Understanding Military Chaplaincy: the Basic, the Challenges, and the Ethics

When: 10 AM EST
Where: Walton Hall Prayer Chapel and Via Zoom

Biography

The Rev. Mark D. Moore was born and raised in Norwood, PA and graduated from Yeadon High School in Yeadon, PA in 1973. He graduated from the Delaware County Community College (A.A. 1975), Eastern College (B.A. 1977), and the Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M. Div. 1980, M.A.R. 1981). He was ordained a Deacon in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1979, and was ordained an Elder in 1982.

He began his ministerial career as the Director of Youth Ministries at the Olivet United Methodist Church in Coatesville, PA from 1975 – 1977. In 1977 he was appointed to serve as the pastor of the Bethesda UMC in Phoenixville, PA. He served there until 1982, when he was appointed pastor of the Chatham UMC in Chatham PA. After 8 years at Chatham, he was appointed Sr. Pastor of the Ranck’s UMC in New Holland, PA, serving there from 1990 until 1998 when he was appointed Sr. Pastor of the UMC of the Resurrection in Lionville, PA. He served that congregation until December, 2001, when following the events of 9/11/2001, he was mobilized for military service. (He had served as a member of the United States Air Force Reserve Chaplain Service since 1979)

While mobilized, he spent three years as the Deputy Command Chaplain at the Headquarters of the U.S. Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, VA and two and a half years as the Deputy Religious Affairs Advisor in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Following his release from active duty military service, he continued his service as a traditional reservist, serving as the reserve assistant to the Command Chaplain of the United States Air Force Reserve Command. After 30 years of service, he retired in June 2009 with the rank of Colonel.

In July of 2007, he was appointed as Sr. Pastor of the Glossbrenner UMC in Mount Joy, PA. He served as the Sr. Pastor of the Asbury UMC in Allentown, PA from 2010 to 2014, and served as the Sr. Pastor of the Thorndale UMC in Thorndale, PA. from 2014 until he retired in 2017. In retirement he served as Pastor of the Hibernia UMC in Coatesville PA until 2020.

Mark has been married to Karen (Dearstyne) since 1977. They have one adult son, M. Dustin Moore, who is married to Kristyn DiDominick. They are the proud grandparents of Melody, born in 2015, and Madalyn, born in 2018.

Mark has served on numerous boards of both church and community agencies throughout his career. He has a strong passion to see people come to faith and grow in their faith as they strengthen their passions and gifts. He has served as a mentor to numerous ministerial candidates, and has a strong desire to see young leadership develop their abilities to inspire and lead faith communities.