T H E L I N K

The Anticipation of Christmas

I can remember, as a small child, asking my parents at various

times, “How long until Christmas?” The answer might be “a

month” or it might be “six months.” It always seemed to me as

though Christmas would never come, and I was always astonished

when Christmas Eve really did arrive. It seemed too good to be true (I

had a similar feeling when summer vacation actually arrived. I just

didn’t get any gifts!)

Most of us look forward to Christmas for different reasons: religious,

nostalgia, family. While we look forward to Christmas as a holiday,

Christmas itself is actually about anticipation and fulfillment. In it Chris-

tians celebrate the birth of Jesus so many years ago—a birth anticipated

for a very long time. Our Advent hymns remind us of this element of

waiting, hymns such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Come,

Thou Long-Expected Jesus.”

But there is a double anticipation in Christmas. Even as we await the

celebration on December 25 of our Savior’s first advent, Christmas itself

reminds us that we await his second advent. The plea for Emmanuel and

for the long-expected Jesus to come was on the hearts of God’s old cove-

nant people. But it is also a plea very much on the hearts of God's new

covenant people as well. Only the (second) coming of the Messiah can

ultimately make everything better on this poor Earth.

Emmanuel—“God with us” came to this earth two thousand years ago.

Through his death, resurrection, ascension, and giving of the Holy Spirit

to his church, he inaugurated his new covenant reign on earth. The King-

dom of Heaven is advancing. Already we, his people, enjoy so much: the

forgiveness of sins, an open door to the presence of God, the power of

his Holy Spirit. But we are in many ways still a people in exile. We do

not yet enjoy the fullness of his kingdom that he won for us through his

life and death. He will bring in the fullness of our salvation with his sec-

ond advent. Then sin will be no more. Then we will be with Christ in the

new heavens and earth. Then sighs, pain, and tears will be forgotten.

Christmas is a time when we celebrate all we have in Christ because he

loved us and came to earth and lived for us and died for us. It’s also a

time when anticipation is increased—anticipation of another and greater

“new and glorious morn.” Come, Lord Jesus!

Alan Johnson

December

2015

Inside this Issue:

Groups & Meetings

Missionary Highlight

New Member

Bible Studies

Small Groups

OPPC Service Project

Nursery Schedule

JOHNS CREEK SMALL GROUP (Malcolm Home)

Please join us for Johns Creek Small Group meetings. We meet on Wednesday, December 9, at 7:00 p.m. at

the home of Owen and Tina Malcolm (310 Dewpoint Lane, Johns Creek, GA 30022). Childcare is provided. If

you are interested please contact Owen Malcolm (owen.malcolm@unitedcp.com) or Tina Malcolm

(tinammalcolm@gmail.com).

DULUTH SMALL GROUP (Carter Home)

Please join us on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month (December 4 and 18) at 7:00 p.m. for a time of fellow-

ship and prayer at the home of Mark and Tara Carter, 2776 Saxon Dr., Duluth. Childcare will be provided up-

stairs for an hour while the adults share and pray downstairs. If you are interested or would like more informa-

tion please contact Tara Carter (tarabrookecarter@gmail.com) or Janice Mutchler (jjm9499@gmail.com).

SMALL GROUPS

Jane Horner - November 2015

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

THANK YOU

Many thanks to all of those who volunteered for the Hands of Christ - Duluth Cooperative Ministry during the

month of November.

Matt Chandler

COVENANT CHILDREN CHRISTMAS TREE

Our OPPC Covenant Christmas Tree will be full once again this year with all the sweet faces

of our covenant children.

Don and Joyce Saylor will be taking photos for the ornaments during Sunday school hour in early December.

You do not need to submit a photo this year unless you have a child who does not regularly attend Sunday

school (grand child, college student, etc.—due by December 13). You may give or send these photos directly

to the Saylors (don.saylor46@yahoo.com).

Please contact Joyce or Don with questions.

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. Our last remaining meeting for 2015 is December 5- 6:1-19 (page

55). Please contact Barbara Johnson at bbjohnson1988@gmail.com if you 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

Please join us on Sunday, December 13, at 6:00 p.m. for our annual Christmas Social! Please let Barbara John-

son know what you would like to bring for refreshments for the social (bbjohnson1988@gmail.com).

Join us for our service of Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve, December 24, at 5:00 p.m.

