T H E L I N K

A Holy, Happy Person

F or years now a helpful aid to my prayer life has been The Valley of

Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, published

by the The Banner of Truth Trust. Even if you do not have the book, you

may have encountered prayers from it, since we have used some of them as

our corporate prayers of confession in the worship service.

My usual practice is to start my prayer time by praying one of the prayers, usu-

ally the next one in sequence. I pray the words as my own, usually updating

the Elizabethan pronouns and verb forms on the fly. I pray them aloud, as I

almost always do for my devotional prayer time. They serve as a helpful jump-

start to my own prayers, and they are almost always delightfully appropriate

for what I want to pray about that day. They put my thoughts and feelings into

words better than my own.

One of my favorites is titled Crucifixion and Resurrection. It contains a phrase

I love and am always glad to encounter again as I go back through the book. It

occurs near the end of the prayer:

Help me to be a holy, happy person, free from every wrong desire....

I love the way the prayer puts “holy” and “happy” next to each other. The

world sees this as a jarring juxtaposition. As it sees things, holiness and happi-

ness are opposites. In reality (which is to say, Biblically), they go together

nicely. Ultimately, only the holy are happy. Those holy with the imputed right-

eousness of Christ, yes, but this prayer speaks of holiness of life. Sin may

bring fading pleasure, but only the holy know happiness.

I want to be a holy, happy person. I do not want to be holy, apart from happi-

ness. I do not want to be happy, apart from holiness. And I do not want merely

to overcome wrong desires. I want to be free of them altogether.

I know I will not be fully such a person this side of heaven. But that does not

mean I cannot enjoy a taste of it now.

And I know that achieving this state of holy happiness, or happy holiness, will

not come through my own self-effort. It comes through the new life we have in

the resurrected Christ. As the prayer goes on to say:

Grant me more and more of the resurrection life: may it rule me, may I walk in

its power and be strengthened through its influence.

A holy, happy person, free from every wrong desire. That is what I want to be.

That is what I pray to be. That is what, by God’s grace, I will be.

Alan Johnson

November

2015

Inside this Issue:

Groups & Meetings

Missionary Highlight

New Members

Bible Studies

Small Groups

Nursery Schedule

JOHNS CREEK SMALL GROUP (Malcolm Home)

Please join us for Johns Creek Small Group meetings. We meet on Wednesday, November 18, at 7:00 p.m. at

the home of Owen and Tina Malcolm. Childcare is provided. If you are interested please contact Owen Mal-

colm (owen.malcolm@unitedcp.com) or Tina Malcolm (tinammalcolm@gmail.com).

DULUTH SMALL GROUP LOCATION CHANGE FOR NOVEMBER 6 MEETING

The Friday, November 6, meeting has been changed to the home of Tonia and Andy Horner. Please join us on

the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month (November 6 and 20) at 7:00 p.m. for a time of fellowship and prayer at

the home of Mark and Tara Carter. Childcare will be provided upstairs for an hour while the adults share and

pray downstairs. If you are interested or would like more information please contact Tara Carter

(tarabrookecarter@gmail.com) or Janice Mutchler (jjm9499@gmail.com).

SMALL GROUPS

The Session was pleased to receive into the membership of OPPC:

Danny, Donna, and Abby Wells

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

MORNING PRAYER

Please join us for a time of corporate prayer for our church and its work on Sunday, November 15, from 9:15-

9:40 a.m. in the new library behind the Sanctuary.

HANDS OF CHRIST VOLUNTEER MONTH

As a supporting church of the Hands of Christ, Duluth Cooperative Ministry, we at OPPC commit to filling the

food pantry volunteer positions for the month of November. Please see the schedule in the fellowship hall, or

contact Matt Chandler for information (mchandlercpa@gmail.com). The food pantry is located near downtown

Duluth, and we need volunteers for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 to 2:00 p.m. You may vol-

unteer from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon (2 hours), from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. (2 hours) or from 10:00 a.m.

until 2:00 p.m. (4 hours). Kids ages 12 and up are welcome to volunteer with their parents. Feel free to sign up

for 2 or 4 hour shifts. Lead volunteers will train you when you arrive, so prior experience is not necessary.

Please prayerfully consider volunteering.

Days volunteers are needed: Mondays, November 2, 9, 16, 23; Wednesdays, November 4, 11, 18, 25; Fridays,

November 6, 13, 20 (sign-up schedule in the fellowship hall).

FALL BIBLE STUDIES

TUESDAY WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY

Ladies, please join us in the fellowship hall for Women’s Bible Study on Tuesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Fellow-

ship and food will start at 9:45. We are studying Nehemiah. Books are $7 and are available in the library.

Childcare is provided. Questions? Contact Ann Elmer (ann.elmer@gmail.com) or Kara-Mia Appleton

(3appletons@gmail.com).

SATURDAY WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY

Ladies please join us for the Saturday morning women’s Bible study. We are studying the book of Nehemiah

using a guide by John MacArthur. (This is the same study being used by the Tuesday morning group). The

books ($7) are available in the new library. The study will meet approximately every other Saturday morn-

ing in the fellowship hall from 9:00-11:00 a.m. The fall remaining tentative schedule is: November 7- 4:1-23

(page 37), November 21- 5:1-19 (page 47), and December 5- 6:1-19 (page 55). Please contact Barbara Johnson

at bbjohnson1988@gmail.com if you plan to join us or would like more information.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDIES

Gentlemen, please join us for Men’s Bible Study on Thursdays at noon (bring a sack lunch) or Fridays at 6:30

a.m. (we take turns providing breakfast) in the fellowship hall. Our study this fall is Jesus’ farewell discourse

(John 13-17).

