When Jeremy Moore ’13 walked through Buchanan Hall on the first day of classes this fall, memories came rushing back. 

The church music graduate spent four years in the building studying worship ministry, singing in the A Cappella Choir and learning the foundations that would shape his career. As he reflected on those experiences, he found himself standing just steps away from the next chapter of that journey. 

After 15 years of ministry across the Southeast, Moore has returned to Samford University to serve as chapel music leader for Beeson Divinity School. While his student years were rooted in Buchanan Hall, his work now centers on Divinity Hall and Hodges Chapel, where he will help lead worship and shape the spiritual formation of future pastors and ministry leaders. 

"It certainly is exciting," Moore said. "I'm currently writing this on the first day of class after walking through Buchanan Hall, my stomping grounds for four years. A flood of memories filled my mind as I thought back to my first day of class, everything that has happened since then, and the ways I've grown as a person and musician." 

Moore traces much of that growth to his time in Samford's church music program. Among the most formative experiences was singing in the A Cappella Choir under the direction of music professor Tim Copeland. 

"A Cappella Choir was the single biggest influence on my development as a musician," Moore said. "The incredibly unique approach Dr. Copeland uses to shape his choirs to sing taught me how to musically communicate, conduct and ultimately be a confident musician." 

The choir's worship experiences and challenging repertoire broadened his understanding of music's role in the life of the church. At the same time, classes in orchestration and counterpoint refined his skills as a songwriter and musician, teaching him how melody and harmony communicate emotion. Another turning point came through the study of hymnology. 

"Hymnology is where I fell in love with the history of congregational singing," he said. "It taught me that what we sing together doesn't simply express what we believe; it helps form what we believe." 

That conviction continues to guide Moore's ministry. Growing up, he witnessed the tension that often existed between traditional and contemporary worship styles. Rather than choosing one over the other, he became interested in finding a more holistic approach to congregational worship. His study of hymnology and liturgical practice, combined with his experience in contemporary worship and songwriting, helped shape that perspective. His philosophy is that worship leadership should be centered on simplicity and participation. 

"The goal isn't to impress the congregation or create the most compelling musical experience possible," he said. "The goal is to help people sing." 

An unexpected influence on that philosophy came from years spent working in the hospitality industry. Moore sees parallels between welcoming guests and leading worship, arguing that the most meaningful experiences often arise from thoughtful attention to simple details. 

"Create warm and welcoming spaces, be simple yet thoughtful in every detail, be human, be consistent and let the rest roll off your back," he said. 

That same mindset shapes his approach to blending historic hymns with contemporary worship music. Rather than seeing them as competing traditions, Moore believes they complement one another when handled thoughtfully. He compares the balance to a perfectly crafted cappuccino. 

"Understanding proper hymn form and cadence alongside contemporary melodic nuance and flow produces a discernment for balance," he said. "It's a little bit like drinking a perfect cappuccino crafted by a seasoned barista. They know the art in finding the balance of delicately frothed milk to carefully extracted espresso. It doesn't happen by chance." 

Moore said he was drawn to the divinity school's commitment to interdenominational understanding and cooperation and is eager to plan worship services that draw from a variety of Christian traditions and expressions. And then there is the chapel itself. 

"I could sit in Hodges Chapel all day long and soak up the jaw-dropping beauty of that space," he said. 

As he begins this new role, Moore hopes chapel becomes more than a weekly gathering for students balancing coursework and ministry responsibilities. He envisions it as a place of renewal and formation. 

"My hope is that chapel can be a space of renewal and a place where students are formed as worship leaders themselves," he said. "I want them to experience services that are rich and full, thoughtful and hospitable, and then carry those experiences back into the churches they serve." 

For Moore, returning to Samford is less about coming full circle and more about continuing a journey that began in Buchanan Hall and now extends into Divinity Hall. 

"I left Samford with a solid foundation for ministry and questions on where my path might lead me," he said. "I now get to return with some experience, a lot more questions, and hopefully something to offer students as they begin their own path in ministry." 

Just steps from the classrooms where he once studied church music, Moore now has the opportunity to help shape worship for future church leaders, connecting the lessons of his student years with a new season of ministry at Beeson.