FW: Churches reach out to deaf community

[Stuart Thiessen]

Here is the copy that someone forwarded to me.

Stuart

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shelley Dufoe
> Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2003 15:58
> To: Stuart Thiessen
> Subject: Fw: Churches reach out to deaf community
>
>
> Hi Stuart,
> This article mentioned SignWriting ("Copies of Detloff's sermon are
> distributed in sign writing -- a written form of sign language") so I
> thought of you.
> Blessings!
> Shelley
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From the newsroom of The Associated Press, Tuesday, August
> 26, 2003 .....
>
> Churches reach out to deaf community
>
> The Associated Press
>
> ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (AP) -- The Rev. Ron Detloff does not need a
> microphone to preach his sermon, because most of his
> congregation would not
> hear it.
>
> "God is trying to get us to love the enemy," Detloff said as
> he spoke and
> performed sign language during a recent Bible study at the Shores Deaf
> Church. "This is not just for people in the hearing world,
> but for all the
> world."
>
> Detloff's efforts are part of a growing outreach at about two
> dozen Detroit
> area churches that are wooing people with physical
> challenges, The Detroit
> News reported in a Tuesday story.
>
> Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield
> has interpreters
> and a choir for hearing-impaired members. Faith Assembly Deaf
> Church in
> Pontiac ministers to the deaf, and Our Lady of Loretto in
> Warren offers a
> signed Mass for the deaf on Sundays.
>
> "Their spiritual needs are the same as anyone else's," said
> the Rev. Michael
> Petersmarck of Faith Assembly of the Deaf. "The Lord said we
> are to go into
> all the world, and this is part of that commission."
>
> There are about 60 million disabled people in the United
> States, but there
> are few church resources for them. Local church officials
> estimate there are
> about 20 churches in the Detroit area that offer interpreters and deaf
> ministries.
>
> But churches that target the disabled have increased. The
> Christian Council
> on Persons with Disabilities plans to start a Grand Rapids chapter in
> September. The group provides training, resources and
> curriculum to churches
> with disabled members.
>
> At a recent Bible study session at the Shores Deaf Church,
> members mouthed
> and signed lyrics to "This is the Day." There are about 50
> members of the
> church, all affiliated with the St. Clair Shores Assembly of God.
>
> Except for a projection screen, porcelain blackboard and
> occasional Bible
> skit and role playing, services at The Shores Deaf Church are
> similar to
> those at a traditional church. Some members have some
> hearing, so songs are
> played on a stereo and lyrics are displayed on an overhead
> projector. Copies
> of Detloff's sermon are distributed in sign writing -- a
> written form of
> sign language.
>
> Annette Usher, 42, of Detroit has some hearing, but would
> rather worship at
> The Shores Deaf Church.
>
> "Hearing and deaf culture is different ... and here I can
> enjoy myself and I
> don't have to (have) an interpreter," she said through an
> interpreter. "It's
> one-on-one."
>
> Copyright 2003 The Associated Press
>