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A historical moment, Church of England first Woman Bishop

Libby Lane, 48, was consecrated as the eighth Bishop of Stockport at York

Minister in January 2015

She was recently installed wearing her Bishop Robes at Chester Cathedral and she gave her first sermon as Bishop to hundreds of people.

Northwest and WATCH - Women and the Church org, are proud of her achievements. For twenty years women of all walked of life and backgrounds have answered God calling to minister the community.

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LIBBY LANE GAVE HER APPROVALENGLAND'S FIRST FEMALE BISHOP

SIGNS BUMPER ISSUE 25/26 DECEMBER 2014 - MARCH 2015

Registered charity no. 1117313

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We have no doubt that the next generation of women AND not forgetting the men, will have the opportunity to follow their callings and flourish. DAT team and readers wish Libby grace and blessings as she lead the way.

Table of contents

3 From the Chair - Bob Shrine.

5 Editorial - Pat Callaghan

7 Around the British Isle: Wales - Matthew Kindlin

9 DAT Spring Conference 2015 - Important news!

11 Culture Festival & AGM 2015

12 An Interview with Takeo Nuka

14 Daily Prayer Page - Helen Robinson

16 Obituary: Ruth White. Lydia Handscomb

20 Easter Wordsearch

21 The Worry Tree

22 ‘Something to make you smile’

23 Thoughts for the Season - Revd Hannah Lewis

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News Flash Revd Canon Alison White will be the next Bishop of Hull. She will be consecrated at York Minister on 3rd July. Revd Alison said ‘Its been a long time coming and so many people have prayed, hoped and thought about the way God is taking this into the future’. Another news flash Venerable Rachel Treweek to become the new bishop of Gloucester. She could be the first female bishop to enter the House of Lord.

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FROM THE CHAIR Bob Shrine

Each year, after the Summer break, the Autumn tends to be a frenzy of activity, and last year was no exception. You will find further details of what has been happening elsewhere in this magazine. I just want to sum up here. Four of our members went to the IEWG conference in Nuremberg, Germany, in September, and had a great time, coming back with more ideas to try out here, See all of our photos on DAT website. At our AGM in October, those who were at the IEWG conference showed us photos and told us about it. Several of our members attended the Go! Sign Festival Day in Cardiff, where DAT had a stall where people could get information and ask questions. Early in November 6 members of our Executive Committee attended a very useful training day for trustees, in London, along with trustees from Go! Sign, Signs of God, and the BSL Bible Translation Project. This is another example of how the different organisations are now working more closely together.

2015 will be a busy and exciting year for DAT. A new General Synod will be elected, and we will be carrying out our own elections for 3 representatives on Synod, where they play a very important role in making people aware of the presence of Deaf people in the church. By the time you read this a Consultation Day, organised by DAT and the Deaf Ministry Task Group (DMTG), which works with Gill Behenna, the National Adviser for Deaf Ministry, working together, will have taken place. This day focused on further BSL training in theology and ministry, with a view to

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finding out what kind of training people want. There are several exciting projects and courses being developed, and we will give more information in this magazine in due course. Then in May, we have our Spring Conference in Crewe. This was fully booked before Christmas! This is the second consecutive year that our conference has been fully booked early, and this reflects its popularity, with Deaf Christians attending from other churches, not just the C of E. In June, DAT and DMTG will again be working in partnership to run the bi-annual Deaf Ministerial Development Conference (formerly known as the Chaplains’ Conference), again at Swanwick. Then, at the AGM in October, we will have our 5-yearly elections. The present Officers and Executive Committee will all stand down, but may stand for re-election, if they so wish. So, new officers, and a new committee will be elected for the next five years. Here I would just like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the present committee. They have re-vitalised DAT, given us an inspiring and rewarding programme of activities, maintained healthy finances, taken on a larger share of responsibility for national Deaf church activities, and fostered closer relationships with other Deaf Christian organisations. They are the finest team I have ever worked with, and I am sure the new committee will continue in the same way.

Let us pray for God’s guidance in all these many activities, remembering that it is his ministry we are involved with, not ours. May you all find God’s peace during this season of Lent, as we eagerly await the joyous celebration of the risen Christ at Easter.

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Editorial - Pat Callaghan

IntroductionWe as a team have implemented some changes last year and we need to inform all members who could not attend our AGM which was held in October. Those amendment are now implemented this month - March 2015.

