and I cannot thank God enough for helping me to recognize that genuinely.
Financial Update
Moore News
Asher has decided not to play baseball. Instead, he has decided to take an American Ninja Warrior class. Yes, that’s a thing. He absolutely loves the television show, and when we found out there was a class he was all about it. He has loved his classes so far. We are extremely happy that he wanted to do something physical.
Emily and I are excited about summer life. It was a pretty busy semester; I started (and finished) my first year of seminary, and Emily started working part time. I think we are both eager for some relaxation, and go on a few dates again.
I pray that you are well, and that God continues to grow you!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
March 2017 Newsletter
Spring Break in Birmingham
As many of you know, this year I traveled with 42(!) students to Birmingham, AL to build houses with Habitat for Humanity (H4H) for Spring Break. This was my third H4H spring break trip, and was something I was really looking forward too. Spring Break is always a welcome time of rest, often breaking up the monotony of current work and focusing on a task that is completely different.
The Birmingham chapter of H4H is a well-oiled machine! Birmingham is one of the top ten H4H sects in the world, building approximately 50 houses from the foundation up and another 100 rehab projects. Unlike other years there was always something to do from the time we arrived to the time we left. It was tiring, exhausting, and (at times) grueling work, but it was also amazing! With the help of students, I installed porch ceilings, built furniture without instructions, and installed trusses. Other students had the chance to roof, paint, install walls, and much more….and they were awesome at it!
The highlight of the trip, as always, was getting to meet or know students. The group dynamic was outstanding, and I felt very loved and welcomed. Another group highlight is when a group of us went to look at the 16th St. Church in downtown Birmingham, known for being bombed in the Civil Rights movement. After looking at the church, we decided to cross the street and tour the Civil Rights park that was there. While at the Park, a man approached us after recognizing that we were people volunteering with Habitat. He then asked if we wanted a tour of the park, to which we eagerly said, “yes.” After a few minutes into the tour, this man introduced himself as the grandson of John Thomas Porter, a pastor and key leader in the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham! We were blessed to have such a tour!
This was the best Habitat trip I have been on. I met so many charming and unique students, and built strong relationships with them. It was a great reminder of why I do what I do.
Spring Break Student Testimony
Meet Kevin White, the current student president of the Pitt chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Read about experience on the trip:
This spring break trip was my fourth spring break trip with Habitat for Humanity. It’s always hard to compare the trips. There is a lot of variation with different groups, different construction work, different meal & living conditions, and different families that we are building for; however, there are several key characteristics that I have found on this trip that have kept me coming back.
When I first came on my first habitat trip, I didn’t have that many friends. I was a freshman in college and was completely out of my element. Habitat gave me the opportunity to meet genuine people who have become some of my greatest friends. There’s a quote that you don’t know someone until you volunteer with them, and I have found that to be true. The relationships that are formed on this trip are unique and genuine.
Throughout the years, there has been a wide variety of the construction work we do, and the families that we are building for. We have worked to make homes handicap accessible for individuals who have never moved out of their parents’ house until now, and we have built homes for single mothers struggling to give their children a bed to sleep in. Last year as I was sitting in the rafters on the last day, the home owner was being given a tour through the new property. With tears in her eyes, she walked from room to room describing which of her children would live there and the plans that they had to make each room their own. This woman was living in a trailer home with her mother and children, all of whom had never had their own bed before, and this interaction has forever changed my outlook on life.
Habitat has shown me that when a group of individuals are willing to put in some hard work, entire lives can be changed. Habitat does not build houses, but they create homes and every volunteer is a part of that family. Through construction or fundraising, every individual who helps build this home, is helping to build a future for these men, women, and children, and that’s why I have kept coming back.
Financial Goal
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 below picture.
Moore News
This past weekend, we were able to celebrate Joshua’s birthday. Nine years ago, Emily (who was 35 weeks pregnant) was admitted to the ER with the flu. Due to dehydration, she went into early labor and gave a pretty traumatic birth. What ended up being one of the worst days of my life, also gave me one of the best gifts I could ever ask for. It’s amazing to see how far he has come, and scary to see how much he is like me.
As you may know, Joshua has had the privilege of being nominated by his teachers to participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Pathways to STEM, which is to be held in Trenton, NJ on June 26 through June 30.
We whole-heartedly support Josh in this fantastic achievement! This opportunity, however, is a costly venture. Joshua is fundraising $2,500 to be able to attend. This price includes the program as well as traveling, food, and hotel costs.
