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Waynesboro Record Herald - Local News\
Members of Pond Bank Mennonite Church want to spread the word about their new deaf ministry.
For now, an interpreter is only available on the Sundays when a deaf student from Penn State Mont Alto attends services.
“But we'll have it every Sunday if we have a need,” according to Marlin Ebersole, pastor of the Dufffield Road church.
*
“They're so willing to do this. It makes me feel really good that they get the help I need,” student Angelika Wilson relayed through interpreter Valerie Peacock of Deafnet, Hagerstown.
How it started
Wilson, 28, moved to the area from Norristown about two years ago. She worked at a number of jobs before deciding to study nursing at Mont Alto.
“I believe God led me to pick this school. I feel like I belong here,” noted Wilson, who has been deaf since she fell at age 2 or 3. She said she can feel tones when she wears her hearing aids.
Over the last year, a number of students from the Mont Alto campus have been attending services at Pond Bank, Ebersole said.
When the congregation heard about Wilson's need, member Lisa Wallas offered to help. Wallas has worked with the deaf on and off for 10 years and teaches a beginning sign language class through the Mason Dixon Homeschoolers Association.
Peacock is one of the interpreters provided by Deafnet and paid for by the church.
Other activities
Wilson, a freshman, is active in the Coalition for Christian Outreach, an on-campus program led by collegiate minister Ange Pontorero.
“They offer Christian counseling, Bible studies, sponsor Christian activities on campus and visit local churches with students,” according to Ebersole.
“She sought me out. Going to church is very important to her. That's how we connected,” Pontorero said.
Wilson participates in a Bible study on campus Thursday nights and recently attended the CCO's annual conference in Pittsburgh.
CCO provided an interpreter for the main sessions of the conference, Pontorero said.
“It's been really neat to watch her interact with my students. They're all learning to finger spell. They're making a concerted effort to communicate with her and make her feel welcome,” according to Pontorero.
So is Pontorero, who is enrolled in an American sign language class taught by Wallas.
“I've come a long way. I couldn't finger spell my name (at first),” Pontorero said. “It's been really neat the way she's been patient with me ... and with anyone trying to communicate with her.”
Pontorero said that when the two first met, they communicated the old-fashioned way, with a lot of writing on a note pad.
“Now if I don't know the sign, I finger spell.”
The two have become friends and “hang out all the time. I've also learned about the deaf culture,” added Pontorero, who takes Wilson to the church located just minutes from campus.
Wilson has an interpreter for her classes, but she couldn't get one for church because the activity is not campus-sanctioned, according to Pontorero.
“It just so happened Pond Bank was willing to start the ministry,” Pontorero said.
Attending services at the church has been very good for Wilson, she added.
“She appreciates the community at Pond Bank. They try their best to communicate and care for her. They have made her feel welcome and a part of the community. She loves going there to worship.”
“This means a lot to me. The church makes me want to come here. I'm thankful for the privilege to be able to worship the Lord and understand what's going on,” she said.
It's because of Wilson that the church wants to expand this ministry.
“(We're thinking) if the signer is here for Angelika, why not open it up to other people who need this service,” Ebersole said.
The service is at 10 a.m. Sundays in the church at 6555 Duffield Road.
For more information, call Ebersole at 352-9663 (church) or 352-2135 (home).
Members of Pond Bank Mennonite Church want to spread the word about their new deaf ministry.
For now, an interpreter is only available on the Sundays when a deaf student from Penn State Mont Alto attends services.
“But we'll have it every Sunday if we have a need,” according to Marlin Ebersole, pastor of the Dufffield Road church.
*
“They're so willing to do this. It makes me feel really good that they get the help I need,” student Angelika Wilson relayed through interpreter Valerie Peacock of Deafnet, Hagerstown.
How it started
Wilson, 28, moved to the area from Norristown about two years ago. She worked at a number of jobs before deciding to study nursing at Mont Alto.
“I believe God led me to pick this school. I feel like I belong here,” noted Wilson, who has been deaf since she fell at age 2 or 3. She said she can feel tones when she wears her hearing aids.
Over the last year, a number of students from the Mont Alto campus have been attending services at Pond Bank, Ebersole said.
When the congregation heard about Wilson's need, member Lisa Wallas offered to help. Wallas has worked with the deaf on and off for 10 years and teaches a beginning sign language class through the Mason Dixon Homeschoolers Association.
Peacock is one of the interpreters provided by Deafnet and paid for by the church.
Other activities
Wilson, a freshman, is active in the Coalition for Christian Outreach, an on-campus program led by collegiate minister Ange Pontorero.
“They offer Christian counseling, Bible studies, sponsor Christian activities on campus and visit local churches with students,” according to Ebersole.
“She sought me out. Going to church is very important to her. That's how we connected,” Pontorero said.
Wilson participates in a Bible study on campus Thursday nights and recently attended the CCO's annual conference in Pittsburgh.
CCO provided an interpreter for the main sessions of the conference, Pontorero said.
“It's been really neat to watch her interact with my students. They're all learning to finger spell. They're making a concerted effort to communicate with her and make her feel welcome,” according to Pontorero.
So is Pontorero, who is enrolled in an American sign language class taught by Wallas.
“I've come a long way. I couldn't finger spell my name (at first),” Pontorero said. “It's been really neat the way she's been patient with me ... and with anyone trying to communicate with her.”
Pontorero said that when the two first met, they communicated the old-fashioned way, with a lot of writing on a note pad.
“Now if I don't know the sign, I finger spell.”
The two have become friends and “hang out all the time. I've also learned about the deaf culture,” added Pontorero, who takes Wilson to the church located just minutes from campus.
Wilson has an interpreter for her classes, but she couldn't get one for church because the activity is not campus-sanctioned, according to Pontorero.
“It just so happened Pond Bank was willing to start the ministry,” Pontorero said.
Attending services at the church has been very good for Wilson, she added.
“She appreciates the community at Pond Bank. They try their best to communicate and care for her. They have made her feel welcome and a part of the community. She loves going there to worship.”
“This means a lot to me. The church makes me want to come here. I'm thankful for the privilege to be able to worship the Lord and understand what's going on,” she said.
It's because of Wilson that the church wants to expand this ministry.
“(We're thinking) if the signer is here for Angelika, why not open it up to other people who need this service,” Ebersole said.
The service is at 10 a.m. Sundays in the church at 6555 Duffield Road.
For more information, call Ebersole at 352-9663 (church) or 352-2135 (home).