Signs Unfortunately and most unavoidably, these changes are necessary in the face of cut-backs in expenditure we had to make. One of the main reasons for this is; lower membership numbers compared to the previous year of 2012-13. We saw a significant drop of 64 members (the year of 2011-12. We had 73 members), furthermore, we have seen a continued drop each year. At this rate DAT team had to make some difficult decisions.

The team has agreed to reduce Signs magazine from A4 to A5, a substantial savings will be made on the printing and postage distribution. As you know postage has increased with a possibility of further increase in future, therefore, this added an extra burden on DAT financially. Whereas, downsizing Signs will be classed as a letter size. The paper quality and colourful front/back pages remained the same, however, Hannah Lewis will have eSigns in full colour - page by page on ‘Signs’ website. One other advantage is; readers who opt for eSigns can adjust their preferred font size by increasing/decreasing

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the fonts on-screen. Hardcopies are still available to those who prefer Signs on paper.

PaymentAnother advantage we have made is; readers now have several payment options instead of just one e.g. a cheque payment. Although we continue to accept cheques we have to bear in mind that cheques will discontinue in the foreseeable future. Two new payment options are; bank transfer and standing order, together with the usual cheques and cash payments.As you see there are many more options made available to all members. I have the new A5 membership form in this issue for you to fill in - if you haven't as yet joined us for 2014-2015. So please discard your previous A4 form in place of the new; thus enable us to implement the many preferred options of your choice.

General SynodMany of you may have a basic understanding about the General Synod system and ‘who’ represents DAT in our 2014 Signs August issue. Sadly we cannot vote although we can debate in the meeting. However, we are looking into ways of becoming a voting member of the general synod. Normally, each diocesan elect a representative - usually two or more, by vote. However, it would be impossible for a deaf person to be elected by the majority of hearing people, also, we need a ‘strong voice’ in the deaf Christian community. The Youth Council is a minority group with a strong voice and they have the full voting rights, therefore, we will research into how we - as a minority group, gain an equal voting rights, in the meantime we continue electing

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DAT representatives this year. More information will soon become available in Signs nearer the time.

With every blessings and good grace during lent and Easter.

Around the British Isles: Wales

A great opportunity to interview Matthew Kindlin, from Wales, finally came my way. He is an enthusiastic deaf young man with a zest for life.

His early life

Matt agreed to meet me for lunch. He described himself as Deaf with a big D, deafened from the age of 3 years. He had a difficult life since childhood to his early teens. From the age of 11 years he rejected his Roman Catholic upbringing and became an atheist, not believing God and Jesus. When he was 20 yrs old, a chance meeting with a few friends invited him to join them in a Deaf church and that meeting has profoundly transformed his life, Sadly, within a short period their minister had moved and the deaf church was without a minister. Despite this, the deaf group were determined to continue; taking turns and sharing their

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‘A difficult life since

childhood’

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regular Wednesday evening prayers. An important feature for the group.

Transformed

Matt became a devoted Christian at 23. He regularly attends a Sunday evening worship with a group of Deaf in a hearing church, an interpreter has made this possible. The hearing church members welcome them to the fold and the Deaf never feel isolated during worship and after the service.

Matt told me he now worked full time and he loved his job. When he was made redundant five years ago, he remained unemployed despite fruitless and heart wrenching search for work, filling in countless applications but thankfully his perseveration has finally paid-off.

Churches in Wales

There are approximately four churches accessible to Deaf people in one large area of Wales - two hearing churches, one with a qualified interpreter and the other is a level three communicator, then there are two Deaf churches. The Deaf have to travel great distance for these special services. However, some face an additional difficulties where high unemployment and very limited job opportunities for the disabled as Matt experienced.

His future

On reflection, Matt said that his faith gave him strength to overcome hardships in life. His faith in God and his Son, Jesus Christ is even stronger than ever since he returned to church. One of Jesus parables of the prodigal son in Luke 15: 11-32 springs to my mind where the wayward

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‘Matt became a devoted

Christian’

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son was welcomed back with open arms in his Father’s house. Matt hoped to help other deaf people going through turmoils and stresses in their lives just as he did. It is his way of giving back in return for the help and support when he needed it most. Matt looked to the future with hope, with a motivation to serve his church, an opportunity to study and understand the bible, the church and his spiritual prayers. It is a way for him to find his calling and to serve God.

