A deaf fellowship worshipped God in the choir practice room of a Jiangsu church.
On January 9, the first Sunday after the Epiphany, a baptism service was hosted in Mochou Lu Church, where Nanjing Vineyard Sign Language Fellowship also studied the words of God.
In the chorus rehearsal room, deaf Christians watched the church’s live service on TV. Based on Luke 3: 21-22, Pastor Jing Lizhi preached a sermon, split into three parts which were "heaven opening", "clouds scattering", and "the appearance of the Son of God".
Depending on the shorthand summaries of the sermons written on a blackboard by a male Christian, a female believer surnamed Zhang with normal hearing interpreted it in sign language, while Chen Lirong, the leader of the fellowship, was responsible for supplementary explanations and the translation of new words.
Chen, a deaf female Christian who had graduated from the special education seminar of Heilongjiang Theological Seminary, said that due to the lack of stable places in the early days, deaf believers once rented houses or used other places to gather, while also hoping to worship God together with normal churchgoers in a church.
"As only in the church can deaf Christians be moved by the Holy Spirit and get more grace, we are grateful for God’s preparation and the church staff’s acceptance and respect," said Chen, who appreciated this hard-won place of worship.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
福音时报同工张弟兄有幸受邀参加了南京葡萄园听障团契的主日礼拜，亲身体验到了这些弟兄姊妹的敬拜日常。
1月9日是主显节后的第一个主日，也是南京市莫愁路堂的圣餐主日。
“咱们这个地方是借用的堂里诗班的练习室，有点偏，所以比较难找。” 在团契学习手语的听人张姊妹一边带路，一边解释着。
张姊妹就向我介绍道，恰巧平时负责在黑板上速记证道内容的服侍同工因故没来，所以今天“速记”——这个艰巨的任务就临时交到了张弟兄的手里。
当天上午是该堂荆立志牧师进行证道，题目是《天开云散神子显》。荆牧师围绕路加福音3章21-22节经文，以“天开”“云散”“神子显现”三部分内容进行了分别阐述。聋人弟兄姐妹看着电视的实时转播
每听到牧师讲到核心之处，张弟兄都会迅速在黑板上写下，帮助弟兄姊妹们同步记录。
张姊妹根据黑板速记以及自己听到的证道内容用手语进行同时传译，陈老师则负责补充解释以及生词翻译。
“感谢主，谢谢你的到来，我们平时特别缺乏服侍聋人的同工。”张姊妹首先向笔者表示道。“以前是我一个人负责翻译和记录，有时候根本顾不过来，如果你以后能常来帮助服侍的话大家都会很高兴的。”
陈老师也向笔者介绍，由于早期缺乏稳定的礼拜场所，聋人弟兄姊妹们也先后自己租房子或是借用其他场所进行礼拜，大家也曾一度打过退堂鼓，但是想要进入教堂与信徒们共同参加敬拜的心却从来没有磨灭，“还是在教堂里大家才能领受到恩典和感动，感谢主为我们预备莫愁路堂这个场所，也谢谢堂里的牧者同工们的接纳与尊重。” 对于这个来之不易的礼拜场所，陈老师满心感恩。
http://www.fuyinshibao.cn/article/index/id/60239
纵使无声也不能抵挡爱主的热心——南京莫愁路堂聋人团契礼拜小记
A deaf fellowship worshipped God in the choir practice room of a Jiangsu church.
On January 9, the first Sunday after the Epiphany, a baptism service was hosted in Mochou Lu Church, where Nanjing Vineyard Sign Language Fellowship also studied the words of God.
In the chorus rehearsal room, deaf Christians watched the church’s live service on TV. Based on Luke 3: 21-22, Pastor Jing Lizhi preached a sermon, split into three parts which were "heaven opening", "clouds scattering", and "the appearance of the Son of God".
Depending on the shorthand summaries of the sermons written on a blackboard by a male Christian, a female believer surnamed Zhang with normal hearing interpreted it in sign language, while Chen Lirong, the leader of the fellowship, was responsible for supplementary explanations and the translation of new words.
Chen, a deaf female Christian who had graduated from the special education seminar of Heilongjiang Theological Seminary, said that due to the lack of stable places in the early days, deaf believers once rented houses or used other places to gather, while also hoping to worship God together with normal churchgoers in a church.
"As only in the church can deaf Christians be moved by the Holy Spirit and get more grace, we are grateful for God’s preparation and the church staff’s acceptance and respect," said Chen, who appreciated this hard-won place of worship.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Deaf Fellowship’s Sunday Service
