Miss-Delectable
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- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
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http://www.4hearingloss.com/archives/2005/10/deaf_choir_fill.html
Their silence was thunderous. When 10 deaf members of Canaan Baptist Church performed as a choir for the first time at the Sunday service, the church rocked with applause and hands thrust heavenward in appreciation for the moving presentation.
"It was just awesome. The ministry is just awesome," said Teri Chambry, 52, of Flint, after the men and women signed two hymns before about 200 church members who swayed with the deaf choir to the music boomed from a compact disc throughout the church, raised their arms in praise and gave the group repeated standing ovations.
"It's been a blessing of God because they are not only communicating with God but with the people," added Chambry, a church usher. "As my husband says, communication is a good tool."
The deaf members, who were joined by seven interpreters, dressed in black and white gloves and signed to the music provided by their director, Melecia Scott, 36, a volunteer minister at Canaan Baptist. They followed Scott's hand movements as they stood in the aisles and emulated her body motions.
"It's definitely a plus for our pastor, our church family and our community," said Vance Bradford, 53, of Davison Township.
"I think it's amazing," observed Bradford, a church member since July 2004. "They don't have the ability to hear, but they can stay with the Father.
"Sometimes I think they are more in touch with God than we are who can see and hear. It's an example for all of us."
Scott said the deaf ministry began after she met Kizzy Pitts while evangelizing April 1, 2003, at the downtown Flint bus station.
When Pitts answered her request to visit Canaan Baptist Church in sign language, Scott said she was fortunate to find someone who knew enough sign language to interpret.
Pitts eventually came to live with Scott, her husband, the Rev. Blake Scott, an associate minister at Canaan, and their three children.
Pitts, who started the deaf ministry at Canaan, was diagnosed with a rare cancer and died Sept. 16, 2004 at age 27.
Emotions got the better of Scott when she introduced the deaf choir, called "Hands of Praise."
"I thank God for Kizzy, because it all started with her," Scott said tearfully.
Scott took over the deaf ministry, which continues to grow, after Pitts' death.
"Some of the people come to the class to learn to work with the deaf, some want to be part of the church's expanding ministry to the deaf and others are just interested in signing and being part of the deaf ministry," Scott said.
"One of the people in the ministry mentioned that it would be nice to form a choir," Scott said. "I said, `Wow, it sure would.'"
The group practiced about three months before its inaugural performance. During the rest of the service, they sat as a group and listened to the messages through interpreters.
One choir member, Sean Groulx, 33, of Swartz Creek, who has been totally deaf since age 2, said through an interpreter that he liked the "Hallelujah Praise" song the best. It was written by Scott along with "The Lord is Blessing Me Right Now," also singed by the choir.
"Yes, I enjoy being with the choir," said Groulx, who said he came to Canaan a year ago because "my friend Kizzy brought me here."
Groulx, a former Mott Community College student, said he is a laborer at Accu-Shape Die Cutting Inc. of Flint and plans to be baptized at Canaan on Nov. 6.
His interpreter, Toni Williams, 34, of Flint, is hard of hearing and also sings in the choir.
"I like the beat, the music and the word of God," she said. "Our interpreters are not certified by the state but they are certified by God."
Williams, who graduated from the National Institute for the Deaf at Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology in 1998, is a computer operator at the Internal Revenue Service in Detroit.
Scott expects the deaf choir will participate in future services at the church. That would be fine with Woodie Johnson, 65, of Flint Township.
"I liked them," said Johnson, a church member since 1962, after the performance. "I liked their rhythm, their music and the way they did it with their hands."
"I just feel Kizzy left a legacy with me," said Scott. "She is speaking louder now than when she was here."
Their silence was thunderous. When 10 deaf members of Canaan Baptist Church performed as a choir for the first time at the Sunday service, the church rocked with applause and hands thrust heavenward in appreciation for the moving presentation.
"It was just awesome. The ministry is just awesome," said Teri Chambry, 52, of Flint, after the men and women signed two hymns before about 200 church members who swayed with the deaf choir to the music boomed from a compact disc throughout the church, raised their arms in praise and gave the group repeated standing ovations.
"It's been a blessing of God because they are not only communicating with God but with the people," added Chambry, a church usher. "As my husband says, communication is a good tool."
The deaf members, who were joined by seven interpreters, dressed in black and white gloves and signed to the music provided by their director, Melecia Scott, 36, a volunteer minister at Canaan Baptist. They followed Scott's hand movements as they stood in the aisles and emulated her body motions.
"It's definitely a plus for our pastor, our church family and our community," said Vance Bradford, 53, of Davison Township.
"I think it's amazing," observed Bradford, a church member since July 2004. "They don't have the ability to hear, but they can stay with the Father.
"Sometimes I think they are more in touch with God than we are who can see and hear. It's an example for all of us."
Scott said the deaf ministry began after she met Kizzy Pitts while evangelizing April 1, 2003, at the downtown Flint bus station.
When Pitts answered her request to visit Canaan Baptist Church in sign language, Scott said she was fortunate to find someone who knew enough sign language to interpret.
Pitts eventually came to live with Scott, her husband, the Rev. Blake Scott, an associate minister at Canaan, and their three children.
Pitts, who started the deaf ministry at Canaan, was diagnosed with a rare cancer and died Sept. 16, 2004 at age 27.
Emotions got the better of Scott when she introduced the deaf choir, called "Hands of Praise."
"I thank God for Kizzy, because it all started with her," Scott said tearfully.
Scott took over the deaf ministry, which continues to grow, after Pitts' death.
"Some of the people come to the class to learn to work with the deaf, some want to be part of the church's expanding ministry to the deaf and others are just interested in signing and being part of the deaf ministry," Scott said.
"One of the people in the ministry mentioned that it would be nice to form a choir," Scott said. "I said, `Wow, it sure would.'"
The group practiced about three months before its inaugural performance. During the rest of the service, they sat as a group and listened to the messages through interpreters.
One choir member, Sean Groulx, 33, of Swartz Creek, who has been totally deaf since age 2, said through an interpreter that he liked the "Hallelujah Praise" song the best. It was written by Scott along with "The Lord is Blessing Me Right Now," also singed by the choir.
"Yes, I enjoy being with the choir," said Groulx, who said he came to Canaan a year ago because "my friend Kizzy brought me here."
Groulx, a former Mott Community College student, said he is a laborer at Accu-Shape Die Cutting Inc. of Flint and plans to be baptized at Canaan on Nov. 6.
His interpreter, Toni Williams, 34, of Flint, is hard of hearing and also sings in the choir.
"I like the beat, the music and the word of God," she said. "Our interpreters are not certified by the state but they are certified by God."
Williams, who graduated from the National Institute for the Deaf at Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology in 1998, is a computer operator at the Internal Revenue Service in Detroit.
Scott expects the deaf choir will participate in future services at the church. That would be fine with Woodie Johnson, 65, of Flint Township.
"I liked them," said Johnson, a church member since 1962, after the performance. "I liked their rhythm, their music and the way they did it with their hands."
"I just feel Kizzy left a legacy with me," said Scott. "She is speaking louder now than when she was here."