I came away feeling inspired by this young man. Indeed, God work in a mysterious ways is an inspiration to anyone who has strayed to follow Jesus way. Pat

DAT Spring Conference 2015 Margaret Oatway

The bookings came in very quickly for the Spring Conference to be held in Crewe the weekend of 15th – 17th May 2015 and we were fully booked by November 2014.

Several more people wanted to book but were unable to because of being full. The committee apologise to these people who are disappointed to miss out. The venue in Crewe is not very big and has a limited number of bedrooms.

The good news is that we have reserved many more places for Spring Conference May 2016 which will be held in Swanwick, Derbyshire - see page 10

An important aim of DAT is to provide weekends of Christian fellowship for Deaf people and the Committee would like as many people as possible to go to these events.

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The Committee have agreed that future Spring Conferences (2016 onwards) will be held at just two venues – High Leigh Centre in Hertfordshire and Hayes Centre in Derbyshire. We will take it in turns so it will be Hayes in 2016, High Leigh in 2017, Hayes in 2018 etc. If, in the future, other suitable venues come up then the Committee will look at them.

The reason is because these two venues are the only ones in the country that are really suitable. They have plenty of rooms (most other venues are too small), all ensuite, good disabled access, licensed bar, good transport and reasonable prices. High Leigh has a block of bedrooms that are fitted with flashing light fire alarms. The Hayes have agreed to install flashing light alarms in a block of their bedrooms – this will be done by 2016.

DAT Spring Conference 2016

When: 20th-22nd May 2016

Where: Hayes Christian Conference Centre,

Swanwick, Derbyshire

Theme: ‘What does it mean to be a Deaf child of God?’

Presenters:

Carolyn Denmark, Janice Silo, Adam McCormick

Further details and booking forms will be available in August/September.

Put the date in your diary!

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CULTURAL FESTIVAL and AGM 2015

When: Saturday 3rd October 2015Where: Lancaster Hall Hotel, 35 Craven Terrace, London

W2 3EL

This is an important date in the DAT calendar. The AGM and election of the new Committee will be held (more information will be in the next Signs issue).Also, there will be a cultural festival which we hope everybody will enjoy. It will be great if our members and non-members get involved. Anybody can take part – deaf or hearing. Maybe you would like to do something on your own or a group of you from your church can put on something. Don’t worry about whether you think you are good or not. We want everybody to enjoy themselves.

Some ideas:

• Drama • Story-telling • BSL songs or hymns – ones already known or you

can make them up• Poetry – mime, sign or act• Craft – bring something that you have made or

drawn

You may have other ideas. It can be serious or funny – anything you like. Let Margaret know if you would like to take part or just turn

up on the day. email: moatboat@tiscali.co.uk mobile(text): 07798531705 fax: 0118 9260463

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An interview with Takeo Nuka. DAT

Spring Conference Presenter 2015

DAT team were thrilled when Takeo accepted an invitation be one of the presenters. He was equally happy as an interviewee for this month issue.

We asked him about his place of birth and where he grew up. I was born Deaf, and my parents are also deaf except for my younger sister. So I use sign language since childhood. Of course the sign I use is Japanese Sign Language, not BSL! However, my first language is spoken Japanese, and second is JSL, because I was brought up in oral education. My birthplace was in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. I went to Hokkaido Asahikawa School for the Deaf and Hokkaido High School for the Deaf, and then went to Tsukuba University of Technology.Do you have a family?I am married to my wife, Hiromi, who is deaf, and we have our first baby - a son named Seiya Joshua born 20th December 2014. We are a very proud family of three.

Have you always been a Christian? Therefore where did your faith journey take you to?No, I knew Hiromi for a long time before we married. She is from a Christian family and she shared the Gospel with me. I became a Christian as a College student at 21.

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My faith journey is like a long voyage, sometimes I went through rough periods and I have experience pleasant times too but I know they are required for growing more and more matured as a Christian and as part of God’s plan, because we are called by God to be holy people.So when and why did you come to Manchester?After we married we considered studying at Asbury Theological Seminary in the USA. But as we prayed God to guided us at KBC (Kansai Bible College) at Kobe, Japan - were we studied there for 4 years from 2006. I gave up on the idea of studying in the USA and I felt a call to minister deaf people in Japan after my graduation.During my third year however, I began to think about studying abroad again but I was not sure if this was my own thinking or God's guidance. I prayed for His guidance for a year. When I read Genesis 12:1 I felt that I received His answer in the bible. At that time I was not sure where I should go, one of our lecturers had studied at NTC (Nazarene Theological College in the UK) and he encouraged me to consider studying there. We played about with this idea before we decided to apply. We came to Manchester in 2011.What are your plans and hopes for the future?We are member of Wesleyan Deaf Mission and I was ordained assistant pastor in 2010 after graduated from KBC. I am due to become a pastor in the church after completing my current study - if God allows. But as John Wesley put it, "I look upon all the world as my parish". In the same way, I have a vision that I would like to minister, teach, preach and make all deaf people in the world disciples for all deaf people in the world.

