Clarkston United Methodist Church has added American Sign Language translation to its 11 a.m. church sermons, said Outreach Pastor Laura Speiran.
The services for deaf individuals who use American Sign Language began on Sunday, Jan. 5, and is offered weekly. The church is working with Deaf Community Advocacy Network (Deaf C.A.N.) of Sylvan Lake to provide the service to church members and the community.
Parishioner Anne Evans talked to Speiran last fall about a family with hearing issues attending services. They discussed closed caption technology but the cost was excessive. During the conversations in the fall, the church custodian told Speiran about a deaf residential group home across from the church.
“You could see their front door from our front door,” Speiran said.
She visited the residence. The resident staff are also hearing impaired and through some motions and notes, Speiran invited the residents and staff to visit the church and attend services.
Pastor Rick Dake reached out from the pulpit to the church community and every week, there were pledges to pay for the deaf ministry.
“It was a godly intervention,” said Speiran.
Other churches in the community offer sign language and this offers the deaf community choices on church attendance, she said.
The residents of the group home near the church have been in attendance since an interpreter has been at the sermon.
“They sing in sign language and feel they are able to express themselves,”Speiran said. “There was such joy on the face of one of the residents when she took communion for the first time.”
Deaf C.A.N. is a non-profit group employing sign language interpreters to help with communication in surrounding communities. Clarkston United Methodist Church at 6611 Waldon Road offers the 11 a.m. service in sign language as well as oral language and invites all members of the community to attend.

– Joette Kunse