News and Views

The Rev. Maurice S. W. Moore, 78, a retired Associate Member, died Nov. 19, 2018. He was the father of Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, who leads the Western Pennsylvania Area. His funeral service was held Nov. 28, at Sharp Street Memorial UMC in Baltimore.

Maurice Sumner Whiting Moore was born Sept. 3, 1939, the oldest son of the late Maurice Sumner Moore and Catherine Loretta Whiting. He spent his childhood in the family’s four-story Harlem Avenue home in New York City. They moved to the more prestigious Ashburton neighborhood while he was growing up.

Moore was the product of Baltimore City Public Schools, graduating from Frederick Douglass High School. He attended Morgan State College as a physics major. His mother had promised God that she would give up dancing if one of her children would become a pastor. Moore fulfilled that wish by becoming Assistant Chaplain at Crownsville State Mental Hospital in 1958. In 1960, he was appointed Assistant Pastor to the five-point Mt. Airy Charge where he met his wife, Joan Simms. They married in 1962.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Loyola College of Maryland (now University) and a Master of Divinity from Lancaster Seminary, but as an act of protest for injustices he perceived during the dissolution of the US Central Conference in 1968, he chose to become an Associate Member, rather than pursue ordination as an Elder.

During his 40-year ministerial career he served in Villa Rica, Ga., and in 1963, he was appointed to the Inwood Charge in W. Va., then from 1964 to 1969 to Asbury in Shepherdstown, W. Va. From 1969-1971, he served St. Matthews UMC in Baltimore; 1971-1979, Union Memorial UMC in Aberdeen; Colesville UMC in Silver Spring, 1979-81; Sharp Street UMC in Sandy Spring, 1981-86; and Asbury UMC in Frederick for 14 years from 1986 to 2000 when he retired.

He loved The United Methodist Church and often prayed that it would be perfected in love. He was a gifted teacher and ethicist and over the years also worked as a substitute teacher, home school teacher and Ethics Consultant for the Veterans Administration.

Moore enjoyed playing hymns by ear on the piano and the organ he built. He wired the rooms in his parsonages for surround sound before surround sound was popular. He was a collector -- model trains, model cars, church organs and antique radios took up much space in their home. He enjoyed showing his train layouts and the coffee table that housed N scale trains. He relished his membership on the Mid- Atlantic Antique Radio Club and on the Board of Directors for the National Capital Radio and Television Museum.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years Joan Simms Moore, daughters Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and her husband Pastor Raphael K. Koikoi Jr., Cheryl Moore-Thomas and her husband Steve Thomas; Kyle Moore and Ronald Moore; one grandson, three sisters and four brothers.

Condolences may be sent to Joan S. Moore, 3607 Copley Road, Baltimore, MD 21215.

 Memorial donations may be made to Sharp Street United Methodist Church, 1206 Etting St., Baltimore, MD 21217; or to The American Kidney Fund.