We know that we cannot afford to send Joshua entirely by ourselves, so we are asking that you consider donating by May 31st, so that he may be able to attend the NYLF program. If interested in donating, please go the following website: goo.gl/eS08Rz.
Everyone else in the family is doing well. Asher was admitted to the gifted program! He now gets to join his brothers at the gifted center on Wednesdays, and is very excited. Benjamin has really gotten into basketball, especially March Madness. He created his own bracket for the first time this year. Unfortunately, he had Villanova winning. Emily continues to stay busy working, and being a full-time mom. She continues to excel in all that she does.
I pray that this letter find you well, and that God continues to work through you.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
As many of you know, this year I traveled with 42(!) students to Birmingham, AL to build houses with Habitat for Humanity (H4H) for Spring Break. This was my third H4H spring break trip, and was something I was really looking forward too. Spring Break is always a welcome time of rest, often breaking up the monotony of current work and focusing on a task that is completely different.
The Birmingham chapter of H4H is a well-oiled machine! Birmingham is one of the top ten H4H sects in the world, building approximately 50 houses from the foundation up and another 100 rehab projects. Unlike other years there was always something to do from the time we arrived to the time we left. It was tiring, exhausting, and (at times) grueling work, but it was also amazing! With the help of students, I installed porch ceilings, built furniture without instructions, and installed trusses. Other students had the chance to roof, paint, install walls, and much more….and they were awesome at it!
The highlight of the trip, as always, was getting to meet or know students. The group dynamic was outstanding, and I felt very loved and welcomed. Another group highlight is when a group of us went to look at the 16th St. Church in downtown Birmingham, known for being bombed in the Civil Rights movement. After looking at the church, we decided to cross the street and tour the Civil Rights park that was there. While at the Park, a man approached us after recognizing that we were people volunteering with Habitat. He then asked if we wanted a tour of the park, to which we eagerly said, “yes.” After a few minutes into the tour, this man introduced himself as the grandson of John Thomas Porter, a pastor and key leader in the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham! We were blessed to have such a tour!
This was the best Habitat trip I have been on. I met so many charming and unique students, and built strong relationships with them. It was a great reminder of why I do what I do.
Spring Break Student Testimony
This spring break trip was my fourth spring break trip with Habitat for Humanity. It’s always hard to compare the trips. There is a lot of variation with different groups, different construction work, different meal & living conditions, and different families that we are building for; however, there are several key characteristics that I have found on this trip that have kept me coming back.
When I first came on my first habitat trip, I didn’t have that many friends. I was a freshman in college and was completely out of my element. Habitat gave me the opportunity to meet genuine people who have become some of my greatest friends. There’s a quote that you don’t know someone until you volunteer with them, and I have found that to be true. The relationships that are formed on this trip are unique and genuine.
Throughout the years, there has been a wide variety of the construction work we do, and the families that we are building for. We have worked to make homes handicap accessible for individuals who have never moved out of their parents’ house until now, and we have built homes for single mothers struggling to give their children a bed to sleep in. Last year as I was sitting in the rafters on the last day, the home owner was being given a tour through the new property. With tears in her eyes, she walked from room to room describing which of her children would live there and the plans that they had to make each room their own. This woman was living in a trailer home with her mother and children, all of whom had never had their own bed before, and this interaction has forever changed my outlook on life.
Habitat has shown me that when a group of individuals are willing to put in some hard work, entire lives can be changed. Habitat does not build houses, but they create homes and every volunteer is a part of that family. Through construction or fundraising, every individual who helps build this home, is helping to build a future for these men, women, and children, and that’s why I have kept coming back.
Financial Goal
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 below picture.
Moore News
As you may know, Joshua has had the privilege of being nominated by his teachers to participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Pathways to STEM, which is to be held in Trenton, NJ on June 26 through June 30.
We whole-heartedly support Josh in this fantastic achievement! This opportunity, however, is a costly venture. Joshua is fundraising $2,500 to be able to attend. This price includes the program as well as traveling, food, and hotel costs.
We know that we cannot afford to send Joshua entirely by ourselves, so we are asking that you consider donating by May 31st, so that he may be able to attend the NYLF program. If interested in donating, please go the following website: goo.gl/eS08Rz.
Everyone else in the family is doing well. Asher was admitted to the gifted program! He now gets to join his brothers at the gifted center on Wednesdays, and is very excited. Benjamin has really gotten into basketball, especially March Madness. He created his own bracket for the first time this year. Unfortunately, he had Villanova winning. Emily continues to stay busy working, and being a full-time mom. She continues to excel in all that she does.
