Death of Springboro councilman ‘unexpected,’ mayor says

A city councilman who died unexpectedly was featured this week in a regional report on evangelical Christians and the presidential election.

The Rev. Bruce Moore, 64, was in his third term on council when he died “unexpectedly” at his home in Springboro sometime late Wednesday or early Thursday, said Mayor John Agenbroad, who added that Moore will be missed. No further information was available on how Moore died, and funeral arrangements are pending.

Moore, also pastor of Bethel Assembly of God in Clermont County, was quoted in the Columbus Dispatch for a story published Wednesday on how white evangelical Christians seem to reluctantly embrace Donald Trump for president.

Moore described himself as an “ultra-conservative Republican” concerned that a Hillary Clinton victory would assure the appointment of liberal judges who would rule against issues important to evangelical Christians. “I am going to vote for the Supreme Court Donald Trump said he would give us,” Moore told the Dispatch. “There’s great potential. Trump is a work in progress on biblical ethics.”

Moore in 1998 lost a primary bid for the Ohio House of Representatives, but in 2009 was first elected to city council. He said at the time that his neighbors in the Heatherwoode community urged him to run for the local office.

He is the founder and former lead pastor of Clearcreek Christian Assembly of God, according to Moore’s Facebook profile. He later became pastor at Bethel Assembly of God, where the doors were opened for several hours Thursday evening for members to pray and talk about Moore’s passing. “Please join us in prayer as we mourn the passing of Pastor Bruce Moore. Keep his wife, Carol, and their children in your prayers,” the church posted on social media sites.