[Worship] Re: Meeting a Sister's needs - was learning lyrics

[Dean Thomas <deanthom@mindspring.com>]

My dearest sister Sarah,

How thrilled I am to know more about you! How thrilled I am knowing that
you are willing to take the road less travelled.

I know more about you than you might guess. No, I do not know you
personally, but I know some of your struggle. I have had more than a few
encounters with blind, near-blind, and severely visually impaired folks.
For a music minister, it is a challenge to make possible your
involvement in the music parts of a service as well as any responsive or
congregational readings that might take place. It is hard!! We want to
include everyone, but it is hard.

Now then, add to that, our ministry, David's House, is a VISUAL ARTS
ministry (read that with a loud voice, visual arts ministry!). Our
facility is decorated with banners and fabrics and hangings and all
kinds of visual symbols. Flags, streamers, dancers in garments,
pageantry. A feast for the EYE GATE!

One night, we had a friend bring a friend. Bette brought Kathy. Kathy is
blind from birth. Kathy has almost no sense, even of light at all. She
has no memory or reference points for colors or shapes other than basic
geometrical stuff that she has been able to finger trace over the years.
Oy, what a challenge. Most of our team was totally baffled. Did not have
a clue as to what to do with this blind woman.

I have had friendships deep and wide with such people for years and was
pretty well trained by one of them so that I could do what was needed to
help her in and about. How to offer an arm, how to describe, how to
"cue" her even for songs. So, I spotted Kathy a mile away and had about
an hour to pray and seek God about what to share with her afterward. I
took her on a touching tour. We visited many banners and the model of
the Ark of the Covenant that we have at center platform. I gave her
information about colors that she would at least be able to relate to,
as symbolisms. This banner is the color of the floor of heaven a deep
sapphire blue and it represents divine revelation because that is where
God's throne is placed.  This flag is the color of our human blood
because it represents the blood of Jesus that takes away our sins.
Click. Click. Immediate recognition. 

Kathy also gets out on the dance floor with us. We usually put her in an
inner circle to protect her from the stray chair or light stand that
might harm her, but someone who understands her needs and knows the
steps is beside her calling the tune. She dances in freedom and safety
and glows!

She has a friend who sits with her and "lines out" the choruses and
songs for her. That method has someone say the words before they are to
be sung. It is a variation of a method that was made famous by black
churches who had to teach words to people who could not read them for
themselves because of a lack of schooling. They had a challenge, too,
but there was a way to overcome it and still enter into the praises and
adoration of their Lord.

Don't give up!! There's a way. Also, just because your church does not
record the services, does not mean that YOU can't!!

Keep in touch, Sarah. Let us know what the positive solution to all this
is!
-- 
Blessings!

Dean Thomas
David's House & ZionFire
Come.n.Worship@DavidsHouse.org
  -- or --
deanthom@mindspring.com
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