Things are not always the way we see or hear them….

Having struggled with a hearing loss the past few years, I am sensitive to the acoustics in the churches I work with. Most of them have really good acoustics for singing but the sound tends to disperse making it hard for people with a hearing loss to understand what is being said. Many churches have sound systems, but this simply makes things louder – not more understandable.

About a month ago a new/returning woman turned up at Christ Church in Douglas. It has been years since she attended services, but the older members of the congregation knew her. I did not get a chance to visit with her before worship, but afterwards asked her if she had been able to hear during the service. Shaking her head sadly she said “no”, BUT Douglas has been experimenting with putting the liturgy on a screen in the front of the church and smiling she thanked us all for this because she was able to read and participate. She has been back every week since.

Now I have always thought of the use of screens as a way to appeal to the young and overcome the confusion of the Prayer Book for new comers while at the same time saving paper. It never occurred to me that it might also be an issue of hospitality allowing people with a hearing loss to join in the worship with others.