I pray that this letter find you well, and that God continues to work through you.
In Christ,
Andy Moore
Friday, February 10, 2017
January & February 2017 Newsletter
Cornerstone Update
As with every new calendar year, there comes new leadership. This year, however, Cornerstone will be having its smallest leadership team...and I don’t say that as if it’s a bad thing. The thought of supervising a lot or people can seem daunting, so the lesser number will be much easier to manage. This year, I will be in charge of the planning team and the worship team, supervising the team and trying to figure out new ways to organize, facilitate, and worship in our large group fellowship on Wednesdays.
The Planning Team (led by Zack Miller, Nathalie Yurisic, and Jules Saviola) is responsible for everything a student might encounter from the time they arrive at Cornerstone to the time they leave. This includes facilitating the overall flow and quality of Cornerstone, meeting weekly with staff, working with the worship team on planning center, supporting other AoM’s on Wednesday, coordinating tech, updating the Cornerstone Calendar, and designing creative ways to foster relationships either during or after Cornerstone. They are certainly a busy (and well organized) group.
The Worship team (led by Sophie Cosentino, Sean Justice, and Morgan Medvedz) is dedicated to praising God using the spiritual gifts he has bestowed upon each of us. They forge strong relationships with one another while sharing their love of music and their passion for God with our brothers and sisters in Christ, engaging the congregation in glorious praise. Through worship, they grow deeply not only as friends, musicians, and leaders, but as followers of Christ.
It is an honor getting to serve and help plan the Cornerstone service with the planning team, as well as use my musical gifts (which few know I have) to serve the worship team.
Meet the Students
Read more about one of our students, Nate Flick:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory was when my grandparents took my parents and I out west when I was 8 years old. We visited Las Vegas in Nevada, the Grand Canyon and Death Valley in Arizona, and ended the trip with LegoLand in California! Being a huge Lego fan, I felt like I died and went to heaven! I also remember staying in a hotel in Vegas with a roller coaster that went around it, and spending one afternoon with my grandmother while bawling my eyes out in fear of my parents going on it!
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? With Cornerstone, I have been involved with several service and outreach events, such as ALIVE with Living Ministry, small volunteer events, and several Bible studies and D-groups. Now that I have assumed a leadership position as part of the C.O.P.S. (Cornerstone Outreach, Prayer, and Service) team, I hope to play a strong role in organizing and helping with all sorts of events, especially those that reach out to other service groups on campus and to those in need. Also, being a prayer leader, I hope to be involved in ways that strengthen the church’s pursuit of meaningful prayer.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Originally from the Pocono Mountains in eastern PA, I transferred to Pitt from Bloomsburg University and began my studies, and my involvement with Cornerstone, in the spring of 2016. Having already been a Christian before coming, I knew what to expect, but have still grown in ways that I wouldn’t have imagined. I wouldn’t have thought I would make the friends that I have, and uncover the wisdom that I did, while adjusting to a new lifestyle and handling increasingly difficult academics. Being in Cornerstone has shed more light on following Christ in all areas of life, not just in my career. So far, I have gained the most wisdom in actively pursuing the good of Christ’s Kingdom, and being the one to step out in love for those in need. I hope to be transformed in so many more ways!
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.
Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
As many of you know, I am the adviser for the Pitt Habitat for Humanity. This role has given me the unique opportunity to meet and work with students. One such opportunity is taking part in an amazing Spring Break trip Birmingham to help work on houses. The trip costs $300 per student. The expenses include transportation, housing, and food for the week. If you are able and willing, I’m asking for your support or help to cover trip expenses. If you would like to help support students on this trip, please go to the following website: https://engage.pitt.edu/project/4661.
Moore News
We had a fantastic Christmas (and Emily and I also had great birthdays)! It started when we joined my parents and sister’s family at Beulah Beach. It is always a good time when we get together, especially at Christmas…and especially at Beulah Beach! We spent Christmas day at home in Pittsburgh. It was the fantastic and relaxing break we all needed. Joshua, however, did get a concussion on Christmas Eve, which is never fun.
In other exciting news, Joshua has had the privilege of being nominated by his teachers to participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Pathways to STEM, which is to be held in Trenton, NJ on June 26 through June 30.
We whole-heartedly support Josh in this fantastic achievement! This opportunity, however, is a costly venture. Joshua is fundraising $2,500 to be able to attend. This price includes the program as well as traveling, food, and hotel costs.
