SEW at BFA

So - just a quick update on our life. We just finished Spiritual Emphasis Week here at BFA. I am always thankful for a week the school gives us to go deeper with these students. BFA holds its SEW at the beginning of the school year, which is a great way to kick off the school year and to help focus the students. Bill Finnemore was our speaker (a missionary from Poland) and challenged the kids in their Love for God and their Love for Others. Geoff and Pearl Dresser brought a team with them from Calgary to lead us in worship and did a great job leading us music. All –in-all it was a great week. For our SEW we combine the Middle School and the High School together, but Wed night is a special service just for the Middle Schoolers and we had so much fun together. Friday night is a special service for the High School, and I was so encouraged by the numbers that showed up and the Spirit of the night. Thanks for your prayers

In our lives, I (Sam) will be leaving today, as I am going along on the Senior Trip. The senior spend a week in Rome, Italy, so I am really looking forward to that time with them. We also spend a day in Florence and one day in Venice (that’s the nice part of living were we live). I will have to endure a 14 hour bus ride both ways, but it is not quite as far as the bus rides to Mexico I did from Wisconsin, so it shouldn’t be that bad. Do pray for Jen, though, as I will be gone for a week.

Thanks for praying for us, continue to keep us in your prayers, as well as the students of BFA (and the staff). We are doing well, but value your continued prayers.

Sam - for the Fam (Jen; Jordan; Ellie; Matthew; and Katie)

The New School Year

Hey All,

Just checked this blog and realized that I haven’t updated since Christmas, which means it has been a while since most of you have heard from us … and for that we are sorry! We have a couple of things happening here at Black Forest Academy in the next few weeks that we need and value your prayers for, so this will be more of a prayer needs update rather than a blog of our life.

1) On Monday (Sept 14) we start our Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW). As chaplain at BFA, this is one of my main responsibilities, so it will be a busy week. We have a speaker here from Poland and a band here from Canada to lead worship. The students will meet everyday for a chapel service and will have a special evening, as well. Pray for open hearts and that this week will be a great way to help students refocus their lives as they start this new school year.

2) In a couple of weeks I (Sam) will be traveling with the senior class on their senior trip. While I look forward to the bonding time I will have with the seniors, I will be gone for a week. Pray for the family as I am gone, and pray that I would have some good interaction with our seniors during this time.

3) Jen continues to meet with a small group of junior girls, as well as a group of young adult women (RA’s). Both groups kicked off again this past week, so would you pray for Jen that she would have the wisdom in leading and be encouraged by her relationships that are built in those groups.

Our family is doing well. Jordan is in 8^th grade and president of the Middle School. Ellie is in 7^th grade and has a great group of friends (I remember when she was in 1^st grade, that was one of our prayers for her – that God would bring her some good friends). Matthew started first grade this year. He will actually be going to a Bi-Lingual school where he will learn both German and English. He is doing well in his German language after spending a year in a German Kindergarten. Katie is loving being the only one at home all day long, though she does miss her brothers and sister.

We continue to value your prayers, and want to commit to keeping you more updated than we have in the past. I will try and blog (and e-mail) my thoughts when SEW is over, but remember to keep that week in your prayers

Thanks for Praying … Continue to Pray!!

Sam (for the Stemple Fam)

Chaplain, Black Forest Academy – Kandern, Germany