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Loch Raven Neighborhood: Sign of the times is means of communication at Hiss - baltimoresun.com
Attending church, listening to the sermon, singing hymns and reading the creeds and response readings are activities that most of us can access easily. Not so for the deaf and hard of hearing population.
Most deaf people depend on American Sign Language to communicate, and often miss most or all of spoken English.
At Hiss United Methodist Church, 8700 Harford Road, an American Sign Language interpreted service is offered at the 9:30 contemporary service each Sunday.
The church's Hand to Hand Ministry of the Deaf actually began in 2009 when local resident Barbara Zufall no longer felt comfortable driving to Arbutus for services at Christ Church for the Deaf, and was attending Hiss to get as much as she could from the spoken service.
She made her needs known and the church decided to add an ASL interpreter for the 9:30 service, since it already had components which were more visual — a screen, multi-media aspects and more drama-related presentations.
To make other deaf persons more welcome, Zufall volunteered to teach basic American Sign Language to worship greeters and the choir for that service. She also offers a sign language class on Monday evenings for the public.
The number of deaf people attending the service has increased. Interpreters are Diane R. Appel and Janelle M. O'Meara, and reserved seating for those who may need it is located in the front of the church on the right side of the sanctuary.
Dianne Thompson, director of Evangelism and Communications at Hiss said, "the more deaf and hard of hearing we have in attendance, the more services we would be able to offer.
"Though we do not have a large group taking advantage of this special ministry, we get positive feedback from members and visitors about how moving watching the signing can be.
"Barbara often will sign a special hymn along with the choir which adds greatly to the spirit of worship."
For more information on this program, go to Hiss United Methodist Church. or email Dianne@hisschurch.org.
Attending church, listening to the sermon, singing hymns and reading the creeds and response readings are activities that most of us can access easily. Not so for the deaf and hard of hearing population.
Most deaf people depend on American Sign Language to communicate, and often miss most or all of spoken English.
At Hiss United Methodist Church, 8700 Harford Road, an American Sign Language interpreted service is offered at the 9:30 contemporary service each Sunday.
The church's Hand to Hand Ministry of the Deaf actually began in 2009 when local resident Barbara Zufall no longer felt comfortable driving to Arbutus for services at Christ Church for the Deaf, and was attending Hiss to get as much as she could from the spoken service.
She made her needs known and the church decided to add an ASL interpreter for the 9:30 service, since it already had components which were more visual — a screen, multi-media aspects and more drama-related presentations.
To make other deaf persons more welcome, Zufall volunteered to teach basic American Sign Language to worship greeters and the choir for that service. She also offers a sign language class on Monday evenings for the public.
The number of deaf people attending the service has increased. Interpreters are Diane R. Appel and Janelle M. O'Meara, and reserved seating for those who may need it is located in the front of the church on the right side of the sanctuary.
Dianne Thompson, director of Evangelism and Communications at Hiss said, "the more deaf and hard of hearing we have in attendance, the more services we would be able to offer.
"Though we do not have a large group taking advantage of this special ministry, we get positive feedback from members and visitors about how moving watching the signing can be.
"Barbara often will sign a special hymn along with the choir which adds greatly to the spirit of worship."
For more information on this program, go to Hiss United Methodist Church. or email Dianne@hisschurch.org.