The Rev. James G. Munroe
I’m awash with gratitude to the Lord for the gift of Peter Moore’s friendship and leadership over so many years.
Peter and I met 54 years ago. It was spring break in 1966, my senior year at Andover. I somehow found my way to a FOCUS (although back then, it was still UPSC - University and Private School Camps) conference in New York City, led by a young and single Peter Moore. I’m not sure I even knew that it was a Christian conference before I got there - I think I was hoping that I would see some “West Side Story” scenes in Harlem. During the conference, Peter introduced me to Bo Nixon and Bill Milliken in a Young Life apartment on the Lower East Side. When the conference was over, a Young Life leader drove me to Port Authority for a bus back to Boston. We sat outside the bus station in a VW bug, and he asked me if I wanted to give my life to Jesus. I was so embarrassed that I said yes. I opened the door about 1/100th of an inch - but that’s all the Lord needed.
That spring, I finished up at Andover and went to my first FOCUS June conference at Carroll Lodge in Pawling (which I still think of every time I drive by the Pawling exit on my way to NYC), led by such a powerhouse of folk - Peter Moore, Sandy Clark, Connie Kiesewetter, John Howe, Sam Abbot, Edith McKeon, George Gentsch, Heidi Frost - all of them single! - and so many others.
The Lord used Peter in those early years in so many powerful ways in my life in Christ. There was Peter’s patience with my first, tentative talks at winter house parties at Grey Ledges. There was Peter’s leadership at all of the June and September weeklong house parties at Holiday Hills and then on the Vineyard. There was that ridiculous ropes course that Peter let me build at the study center and the two or three summers of leading those Outward Bound-style programs. Peter also gave me the failed assignment of clearing out the poison ivy where we camped. And he said of my smoking cigarettes back then, “Well, I guess it’s not too big a sin."
Peter was a faithful friend while I was in the Marine Corps and reached out to me with wonderful support when I was wounded in Vietnam. He was a rock solid guide for our student fellowship at Williams College, and he inspired several of us to go on to seminary - Peter Pierson, Jay Haug, Mark Pierson and others. I well remember coming to Peter for counsel on where to go to seminary and being wisely steered to Wycliffe Hall. And I was deeply touched that Peter took part in my ordination.
Peter came to preach at St. James’ Church in Greenfield, MA, where I had my first job as a young curate. I also remember Peter spending the night at my house in Northampton and my trying to find a decent coffee cup with which to serve him coffee in the morning. There were evenings on the Vineyard when Peter and I left the study center to drive around and to have a beer somewhere and a good talk. During my years on the FOCUS national board, the fruits of Peter’s legacy were abundant at every turn. And wasn’t that 50th anniversary celebration in NYC a joy!
I’m joining with so many in giving thanks to the Lord for the life and ministry of Peter C. Moore, who was my friend and mentor and conveyor of the grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
The Rev. James G. Munroe
