Peace Lutheran Church
Christ Lutheran for the Deaf is a congregation focused on reaching other Deaf members with the sweet words of the Gospel.
They gather every Saturday at 1pm
Peace Lutheran Church
3340 11th Ave South
Great Falls MT 59405
Worship is structured for the Deaf and is done in both ASL and voice.
There is counseling available as needed, please contact Pastor to setup an appointment if desired.
Deaf Culture is unique, and presents a number of unique challenges. Very few Deaf people are Christian (some estimate 5%, others 3%, one of the lowest numbers of Christians in any group). Why?
There are quite a few reasons
1. Deaf children are often separated from their parents. Sometimes because they are sent to Deaf schools, most of the time because there is no shared language. Imagine your children were born only able to speak Chinese. It is difficult to pass down the faith through the family. Many hearing people are intimidated by the Deaf, so the Deaf are often isolated.
2. Deaf Culture is very secular. Theological questions and conversations about God are often avoided. American Sign Language (ASL) is a very dynamic language, and doesn’t have its roots in the Christian tradition (like English, etc.). ASL is a non-written language. You cannot read ASL (and a Deaf person reading English is working in a second language), and memorizing presents unique challenges.
3. Faith comes by hearing. The Deaf “hear” with their eyes. There is a different dynamic at work in the communication through sign. The ears are the eyes and the lips are the hands (and face and body). The opening versicles of Matins and Vespers are, for the Deaf, “O Lord, open Thou my hands, and my hands shall proclaim Thy praise.”
4. Limited resources (especially workers) for the work. There are very few Deaf hymns. (Music and the Deaf is another very important topic.) There is a committee working to bring the historic liturgies into ASL. This is difficult work. There are only a few pastors and seminarians learning ASL. Most Deaf pastors are retired. Many Deaf congregations have closed and interpreted ministries have closed down. (Jesus Deaf Lutheran Church isone of the only Deaf churches in Texas.)
The internet, and especially video technology has been especially helpful for the Deaf. (Consider the difference between making a phone call and facetime.) These new communication technologies open up a number of opportunities to reach the Deaf with the preaching of Jesus.
In other words, the work is difficult, the workers are few, and the opportunities are many, which probably means that Jesus has us just where He wants us!