We know that we cannot afford to send Joshua entirely by ourselves, so we are asking that you consider donating by May 31st, so that he may be able to attend the NYLF program. If interested in donating, please go the following website: goo.gl/eS08Rz.
We Pray that his letter finds you well! Thank you, and God bless!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
As with every new calendar year, there comes new leadership. This year, however, Cornerstone will be having its smallest leadership team...and I don’t say that as if it’s a bad thing. The thought of supervising a lot or people can seem daunting, so the lesser number will be much easier to manage. This year, I will be in charge of the planning team and the worship team, supervising the team and trying to figure out new ways to organize, facilitate, and worship in our large group fellowship on Wednesdays.
The Planning Team (led by Zack Miller, Nathalie Yurisic, and Jules Saviola) is responsible for everything a student might encounter from the time they arrive at Cornerstone to the time they leave. This includes facilitating the overall flow and quality of Cornerstone, meeting weekly with staff, working with the worship team on planning center, supporting other AoM’s on Wednesday, coordinating tech, updating the Cornerstone Calendar, and designing creative ways to foster relationships either during or after Cornerstone. They are certainly a busy (and well organized) group.
The Worship team (led by Sophie Cosentino, Sean Justice, and Morgan Medvedz) is dedicated to praising God using the spiritual gifts he has bestowed upon each of us. They forge strong relationships with one another while sharing their love of music and their passion for God with our brothers and sisters in Christ, engaging the congregation in glorious praise. Through worship, they grow deeply not only as friends, musicians, and leaders, but as followers of Christ.
It is an honor getting to serve and help plan the Cornerstone service with the planning team, as well as use my musical gifts (which few know I have) to serve the worship team.
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory was when my grandparents took my parents and I out west when I was 8 years old. We visited Las Vegas in Nevada, the Grand Canyon and Death Valley in Arizona, and ended the trip with LegoLand in California! Being a huge Lego fan, I felt like I died and went to heaven! I also remember staying in a hotel in Vegas with a roller coaster that went around it, and spending one afternoon with my grandmother while bawling my eyes out in fear of my parents going on it!
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? With Cornerstone, I have been involved with several service and outreach events, such as ALIVE with Living Ministry, small volunteer events, and several Bible studies and D-groups. Now that I have assumed a leadership position as part of the C.O.P.S. (Cornerstone Outreach, Prayer, and Service) team, I hope to play a strong role in organizing and helping with all sorts of events, especially those that reach out to other service groups on campus and to those in need. Also, being a prayer leader, I hope to be involved in ways that strengthen the church’s pursuit of meaningful prayer.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your years at Pitt? Originally from the Pocono Mountains in eastern PA, I transferred to Pitt from Bloomsburg University and began my studies, and my involvement with Cornerstone, in the spring of 2016. Having already been a Christian before coming, I knew what to expect, but have still grown in ways that I wouldn’t have imagined. I wouldn’t have thought I would make the friends that I have, and uncover the wisdom that I did, while adjusting to a new lifestyle and handling increasingly difficult academics. Being in Cornerstone has shed more light on following Christ in all areas of life, not just in my career. So far, I have gained the most wisdom in actively pursuing the good of Christ’s Kingdom, and being the one to step out in love for those in need. I hope to be transformed in so many more ways!
Financial Update
Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
As many of you know, I am the adviser for the Pitt Habitat for Humanity. This role has given me the unique opportunity to meet and work with students. One such opportunity is taking part in an amazing Spring Break trip Birmingham to help work on houses. The trip costs $300 per student. The expenses include transportation, housing, and food for the week. If you are able and willing, I’m asking for your support or help to cover trip expenses. If you would like to help support students on this trip, please go to the following website: https://engage.pitt.edu/project/4661.
Moore News
In other exciting news, Joshua has had the privilege of being nominated by his teachers to participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Pathways to STEM, which is to be held in Trenton, NJ on June 26 through June 30.
We whole-heartedly support Josh in this fantastic achievement! This opportunity, however, is a costly venture. Joshua is fundraising $2,500 to be able to attend. This price includes the program as well as traveling, food, and hotel costs.
We know that we cannot afford to send Joshua entirely by ourselves, so we are asking that you consider donating by May 31st, so that he may be able to attend the NYLF program. If interested in donating, please go the following website: goo.gl/eS08Rz.
We Pray that his letter finds you well! Thank you, and God bless!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
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