LESSONS AND CAROLS SERVICE

CHRISTMAS SERVICE PROJECT

Please contribute to the 2015 Old Peachtree Christmas Service Project! We will serve our current and future

covenant children by replacing and updating essential items for the new nursery wing. Our nursery is regis-

tered at Target. Items can be purchased in the store or online. Gift wrap is not necessary.

Use the information below to purchase from the Target registry:

First name: Old

Last name: Peachtree

We are also accepting donations towards a new TV.

Donations can be dropped off in the new nursery wing.

Please contact Kara-Mia Appleton if you have any questions (3appletons@gmail.com).

Alan Foster December 2015

The need to plant more churches is huge. When Jesus went

from village to village, he saw the crowds and he had compas-

sion on them because they were harassed and helpless. They

were like sheep without a shepherd (Mt. 9:36). The sheep are out there; they need a shepherd.

God’s people are gathered through evangelism, the gospel is preached from the Scriptures, worship

takes place, believers mature into faithful disciples, and the Great Commission is carried out in word

and deed through the local church. And so, the great need of the hour is to plant new local churches.

If we are going to take seriously the Great Commission, we must plant new churches. Not to do so is

simply not an option.

Alan is an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). After serving on the

staff of Perimeter Church in Johns Creek, Georgia, for six years, he planted East Lanier Community

Church in Buford, Georgia. When he began the church, he asked God to use it as a place for young

men to be trained and sent out into ministry. And God did that. Four men who served on his staff have

gone on to plant a church, or are preparing to do so. He has coached four different church planters, was

on the leadership team to begin the North Georgia Church Planting Network, and has mentored two

church planters who did an internship at East Lanier.

His role, as Church Planter Recruiting Director, is to pray for, identify, and recruit laborers for the har-

vest to plant the scores of new PCA churches needed to impact North America with the good news of

the gospel of Jesus Christ. He works with local churches, presbyteries, and networks in finding men to

plant churches in their area. At the same time, he approaches previous church planters, campus pastors,

and staff pastors to challenge them to consider planting a new church, matching them up with the ap-

propriate needed area.

Currently he is working diligently to find planters for some key cities in the US: Cleveland, OH; Louis-

ville, KY; Houston, TX; Mobile, AL; and Little Rock, AR. These are some of the largest US cities with

the fewest number of PCA churches. Beyond that there are well over 100 locations across the US and

Canada where presbyteries are looking for a church planter. At the same time, he is working with over

30 men who are either planters looking for the right place to plant or men who are considering planting

a church.

Please pray:

1. For wisdom as Alan counsels and advises potential church planters.

2. For God to raise up more men to plant churches. We desperately need laborers for the harvest.

3. For the many church planting leaders in our denomination—presbytery MNA Committee Chair

men, network directors, leaders in church planting churches—to be ready to receive the

planters that God provides.

MISSIONARY HIGHLIGHT

Nursery New Nursery

Disciples in Diapers

Teachers: Mayumi Yamazaki &

Kara-Mia Appleton

2’s & 3’s New Toddler

God’s Son

Teacher: Connie Smith

4’s- 1st Lower level –5

Jesus is God’s Son

Teacher: Natalie Malin-Davis

Grades 2-5 Lower level –3

Listening to Jesus

Teacher: David Schramm

Grades 6-8 Lower level –8

Exodus - Ruth

Teacher: Meggin Garner

High School Youth Room

Church History

Teacher: Joe Deighton

Adult 1 Upper level -1

Westminster Confession, 21-33

Teacher: Rick Appleton

Adult 2 Lower level –6

The Other Side of Christmas/Letters of Peter

Teacher: Steve Bennett

WINTER SUNDAY SCHOOL

DECEMBER 2015 – FEBRUARY 2016

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

(10:45 at table)

12/6 Bohannon, Garner Julie Schramm No Service

12/13 Melton, Vaughan Joyce Saylor Briney, Richards

12/20 Cash, Mutchler Ashley Deighton Yamazaki

12/24 (Lessons and Carols Christmas Eve Service) Butler, Jeans

12/27 Covington Jennifer Covington Elmer

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

LINK DEADLINE: Please turn in articles and information for the January LINK by Friday, December 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 December 6.

Communion Week

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

date is December 13.

Deacons Meeting

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

is December 9.

Session Meeting

The Session meets the fourth Monday of every month. December 28 is the next meeting date.

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