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Matthew 28:19 (ERV)19 So go and make followers of all people in the world.

Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We thanked Takeo for sharing his inspiring life and his vision. We also take the opportunity to congratulate him and his wife for the birth of their child. We wish them every happiness and joy in their work as pastors and in their new family.

Daily Prayer PageAround the world:- Christians under attack in the Middle

East – pray for safety of these brothers and sisters in God’s family as they live in the ISIS regime.

- Bad weather reports around the world.- Prayers that Deaf churches in other countries, will

continue to grow and that both Deaf and hearing Christian leaders continue to reach out to the Deaf community.

- For Brent, Nora Allen and their sons in their preparation to moving to Constanta, Romania next summer 2015.

Around the Dioceses- Rev Catherine Carlyon moving to Diocese of

London to take up the chaplain for Deaf position where Rev Ann Richardson leaves for Norfolk.

- Exeter is now without a Chaplain – will it be filled?- For Canon Revd Gill Behenna in her role as

National Advisor for Deaf Chaplaincy in her communication with various Dioceses where there

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are no Chaplains with Deaf, and to encourage potential Deaf candidates for ordination training.

- That someone will fill in Bob Shrine’s vacancy for the Diocese of Leeds and Ripon that is much needed.

- That next year’s Chaplains’ conference planning will go well in preparation for the delegates to be involved.

- For the remaining Chaplains with Deaf people in other Dioceses will continue to encourage Deaf Christians in their spiritual life.

Our friends:- Neil Robinson as he continues to study, writes

essays, practical tasks (preaching or leading), preparing sermons, to complete the course.

- Neil and Helen looking for direction in Neil’s curacy job and place.

- Susan Bloomfield in her recovery from heart problem and breast cancer.

- Catherine Farmbrough in her time of operation and recovery. She is missing her hearing dog, Barnaby.

- For Jay and the Words of Hands team to continue in their ministry in Birmingham, with the Deaf Alpha, and monthly services.

- For the three speakers, Laurie Banks, Bob McFarland, and Takeo Nuka in their preparation to speak at the Spring Conference in Crewe.

Verses to help and encourage us:“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled

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as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”(James 1:5 & 6 ESV)

ObituarySadly we have lost two of our loyal members last year. We offer our consolations to their friends,

families and colleagues. We will always remember them.

RIP: Revd Ruth Anna White - 23/7/45 - 8/10/14

Ruth had one desire in her life - to serve the God she loved with the people with whom HE placed her - the Deaf community. She worked for

Chelmsford Ruth as a Chaplain and also served within the London Deaf church. She led worship and Bible groups, visited elderly and sick people and took numerous funerals. She gave no thought to her own life, or her comfort but focused entirely on mixing among the Deaf, visiting deaf clubs, and travelling miles to participate in deaf events. She loved to remember everyone's birthday and gave Christmas cards to all. She didn’t want people to know about her background or her life. She didn’t want them to fuss about her, praise her or give her gifts. She never liked attention being focused on her. She left instructions that nothing about her life was to be spoken at her funeral - no eulogy - no history - just to give thanks to

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Ruth White as we remember her - always smiling!

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those who had shared the journey with her and thanks to God!

So to honour Ruth, please read these verses that she asked to be read at her funeral.

Psalm 103Zephaniah 3 v15 -17

John 14:1-14Revelation 21:1-7

The hymn she chose was Yours be the Glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory, over death you won!

This would be the message Ruth would want you to take from her life and witness - Jesus is risen, death is defeated, and God’s love for you is far more than you will ever understand or experience!Now we celebrate that she is entirely held within the greater love of God. To Him be the glory, for ever and ever Anne Richardson

Obituary Lydia Handscomb was a DAT member from Essex who sadly died at the end of August 2014. She was a lovely lady, full of fun, and deeply spiritual. Her son, Darren, writes “Lydia’s faith was complicated, and would include nature, meditation, and a sense of spirit in animals, but not really formal

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Christianity. She identified with Christians as a group of good people.”He sent this lovely meditation which she wrote and which we share through Signs magazine as a tribute to her.

