In a lot of ways, the Vacation Bible School that took place at a Midlands church in August was like many held in churches during the summertime. The children and adults experienced Bible study, music, recreation time, crafts and snack rotations. The difference, however, was that this VBS was presented in a different language: sign language.
The Midlands Deaf Church in West Columbia held its first VBS in five years to reach deeper into the local deaf and hearing-impaired community. South Carolina Baptist Convention childhood ministry group associate director Sue Harmon introduced the church’s volunteers to LifeWay’s Backyard Kids Club materials and then visited during the VBS.
“Midlands Deaf Church is very concerned about reaching families in the deaf community, and they used VBS as an outreach tool,” said Harmon. “It was exciting to be a part of it and to see how happy the members were to have more children in the church than they normally do.”
When it began in 1998 as a ministry of Springdale Church in West Columbia, Midlands Deaf Church engaged a handful from the deaf community through worship and Sunday school offered twice a month. Now the congregation includes deaf and hearing-impaired individuals and those close to them, including spouses, children, interpreters and sign-language students. Duane Martin has pastored the church for five years and said the church’s main goal is to introduce people to Jesus.
“A lot of deaf people find it difficult to participate in their church without interpreters,” said. “They find it much more comfortable having fellowship and worship directly in their own language. Here, they are able to receive God’s Word along with Bible stories through a language they use.”
Sign language was incorporated into VBS in creative ways. During the Bible study time the children used pantomimes to act out Bible stories, and during the music time the participants worshiped through sign language and traditional song motions. Harmon noted that the attendance grew as the VBS progressed, and there was a mixture of hearing-impaired, deaf, and children of deaf parents participating.
“I met with some church leaders in June to explain the material, and then all of the adults returned for VBS, even those who weren’t teaching or helping. Everyone was very involved,” Harmon said.
Martin said he was impressed by how his congregation embraced the outreach opportunity and had fun with it. “Everyone worked hard to get everything in place and then enjoyed it,” he said. “I have seen how God has blessed us during the week of VBS through what the children have learned and how the adults have grown through their chance to lead and be role models to our children.”
Midlands Deaf Church has decided to hold another VBS next summer, and until then will continue to look for ways to reach the unchurched in the deaf community. In addition to Sunday services, the church meets for dinner and Bible study each Wednesday night, holds special holiday services and events, and regularly participates in activities with the larger deaf community. “Everyone is welcome at our church,” Martin said.
Harmon said that seeing the church hold VBS for its own community was an example of a larger goal. “We have an ongoing emphasis for every church to have a Bible school,” she said. “Some don’t because of financial issues or staffing difficulties, but the convention is here to provide assistance as a resource. We can link churches, connect them with the association or help with planning, outreach or curriculum.”