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Personal Space:

All Bulgaria for Christ

The Ministry of Harry and Julie Miller with the Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship

2095 Rolling Acres Drive, Conyers, GA 30094

Telephone  770-761-9991                                                                                                                    Email: hmiller292@comcast.net

NOVEMBER 2008 UPDATE

Dear partners in ministry,

                This letter gives a report of the work, tells of future events (d.v.), and updates you on some events in our family.

The Summer Pastors Conference

Our annual conference for pastors and their families was especially blessed this year.  Dr. Tom Champness accompanied us and shared the teaching responsibilities with me.  Tom is pastor of the Redeemer OPC in Tucker, Atlanta.  His course was on basic ideas in reformed theology.  I thank our Lord for Tom's clear teaching and warm relationship with the students. My course developed the theme  Biblical Revival.  The Lord had the conference hotel filled to capacity in Velingrad and the students responded to both of us and our teaching of the Word with enthusiasm.

Sister Church Relationship Fully Realized

          Several years ago Lewis Branscomb went with us to our seminar in Debar in Parvomai, Bulgaria.   Lewis is a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church of Tuscumbia, AL.  He captured a vision for a sister church relationship between his home church and the congregation in Debar.  Initially, the relationship was one of prayer.  Prayer requests were e-mailed from one to the other, and each congregation prayed for the other.  The relationship grew until last spring, Pastor Delcho and his wife, Nina, travelled to Tuscumbia and  were the speakers at 1^st Church's mission conference.  At the end of October Pastor Randy Thompson and Ruling Elder Horace Griffith went to minister to the Bulgarian congregation.

            Several other Bulgarian congregations are open to a sister church relationship with a church in the   U. S.  What about your congregation?  This is a great way for you to become more intimately involved in the spread of the gospel in this needy place.  An e-mail or telephone call to the address above is all it takes to get more information and start the ball rolling.  Please let me hear from you.

            Our Planned Move to Alabama Is Postponed Indefinitely

            Prov 16:1   "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."   You may have heard that Julie and I were contemplating a move to Huntsville, AL. We thought we needed to give more assistance to our son, David.  He is raising three children ages 9, 6, and 5 by himself.  For several reasons it seemed a good idea for us to relocate.  However, the Lord had a better solution.  The Lord brought Angelica into David's life.  They have married and she stays at home and looks after the children while David is now able to work a full day.  How often we make our plans, then learn the Lord has everything under control in a way that better suits his glory and our good!  Join us in praising our Lord for his abundant grace! 

  Some Health Issues

            After a several year interlude, Spurgeon's disease (gout) attacked me again in September.  Because of my past encounters, I consider myself an expert on degrees of pain!  Never have I experienced pain as severe as that brought with old gout.  Praise the Lord relief was at hand from new medications developed since my last attack in the 1970s!  I pray as much more time will pass before I repeat the experience!

            Also, two weeks ago I missed Sunday School and worship for the first time in many years.  The reason was a nasty cold.  I did not want to infect my brothers and sisters.  Now the symptoms are nearly passed. Praise the Lord, with us!

            Please do not interpret the last two sections as complaints.  Our Lord has been overwhelmingly gracious to me in this regard.  Julie and I both enjoy health far better than many of our peers.  I thank those of you who pray for us in regards to our health.  And I thank our Great Physician for his superb care for us both.

            Some Other Issues

          

          Christmas Plans for Purvovai, Petrich, Bulgaria

           

            Pastor Ivan Dimitrov asks that we all pray for their special Christmas ministry this year.  In the village of Purvomai near Petrich, there is an orphanage, an elementary school, and the Evangelical Church.  Ivan hopes to gather the children from all these groups into the village hall for a great celebration of our Savior's birth.  He asks that we pray for the Lord to give him wisdom as he prepares a meaningful presentation of the gospel for these diverse groups.  We long to see our Lord convert many of these young people and add them to the church.  Please pray with us from now until December 25.

            Looking Ahead to 2009

            You may have heard that the US economy has soured.  It has!  And this has made an impact on foreign missions in general and on our work in particular.  If we maintain the 2008 level of conferences, publishing, and national pastor support, our costs will rise 27% over last year!  Please pray with us for this increase in support from our partners in ministry.  Also, ask the Lord to give us wisdom if we need to eliminate some aspects of our ministry.

            William Henriksen's Commentary on the Gospel of John is the next book to be published d.v. as a resource for pastors.

            We thank God for each of you.  We love you as our brothers and sisters.  How may we pray for you?

                                     Grace and peace,

                               Julie and Harry

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