<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><IMG src="cid:1500808A-F070-42F7-8B47-26402F664441@local"><TABLE width="1030.0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width: 1030.0px"><TBODY><TR><TD valign="middle" style="width: 150.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><BR></DIV></TD><TD valign="middle" style="width: 880.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px"><DIV style="text-align: right;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3px;"><B>Home</B></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3px;"><B> | </B></SPAN></FONT><A href="javascript:window.history.go(-1);"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.3px;"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000F0"><B>Back</B></FONT></SPAN></FONT></A></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD colspan="2" valign="middle" style="width: 1030.0px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 7.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; background-color: #ff0000; min-height: 16.0px"><BR></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 17.0px 0.0px"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><B>A joyful noise from Shores Deaf Church</B></SPAN></FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px"><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="5"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16.4px;"><B>Pastor works on the cutting edge</B></SPAN></FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px"><B>BY ANDREA K. FARMER<BR></B><FONT class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER</SPAN></FONT></P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px"><I>January 24, 2006</I></P><BR><IMG src="cid:D538ABF4-7FA0-4971-9F65-CD3F06D58C95@local"><TABLE width="164.0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width: 164.0px; padding: 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px"><TBODY><TR><TD valign="middle" style="width: 148.0px; margin: 1.5px 1.5px 1.5px 1.5px; padding: 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px 5.0px"><P style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; min-height: 14px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px;"><BR></SPAN></P><P style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">The Rev. Ronald Dettloff uses sign language in a hymn Sunday at the Shores Deaf Church in St. Clair Shores. Detloff, 56, is not hearing impaired, but studied sign language in college and helped found the church in 1987. (JERRY S. MENDOZA/Special to the Free Press)</SPAN></FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">The Rev. Ronald Dettloff helped found the Shores Deaf Church in 1987 to spread the word of God in a language that hearing-impaired people could understand.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">What he didn't foresee was how that language would change in the next 20 years.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">What sets the St. Clair Shores church apart from the 10 or so other deaf churches in metro Detroit is the extent to which it uses SignWriting, a series of printed symbols that represent signed languages, in this case American Sign Language.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">Through use of a computer software program, Dettloff is working to translate the entire Bible into SignWriting. The church began using it about six years ago.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">"We're very successful with teaching people through SignWriting," Dettloff said. "We're the only church in the world that translates the Bible to SignWriting."</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">During services, Dettloff speaks and signs simultaneously. He uses the SignWriting on a projector in lectures at the church throughout the week.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">"Seeing people understand and get to know God," said Dettloff, 56, who lives in St. Clair Shores. "That is the most rewarding thing."</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">Dettloff, who began studying sign language in college, said he felt a calling to start a church for deaf people. But it wasn't until after he was a pastor at the Shores church that he researched his family tree -- he was adopted -- and discovered one of his grandfathers was deaf.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">Christian churchgoers come from as far as Romeo to attend services at the Shores church, an Assembly of God affiliate at 10 Mile and Harper. The church, which has about 50 parishioners, uses a bus to pick up those who don't have rides to the Sunday service.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">Annette Usher, 44, has been attending the Shores church for more than three years. Although Usher also worships at other parishes with her family, she has grown fond of the Shores services.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">"I like to sit and pray in sign language so I can worship God myself," said Usher, who lives in Detroit. "At the hearing church, I can't understand the service because there is no interpreter."</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">Through the church, parishioners can participate in games, movie nights and an annual trip to FaHoLo deaf family camp in Grass Lake.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">After the Sunday service, the church hosts a meal and social for all attendees.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">For some, like St. Clair Shores resident Bob Doyle, 63, church-related activities are the main instances of social interaction during the week. Doyle is deaf and partially blind.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">"We have a great time," he said. "It's a wonderful way to get out and meet new people."</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">Clinton Township resident Nicole McReynolds, 18, has met many new friends through the church, including her boyfriend, Clinton Township resident Ken Benando, 32.</P><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px">"In the fellowship, there are many different people to meet and we've all come to worship God," McReynolds said.</P><P align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; "><B>Copyright © 2005 Detroit Free Press Inc.</B></P><DIV style="text-align: auto;"><BR></DIV><IMG src="cid:61AFCE15-FD13-4727-9448-79D8D48B00AF@local"><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BODY></HTML>