churches for the deaf

[Magnus]

Hi, I have a severe hearing loss which prevents me from hearing much in my current church. I can't fellowship, or socialize with anybody, because I can't make out what they're saying. I also can't hear the pastor, even if I'm sitting in the front row.

How large of a sign language vocabulary is typically needed to join a deaf church? I'm just starting to learn sign language, so I can't rely on it much as a way of communicating.

 

[sallylou]

I know that the deaf church in my city offers ASL classes. They will help you learn so that you can attend their services. Check with your local deaf church and they'll help you. I plan on taking ASL when my kids go back to school.

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Hi, I have a severe hearing loss which prevents me from hearing much in my current church. I can't fellowship, or socialize with anybody, because I can't make out what they're saying. I also can't hear the pastor, even if I'm sitting in the front row.

How large of a sign language vocabulary is typically needed to join a deaf church? I'm just starting to learn sign language, so I can't rely on it much as a way of communicating. I'm hoping to eventually build a descent sized sign language vocabulary, so I might be able to readily communicate with others, again. But, honestly, I have no idea how much sign language I should know, before I commit myself to joining a deaf church.

I feel REALLY out of place at my current church, because I'm not able to socialize/fellowship with others, or hear any of the sermons, at all. I don't want this pattern to follow me, if I joined a deaf church. I want to be able to comminicate with deaf congregation members, and I want to be able to understand the pastor's sermons! How large of a sign language vocabluary is needed to do all that?

My last concern is: Are there many others in deaf churches with limited sign language vocabularies? How do they understand the pastor's sermons? Does these churches put the sermons up on some kind of projection screen, or something?

I suggest getting someone who can do CART in your hearing church...that might serve you better than an sign language interpreter if you don't know much sign language yet. I tend to prefer CART when I go to places like plays and stand up comedies and stuff...they help me understand exactly what they are saying and nothing gets lost in translation. With ASL, yes I use ASL but when I had an ASL interpreter in my college classes so much got lost in translation that it affected my grades. When I have my health issues taken care of and I go back to university I am going to request BOTH an ASL interpreter AND CART...so I can use CART to understand everything the professors says, and then I can use the ASL interpreter so I can raise my hand and ask many questions, or to contribute to the class discussions or group discussions or whatnot.

CART goes up on large projection screen...someone has a laptop near the stage and types everything the person says and everything goes on that screen. You get exactly everything the person has said, no summarizations, no shortcuts...it is all in full details. They do this at my fiance's old elementary school when they have the Christmas plays...I like going there because their Christmas plays are so awesome, it is so diverse too!

Anyway, good luck.