Chapel Band Series // #2

"How does chapel band make you a better musician?" 

Chapel Band Series // #1

A few weeks ago, when we didn't have Friday chapel to prepare for, we took some special videos of our chapel band girls to help promote chapel band in the future. Over the course of the next week or so, I will post some different videos to give you a glimpse into why these students chose to be a part of chapel band. I hope you enjoy!

Lord, I Need You

Each morning this week I have pulled out my stack of blue absence sheets and started writing students' names as I received phone calls and emails from parents of sick kids. Our small middle school of 70 students has been hit hard this week by what seems like a never-ending illness. We were at a record high on Tuesday when we had 22 students out sick. Today, a friend and I were talking about how it is God's divine providence that we haven't reached this record with our teachers as well. We are all feeling pretty run down, but thankfully we are well enough to go to school each day. 

Music has always been an important part of my life, and I go through different seasons of favourite songs. I don't think it's a coincidence at all that the song I have on repeat right now is "Lord, I Need You" by Matt Maher. As we come to the end of a week of coughs, sneezes, and fevers, I can't think of a better prayer to sing than "Lord, [We] Need You."

Lord, I need You
Oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense
My righteousness
Oh, God, how I need You

Operation Christmas Child!

Our 3rd Annual OCC Packing Party was a huge success! With the help of the BFA community, we were able to pack 116 boxes!!! Here are some pictures to give you a glimpse into our packing party that was run by our awesome middle school students.

We really got into the Christmas spirit! 

Everyone who participated got an OCC sticker!

Our box checkers made sure each box had everything it needed!

"Elf" was playing for those who were done packing their boxes!

These are just some of the students who came to pack a box!

Way to go BFA!

Quarter One Is Already Done!

The title of my last blog was "First Weeks in Fast Forward," and I feel like each week is going by even faster! We are officially 1/4 of the way through the year already. We've filled the days with learning, laughter, and lots of fun! Here are some things that I have been up to for the last few weeks.

Balloons make any day better!

I had the privilege of joining other fellow Canadians for Thanksgiving! I made mashed potatoes and "grandma" buns for our group to share. What a special time!

 Students can come see me every Monday during lunch to say a fun fact and receive 

a candy! I've found that Jolly Ranchers are a huge favourite! On October 13, this jar became the "thankful jar" in honour of Canadian Thanksgiving. It was so neat to 

hear all that our students are thankful for! 

 Here are our 5 chapel band kids leading worship for the MS!

 During the week of Halloween, we had students create costumes using items inside a trash bag (tin foil, balloons, straws, toilet paper). These are some of their fun creations! 

I am in charge of helping organize worship for Chrysalis each week. Our grade 12 students do most of the work but I am around if they need anything and to help with set-up/take-down. 

This past weekend most of the BFA staff/students headed down to Basel, Switzerland,
to take part in Herbstmesse! This festival is over 540 years old! Bumper cars are the 

main attraction for our group of kids and adults!

Our 3rd annual Operation Christmas Child Packing Party 

will take place on Monday, November 10! We've been getting ready by collecting donations and making sure LOTS of shoeboxes are wrapped and ready to be sent!

Here are some other events coming up between now and Christmas Break:

November 6-8: Black Forest Academy presents "High School Musical" the musical

November 7: Parent Teacher Conferences

November 10: BFA's 3rd Annual OCC Packing Party

November 14: Middle School Class Parties 

Late November: Heather and I will host our 5th Annual Thanksgiving celebration!

Thank you to all of your who make it possible for me to consider serving at Black Forest Academy! Even though you are miles away, you are still vitally important to the work God is doing here in SW Germany. Please keep BFA in your prayers as we continue to undergo staff and student changes in the middle of the year. May we have wisdom to know how to deal with each situation that comes our way. 

First Weeks in Fast Forward!

The first two weeks of school are already behind us - crazy! We have welcomed 69 students into our middle school this year and they have truly brought this place to life! Between the addition of the 5th grade to our campus and my normal beginning of the year tasks, I have been keeping quite busy!

