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Ministry for the deaf offered by Faith United Methodist Church | NewarkAdvocate.com | The Newark Advocate
Pastor Jeff Perry knew he wanted to start a ministry for the deaf community. With the help of his wife, Tina, he is launching one in Newark.
Jeff was assigned to Faith United Methodist Church, 261 E. Main St., six years ago.
What he found was a church in the process of dying. He has invigorate dthe church with local missions and community service.
The congregation started coordinating activities with the Salvation Army located across the street, repaired the roof, hired a youth minister and adopted the attitude the church is here to stay.
"We changed what we were doing," Perry said. "Our church is now exploding with developmentally disabled. I love it. This church is so welcoming and open."
The church members are opening their hearts and doors to the deaf community by starting interpretation services at the 6:45 p.m. Wednesday service and the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service.
Tina Perry is a professor of interpreting American Sign Language at Columbus State College, which is one of the top two-year programs in the United States.
For the past 15 years, Tina Perry has trained qualified interpreters in ASL.
Tina's parents were deaf, so she began interpreting for them when she was little, making ASL her first language. In the deaf community, Tina is a "CODA" -- Child of Deaf Adults.
"I think this community has a lot of deaf people," Tina said. "And they get tired of not having skilled interpreters."
Tina was the "bubble lady" of the Channel 6 Catholic mass on Sunday mornings many years ago.
She interpreted the services with sign language in a small bubble that appeared at the bottom right corner of the TV screen.
For the hearing impaired, she was the first and only access to Christian ministry, Jeff added. That changed to closed-capturing, but for the majority of deaf people, reading English is difficult. Sign language, not the written word, is their first language.
"We wanted to make sure we had qualified and trained interpreters (before we started this ministry)," Tina said. "It is important to a person's spirituality. This information (we are interpreting) is as important as going to the doctor. We are talking about their salvation."
So now Tina, along with one of her students, will sign both services, including the songs sung during the service.
Jeff will send information to Tina ahead of time so they are better prepared to interpret. ASL is a visual language that includes not just the fingers and hands, but face expressions as well.
Tina explained interpreters have to look for the meanings of the words, because there is a different sign for different meanings.
Take the word "run," for example. There is a different sign for "run to the store," "run in her stocking" or "run the numbers."
"ASL is very challenging. There is a lot more to it than people know," Tina said. "We are always looking for meaning."
She said the deaf don't see themselves as disabled. They accept their deafness. They are cautious of the hearing and the motives they have for helping the deaf. They are a proud community who want to carry on their culture, Tina said.
"We hope to draw in the deaf community, especially when they know that Faith United Methodist has qualified interpreters," Tina said. "I bring my students to the church so I can train them. But I am there to guide them. The deaf need to know they will have a certified and qualified interpreters to provide the message to them."
"A lot of people that come to Faith (United Methodist) say they feel like they are welcomed here," Jeff said. "That is what we want for the deaf community. We want them to know that we respect their culture and the language, and we want them to feel welcomed at Faith."
Pastor Jeff Perry knew he wanted to start a ministry for the deaf community. With the help of his wife, Tina, he is launching one in Newark.
Jeff was assigned to Faith United Methodist Church, 261 E. Main St., six years ago.
What he found was a church in the process of dying. He has invigorate dthe church with local missions and community service.
The congregation started coordinating activities with the Salvation Army located across the street, repaired the roof, hired a youth minister and adopted the attitude the church is here to stay.
"We changed what we were doing," Perry said. "Our church is now exploding with developmentally disabled. I love it. This church is so welcoming and open."
The church members are opening their hearts and doors to the deaf community by starting interpretation services at the 6:45 p.m. Wednesday service and the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service.
Tina Perry is a professor of interpreting American Sign Language at Columbus State College, which is one of the top two-year programs in the United States.
For the past 15 years, Tina Perry has trained qualified interpreters in ASL.
Tina's parents were deaf, so she began interpreting for them when she was little, making ASL her first language. In the deaf community, Tina is a "CODA" -- Child of Deaf Adults.
"I think this community has a lot of deaf people," Tina said. "And they get tired of not having skilled interpreters."
Tina was the "bubble lady" of the Channel 6 Catholic mass on Sunday mornings many years ago.
She interpreted the services with sign language in a small bubble that appeared at the bottom right corner of the TV screen.
For the hearing impaired, she was the first and only access to Christian ministry, Jeff added. That changed to closed-capturing, but for the majority of deaf people, reading English is difficult. Sign language, not the written word, is their first language.
"We wanted to make sure we had qualified and trained interpreters (before we started this ministry)," Tina said. "It is important to a person's spirituality. This information (we are interpreting) is as important as going to the doctor. We are talking about their salvation."
So now Tina, along with one of her students, will sign both services, including the songs sung during the service.
Jeff will send information to Tina ahead of time so they are better prepared to interpret. ASL is a visual language that includes not just the fingers and hands, but face expressions as well.
Tina explained interpreters have to look for the meanings of the words, because there is a different sign for different meanings.
Take the word "run," for example. There is a different sign for "run to the store," "run in her stocking" or "run the numbers."
"ASL is very challenging. There is a lot more to it than people know," Tina said. "We are always looking for meaning."
She said the deaf don't see themselves as disabled. They accept their deafness. They are cautious of the hearing and the motives they have for helping the deaf. They are a proud community who want to carry on their culture, Tina said.
"We hope to draw in the deaf community, especially when they know that Faith United Methodist has qualified interpreters," Tina said. "I bring my students to the church so I can train them. But I am there to guide them. The deaf need to know they will have a certified and qualified interpreters to provide the message to them."
"A lot of people that come to Faith (United Methodist) say they feel like they are welcomed here," Jeff said. "That is what we want for the deaf community. We want them to know that we respect their culture and the language, and we want them to feel welcomed at Faith."