CHRISTMAS SOCIAL MUSICAL TALENTS

Mark your calendar and join us on Sunday, December 13, for our annual Christmas Social!

Anyone interested in sharing their musical talents with the church during the social, please

contact Ann Elmer (ann.elmer@gmail.com).

The Mission Committee has recently made one time donations to the following ministries:

1. Natasha Bennett’s short term mission trip.

2. David Larson, Pioneers, to help replace his computer which got fried in a major rain storm.

3. Jonathan Hastings, MTW, to help offset expenses on a temporary assignment to assist with the flow of

refugees into Europe.

MISSION COMMITTEE ACTION ITEMS

Join the Women of Old Peachtree for a night of fellowship and desserts at Leslie Bohannon’s home on

Wednesday, November 11, at 7:00 p.m. Please contact Leslie with any questions

(leslie.bohannon5@gmail.com).

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP NIGHT

Andy and Bev Warren

November 2015

Andy and Bev are missionaries with Mission to the World

serving in Ethiopia.

History and Vision

The Warrens have served with MTW since 1982 and worked in Kenya, Hungary and Ethiopia. In

2002 they started a ministry to families affected by HIV/AIDS in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethio-

pia. Over the last 13 years they have cared for more than 1,000 families in five slum communities.

The ministry has expanded to care for other destitute and sick people in the community, including

malnourished children, people with tuberculosis and cancer. The project, known as the ACT Project,

is made up of a team of 14 Ethiopian professionals and five missionaries. The Gospel has been central

to the work of the project and over the years many people have responded and now follow Christ.

Over the last two years the team planted its first church in a community called Suki, and a network of

Ethiopian church planters and pastors with a heart for the city and the poor has been developed. Their

church planting team now includes four Ethiopians and two missionaries.

Andy’s work is primarily administrative, leading the ministry. He is the MTW Ethiopia Country Di-

rector. Bev’s work has included helping families become self-supporting through income-generating

projects, helping with the project’s finances and providing hospitality to our many visitors. Their pro-

jects include the following:

They have 6-8 short-term medical teams each year. Their last team was from City Life

Presbyterian in Boston and they will be here October 10-24.

They are developing a mercy ministry study center and in September hosted 17 MTW

missionaries.

They are surveying a new community, Kore, with the hope of launching a new community

work and church plant in 2016.

Their work with youth in the community is expanding and they are looking for someone to

help them develop curriculum and strategy to reach this group more effectively.

They are hosting two interns this year for about six months each.

Prayer and Praise

1. They are grateful for their Ethiopian teammates and the wonderful spirit on their team.

2. They have seen God transform the hearts of many people in Suki community and deliver

them from sin.

3. Pray that the church will grow and particularly for godly men leaders.

4. Pray for the training that they and the teams do.

5. Pray for their granddaughter, Clare. She was born four months ago and is still in the hospital

with her last surgery on 10/2/15. She continues to have periodic episodes where she stops

breathing.

MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT

Changing Lives

Bethany Christian Services continues to recruit families

who are open to parenting a child who has a medical or

developmental need or older children who are part of a

sibling group. We equip interested families with spe-

cialized training and post-adoption resources, and offer

support including counseling and connection with other

families who have adopted children with special needs.

What could you do for a waiting child?

Pray that more matches will be made.

Give to Bethany’s Caring Connection.

Adopt a waiting child.

Support a family that has adopted a child.

LEARN MORE:

bethany.org/these400

bethany.org/caringconnection 1-800-BETHANY

NOVEMBER is National ADPOTION Month

30 DAYS OF

PRAYER

Join MTW for a month

of prayer for

Global Missions

On the MTW website (mtw.org) you will

find a downloadable nine-week prayer guide

for missions. To download the prayer guide

or brochure, go to mtw.org/30daysofprayer.

NURSERY SCHEDULE - November 2015 DATE 11:00 a.m. GREETER 6:00 p.m.

(10:45 at table)

11/1 Schramm Julie Schramm No Service

11/8 Larson, Malin-Davis, Patete Joyce Saylor Briney, Richards

11/15 Carter, Johnson Ashley Deighton Briney, Richards

11/22 Akin, Tomlinson Jennifer Taylor Elmer

11/29 Bennett Ann Elmer Wilson

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

LINK DEADLINE: Please turn in articles and information for the December LINK by Wednesday, November 18.

Old Peachtree Presbyterian Church exists to glorify God and to extend the kingdom of Jesus Christ. To

accomplish this end, Old Peachtree aims to be a church that is continually growing in vital worship, in

theological depth, in true fellowship, in assertive evangelism, and in deeds of compassion. The distinctive-

ness of Old Peachtree is in its desire to be Presbyterian in government and Reformed in theology, with the

vitality that comes from evangelism and discipleship.

Old Peachtree Presbyterian Church office@oldpeachtree.org

1756 Old Peachtree Road www.oldpeachtree.org

Duluth, GA 30097

770-476-7945 (office)

First Sunday Lunch

Join us for First Sunday Lunch at noon in the fellowship hall on November 1.

Communion Week

We celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the morning service on the second Sunday of every month. This month the

date is November 8.

Deacons Meeting

The Deacons meet the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the church. This month the meeting

is November 11.

Session Meeting

The Session usually meets the fourth Monday of every month. The November meeting date is TBD.

Adult Choir

Join the OPPC Adult Choir as we practice at 4:45 on Sunday afternoons except for first Sundays.

Youth Group

All 6th grade-12th graders, even college students are welcome to join us for dinner at 5:30 on Sundays except

for first Sunday.

MEETINGS AND GROUPS