Retreat's Nature Meditation 19th October 2008.

What will I do without Nature, water, sun and breeze?

Sense of peace, Great medicine!

Breathe slowly and deeply help to relax.

Beautiful art of nature, green and colourful, so many different trees and plants. Beautiful clouds and sky, etc.  Could watch nature for hours; never boring.  

Gentle breeze to see all greens gentle move, little friendly flies pass by.  So calm.We can't buy nature, priceless.

I see everywhere love, so beautiful feeling, make me smile.

Lot of full surprise (Butterfly pass by!)

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Spider web, wow!  Fantastic shape, so perfect!  Amazing.

Trees are my tower of strength and wonderful example to the world.

Birds fly by.

To watch nature makes me feel secure, gives me strength, peace, happiness, calm and love.

I could write about nature forever.

I can't thank enough what Nature has given me. Nature is my best friend and I feel strongly that nature is my family. RIP: Lydia Handscomb

‘Verse of the Season’ John 5:24 (ERV) 

“I assure you, anyone who hears what I say and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life. They will not be judged guilty. They have already left death and have entered into life.

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Notices

Due to our new A5 size Signs magazine we have very limited space and pages to include IEWG colourful photographs - taken in October 2014. However, you have the opportunity to view all of our pictures in full colour on DAT own website:

http://www.deafanglicanstogether.org.uk/

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The Worry Tree: A Useful and Warm-Hearted Story

Paresh, an Indian carpenter I once hired to help me restore my old farmhouse had just finished a difficult and hard first day on the job. A flat tyre on his lorry made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw packed in, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, Paresh sat in stony, thoughtful silence.

On arriving, Paresh, in the way of all Indian gentlefolk, invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door to his home, he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.After a cup of tea, he walked me to my car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

'Oh, that's my trouble tree,' Paresh replied. 'I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again. Funny thing is', he smiled winningly, 'when I come out in

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the morning to pick them up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.’

Food for thought; when we are troubled we can always give our burdens to God in prayer. Paresh hangs his on his ‘trouble tree’ therefore we can leave ours with God and indeed all our burdens are lighter and fewer the next day! Read Job 36:16 (ERV) 

“In fact, God wants to help you out of your troubles.     He wants to take away your burdens that are

crushing you.     He wants to load your table with plenty of food.

And now for something to make you smile:Did You Ever Wonder Why Noah Sent The Dove?

�

Because of that nuisance woodpecker!

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Thoughts for the Season Hannah Lewis Have you ever wondered what happens to a seed when it is planted? I mean we know it grows (if we are lucky) into a plant – but how does this happen?

This picture helps us to understand – the seed, once planted, allows a root to grow, and then the stem pushes what’s left of the seed out of the ground and the seed

develops into the leaves and then the rest of the plant. So the seed disappears and a plant takes its place. Amazing really.

This is what Jesus had in mind in John 12:24 “It is a fact that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die before it can grow and produce much more wheat. If it never dies, it will never be more than a single seed.”

Jesus was talking about himself – he knew that he had to die before he could fulfil God’s plan of salvation for the world. He was the seed he was talking about. At this time of year – Easter – we are thinking a lot about Jesus death on the cross followed by his resurrection which brings us new life in Christ. As Paul puts it in Romans 6:4

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“So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life.”

So when we were baptised – when we became a follower of Christ, you could say we become like a seed.

• We are buried with Christ in his death the same as a seed is buried in the ground

• Then a root begins to grow – this is the desire to get to know God better, to learn about the bible, to chat with Jesus in prayer, to begin to get to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus by getting to know other followers.

• At some point in this process our old life disappears like the old seed, and from it grows shoots and leaves that stretch up towards the light and the sun and develop flowers and fruits. This is our new life in Christ, reaching towards the light, rooted in his love, and developing flowers and fruits which are different for each one of us.

The important thing to remember about plants is we have to look after them – so it is important to look after the plant of our faith – to help it stay rooted in God’s love through bible reading, worship and prayer and to help it grow and develop by allowing God to change us from the old life to the new.

This Easter let us pray that as we walk with Jesus along the path of his death on the cross and his resurrection the roots and shoots and leaves of our faith may be strengthened and we may grow more and more in our life with Christ and be “rooted and grounded in his love” (Ephesians 3:17)

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