Over 70 people gathered at St Peter’s Church, Great Haseley on Saturday 15 July for the 125-year anniversary of the Oxford Diocesan Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Deaf church community members joined with old friends, previous Chaplains among the Deaf community, and the Bishop of Oxford, to celebrate and give thanks for the work of OCDC in providing spiritual and pastoral support, raising awareness of the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and enabling them to play as full a part as possible in the life of the church and local communities.
The service was delivered in British Sign Language, including an adapted reading of Psalm 150 with non-musical forms of praise, a signing choir and the sermon was given by the Bishop of Oxford. A presentation by Stephen Iliffe about his Deaf Mosaic project showcased the diversity of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
The service was also an opportunity to announce that the current Chair, His Honour Christopher Tyrer DL, is stepping down from his term in office and he was presented with a gift to thank him for his hard work. Nigel Edward-Few will take over as Chair in September.
Speaking after the service, the Revd Hannah Lewis, lead Chaplain for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing said:
“It was a joy to join together and give thanks for the work and progress of the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing over many years, and to look ahead in hope as we continue to grow the presence of Deaf Church in the diocese to enable more people to access the gospel and good news of Jesus.”
About Deaf Church
Deaf Church serves the D/deaf and hard of hearing community across the Diocese of Oxford providing worship, life events, pastoral and spiritual support in BSL. It also supports parishes and churches seeking to improve accessibility for D/deaf and hard-of-hearing people or to introduce BSL into their church worship. There are plans to continue expanding provision to other parts of the diocese and increase access for D/deaf and hard-of-hearing children and young people.