Sophomores in Strasbourg

Climbing to the top of Strasbourg's Notre Dame cathedral. What a neat view from the bell tower.

56 sophomores and their class sponsors spent the day walking around the canals of Strasbourg.

Junior Senior Banquet

As always, this year's JSB was a great time for our BFA seniors. The juniors hold fudraisers every year to pay for a banquet where they honor the seniors.

Jeff & Sarah's Visit

Here's the anxious couple up at the Hoch Blauen. If you've ever visited, you know the place.

Here they are after a long day of sightseeing. Poxy the pug is pooped as well.
Isn't this a sweet one staring at the Swiss Alps in Adelboden. They think they're on their honeymoon already.
Mom's getting into the picture now giving advice about something. Probably about how far you can throw Jeff if he gets out of line.
They playful couple with life spinning around them. They'll land sooner or later. We had a great time together, getting to know Sarah and making sure she knows Jeff from our perspective. Pray for them as they prepare for the big day on August 4th.

This Week - Winter Returned !!!!

We actually had a snow day this week. I was actually called while in the shower ...... Mr. Bateman, please can we have a snow day? I suppose one per year won't hurt.

Last Week - Springtime

Absolutely Gorgeous !!!! We thought winter was gone.

Pictures compliments of my buddy Tim. He has more on his blogspot. www.timandsandee.blogspot.com

Bill & Deb's 30th Hochzeitstag

We spent the evening with good friends at Papa Joes Restaurant in Basel. Yes, I took my wife to Switzerland for our 30th anniversary. Everyone else would think to be very special. For Deb, knowing that Switzerland is only a 15 minute drive for us, the specialness was not the where, but the BBQ ribs we ordered. Not too common on the menu over here, but boy were they delicious.

Hey, didn't the first woman, Eve, come from a rib?

We would've done it up a bit fancier except that there's a wedding in the near future.

Jeff and Sarah - Engaged !!!

Don't they look sweet? In Love? Goo-goo eyed? All warm n' fuzzy?

Save the Date - August 4, 2007

We are thrilled for both of them. One problem, we have not yet met Sarah. That's one of the sacrifices of living over here in ministry. Life goes on sometimes without you. They will both be here in a few weeks on their spring break. We look forward very much to meeting Sarah, the gal who stole my son's heart. Or, maybe the only one brave enough to take him on.

High School Retreat - Nürnburg

Grades 9 - 12, all of us in one Castle !!!!! What a weekend, what a blast !!!!

Phil Carnuccio opened the Word and challenged the students and staff on several fronts; Softening their Hearts, Loving Christ, Forgiving Parents, Developing Pure Relationships.

The "Bridge Band" from Calvary Fellowsip Church in Downingtown, our home church, led us all in worship. What a great time.

Thanks so much, all of you who came, wives Lyndsay and Jill included, for making our retreat such a special time. It was more than just special for Deb and me as we got to spend some quality time with "old" friends who never grow old. (Phil paid me to say that.) We love you guys and miss you already.

Fasching Time

Below are some pictures of Fasching here in Germany. It is similar to Carnival or Mardi Gras elsewhere and represents a very dark spiritual time for many. Just prior to the season of Lent, where we sacrifice something of ourselves, this is the time to let it all hang out, coupled with the thoughts of chasing away the dark spirits of winter.

The Party, then the Parade

This is quite scary !!!!!

Skiing Anyone????

Stoos, originally uploaded by BFA Bill.

We are void of snow so far this winter except for a few flurries this weekend. This shot is from our HS retreat a few years ago. This year our retreat will be in Nurnberg, Germany. Phil Carnuccio from Providence in West Chester will be the speaker along with the Bridge Band leading worship.

New Occupation

No, we are still working at BFA, but it's fun to see our name used in England and elsewhere.

Maybe this is a long lost relative. What is Honest Ale anyway?

New Year's Eve Fun

Enjoy the following shots from the New Year's Eve gathering at our house. All shots were taken by Tim Shuman at considerable risk. Credit where credit is due.

Glenn, Phil, Jason, Luke & Tyler in chorus together.
Overlooking the our little town of Kandern. All is aglow with fireworks. Our neighbor called the fire company because of a tree fire down the street. Believe me, it was not our fault.
Our house with some interesting lighting effects and fireworks in the background.
Option 1: Jason's New Year's resolution will be to give up smoking.

Option 2: Jason shooting off his mouth again.