First day of school!

Our student council welcoming new students!

So far this year we have had new student orientation, first day of school activities (which happened to land on my 25th birthday!), parent teacher fellowship, and many fun interactions with students! I have started up my 'fun fact' jar again this year, and the kids are enjoying sharing their random facts with me (some I have no idea how true they are!) to receive a piece of Canadian candy.

Chapel band has also started up again and we have 6 students who are excited to be leading their peers in worship. Five of these students are entirely new to the middle school this year! Heather and I played with them on Friday for their first time, as some of them aren't comfortable leading on instruments just yet. I'm looking forward to sharing my passion for worship with these students this year!

Middle School Chapel!

This week is 'Spiritual Emphasis Week' (SEW) at BFA. This week will help set the spiritual tone for the school this year. Each day we start off with a combined middle school and high school chapel followed by a modified schedule for the rest of the day. On Wednesday we will not have any classes, as it will be our second annual school-wide 'Impact Day'. On this day we will split up into 37 groups and go out into the community to do different jobs. The middle school students will be in charge of baking cookies and delivering them to 3 different assisted living homes in our town. I'm excited for this opportunity that our school has to make difference in our community. Please pray for our students this week - that hearts would be open to hear God's voice. 

Three middle school students at SEW!

Chrysalis begins tomorrow! We have over 35 grade twelve students who will be leading in some capacity this year. It is so cool to see them excited to serve the middle school students! Tomorrow we will begin with having the SEW speaker and worship leader join us - in addition to an awesome new game of 4-corner dodgeball! It should be a fun time!

Training session with the seniors

Thank you so much for your prayers and support as we have started a new school year at Black Forest Academy! Your partnership in this ministry is so vital. Please pray for us as we continue on into the school year. Even when we get into the school year routine, may Christ be our daily focus.

"On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." John 14:20 [School Theme Verse for 2014-2015, "Indwelling"]

Middle School Awards Ceremony

This past Saturday was my most intense and rewarding day of the entire year. It was the 8th Grade Dinner and MS Awards Ceremony. Many hours and weeks of planning go into this one evening.

Each year the MS staff take the entire 8th grade class out to dinner to celebrate their accomplishment of "graduating" out of middle school. Beforehand I collect baby pictures and congratulatory notes from the 8th grade parents (some of whom have not seen their children in over a month) to share with the students. At the dinner, students find these notes at their places and enjoy seeing the slideshow of baby pictures. There are certainly a lot of laughs! It's one of our last moments with this class which we will soon be sending off into the new world of high school.

After we finish dinner we drive back to the high school where we join the rest of the middle schoolers and their families. These are the 90 minutes that I have thoroughly planned out for weeks now. We alternate between teacher tributes for 8th graders and special awards given to students. These awards are for achieving top grades, demonstrating perseverance, and encouraging other students. It's a great night celebrating all that we have seen in our students throughout the last 9 months.

While this night takes a lot of work printing awards, collecting notes/pictures, and decorating, I love seeing the end result each time. What a blessing it is to be a part of the middle school where we get to see such growth in our students from 6th through 8th grade. These 8th graders that are now moving on to high school were new to the middle school the same year I was. There have definitely been challenging times for this class over the past three years, but it has been so amazing to see them grow into the young men and women they are today.

I had the privilege of writing and reading a tribute for Luke. He joined our chapel band as a 6th grader and continued all three years of middle school (even when he was the only boy this year!). It has been such a joy to see him grow academically, musically (he is a fellow guitar player!), physically (he now towers over me!), and spiritually. It is evident that Luke loves Jesus and loves to live a life of worship. I look forward to seeing where God takes Luke in the future as he continues to follow Him. 

Pictured below are Heather, Ruth, and I. Ruth was the first MS Principal I worked for (last two years) and is a fellow Albertan! She and her family will be moving to Central Asia in the fall to head up a school there. They will be greatly missed!