 Deaf ministry delegates from 19 countries around the world gathered together for the four day World Deaf Assembly of God (WDAG) 2009 conference. It's difficult to explain the impact of this conference as a whole simply because there are so many facets that impact the lives of those in attendance. Of course there are the messages from the Word of God by international Deaf pastors and Hearing pastors who are working in Deaf ministries around the world. Lives are touched and encouraged. The heat of ministry is quenched by the water of the Spirit in these tremendous congregational meetings. This is only a part of how one is likely to be impacted at these meetings. There are also the missions reports which are presented by representatives from every country present. One would think that the smaller countries would be mostly impacted by what God is doing in the vast ministries like America and other countries represented. However, this writer believes just the opposite is true. It is humbling to see what God is doing in and through the lives of Deaf men and women who have yielded themselves, spirit and body, for the master's use. These brothers and sisters have mostly started with nothing and have seen the hand of God move mightily in their circumstances. It is awe-inspiring, as you sit over a meal, or in the conference lobby at 11:00 at night with one light burning near the elevators to talk about their families and their ministries in Japan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and other far away places where most of us will never walk. One thing that becomes clear again and again in a conference like the World Deaf AG Conference, is that the God which we serve is also active in the lives of those around the globe, in many of the same way in which we experience Him in our cities and churches and ministries. He is no respecter of persons and the one who appears to be the lowest in every measurable area of life, often times, turns out to be the one being used by God the most. Philly Deaf Comes Full-Circle 10/01/2009
 Though there are still some details to complete in the move from our old 8 year home in Brookhaven, Pa (which, by the way, we loved...the location and the First Church of God people) to the new South Philly home; we're moved! Philly Deaf had been leasing space from the First Church of God congregation in Brookhaven, Pa for eight years, after we had been at Full Gospel Assembly of God in Brookhaven for seven years. The location change was due, in part, to two variables. First, because of the change in ministry times and days, the finances of the ministry had declined so that we were not able to continue paying the lease cost on an on-going basis. Second, there was a need for Philly Deaf to become more accessible to the Deaf community of South and West Philadelphia, proper. Calvary Temple of South Philadelphia graciously opened their doors to the Philly Deaf ministry, and it became the Philly Deaf South location. We continue to meet in Kensington (north philly) but the name has changed from Philly Deaf K Chat, to Philly Deaf North. So that the names of: K Chat (Kensington) and B Chat (Brookhaven) have become: Philly Deaf North and Philly Deaf South. We've come full circle. Deaf Christian Church (DCC) that started in Brookhaven in 1995 actually started in 1993...where? Right! Calvary Temple in South Philadelphia. Now 16 1/2 years later, we met for the first Deaf service this past Sunday evening, September 27, 2009. Praise the Lord! |