Option 3: Jason under the full effects of the Gluhwein.

Any way you look at it, we had a great time. Wish some of you were here.

Family Time at Christmas

Well, here we are, all together once again. Despite some traveling difficulties we are able to spend six days together as a family. We got to our Christmas Eve service at BFCF and then home for dinner. On Christmas day we could open only some gifts because most were in lost luggage in Zurich. The eventually arrived and we has the second opening on Boxing day.

Don & Cyd Storrs and Zeke Adewale joined us for Christmas day dinner. Zeke is a good friend of Heather, Jeff & Jason and the Storrs work with us at BFA.

Christmas Trivia

These strange balls of green in the trees, what is it? You don't see it in the summer with all the leaves on the trees, but it is very visible in the winter when the leaves are gone.
Technically it is a parasite that eventually kills the trees. One more factoid: it is illegal to pick this stuff off the trees for any purpose because of its parasitic nature and ease of spreading. This stuff can't be good for anything or anybody, can it? Leave a comment if you know what it is.

2006 Christmas Banquet

This year Deb and I took a break from attending the banquet, to serving at it. What a blast working behind the scenes. I'm amazed at all the time and effort put into pulling off such a special night for our students.

Every year the Student Council grants some Christmas wishes and this year was my turn. My wish was to have my picture taken with my 10th grade Bible class students all dressed up in their finery for the banquet. Here they are:

Kandern in the Fall

The school building is now finished from the outside. The big brown roofed building in the foreground is our gym, the aluminum roof to its left is the latest project completed and the windowed building on the right is where Bill's office is. I wish we had an aerial view, but this'll have to do for now.

Senior Class Trip to Rome

Debby and I are senior class sponsors this year which entitled us to go along on the senior class trip. What a privilege to not only travel with, but to get to know these kids on a deeper level outside of the classroom. A quality group they are. On our way to Rome we stopped in Florence and on the way home it was Venice. I think my class trip as a high schooler was downtown Philly to see the Liberty Bell. Enjoy the pictures.

This is the Victory Memorial in center city Rome.

This is Trevi Fountain in Rome.

This is Debby misbehaving in Rome.

Sunset on the coast in Santa Severa where the whole group stayed.

We have had some very interesting senior trips over the years, each with their own unique theme. For instance we've had the year of the stomach flu, the year of the tunnel fire, the year of the bus door accident. This year was the year of the sun. Six cloudless days of temperatures in the 80s. What a blessing.

Heather Comes Home

Yes, that is a real castle behind Heather. Neu Schwanstein was built by mad Ludwig and it is in the Bavaria region of Germany. The castle in Disney World is patterned after this castle and it is just one of four that Ludwig had built before his suspicious death at age 41.

Heather's visit was a great time for all three of us. She's in the midst of moving from UVA to NC State to begin her graduate studies and was able to squeeze us in for 16 days. That's our baby, all grown up.

More Guests

Scott and Shelly Leary came to visit for 10 days. Despite missing their dog, Winston, I think they had a pretty good time. They flew into Nice and joined us in Monaco for a few days as Bill wrapped up substitute preaching at Monaco Christian Fellowship for two weeks. Then we all drove up to Kandern to visit the school and answer the many questions they have regarding the possbility of their joining us on staff someday. Scott is the son of my twin sister, LouAnn. Pray for them as they yield to the leading of the Lord.

Heather arrives tomorrow, August 7, for her first return visit "home" in several years. Can't wait !!!!!

Summer Visitors to the Bateman Hotel

The whole Mellon clan for Tini's graduation

June 7 - 11

Mark & Heidi Berg June 23 - 26

Heidi (Freisen) graduated from BFA 2001

Gordon & Cathy McNiel June 22 - July 2

Cathy is Bill's cousin from Denver

More are coming in August - How about you ???

Our summer projects continue on the Janz building. The roof trusses are in place and the new floor has been laid. The outside will be finished by the start of school, Lord willing. Check out that project and its progress on our school website listed on the right.

Bill is preaching three times this summer, twice in the International Christian Fellowship of Monaco and once at our home church of Black Forest Christian Fellowship. Deb is in a van with three other BFA ladies somewhere in Poland at the time of this posting. I'm sure she's having too much fun!! Our nephew Scott Leary and Shelly, his wife, will fly into Monaco and ride back with us to visit the work at BFA. Our daughter, Heather, will also be here for a few weeks in August. Can't wait !!!!!!