Sinclair ASL Club Recognition

During its graduation recognition ceremony, held this past Friday evening, the Sinclair Community College American Sign Language (ASL) Club recognized Shiloh Church as an asset to Dayton's deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Not only was Shiloh recognized during the ceremony, the congregation was gifted $200 by Sinclair's ASL Club.

The gift and recognition arose from Shiloh's ministry of hosting ASL Club events, namely the two silent game nights and its annual auction, the ASL interpretation of its 10:30 worship service, and the support of students in the Sinclair ASL program.

I think that the recognition and the gift call Shiloh to take even more responsibility to the Sinclair ASL program and the Dayton deaf and hearing impaired community. Though Shiloh no longer has students in the program, Shiloh can take steps to better serve students who are learning ASL interpretation and build a stronger relationship with the community that those students will serve. Three things come immediately to mind:

1. Shiloh can continue to offer ASL interpretation at its 10:25 service. That interpretation could probably include each year a student intern from Sinclair Community College who would work with Casey Robinson, or other interpreters, to better learn ASL interpretation and provide interpretation service to the community. Shiloh can now begin to advertise that its 10:25 service is welcoming to the hearing impaired and deaf community.

2. Shiloh can continue to open its doors to the Dayton deaf community and the ASL Club at Sinclair Community College. Shiloh can continue to distinguish itself as a place where these members of our wider community are both welcome and served. Use of the facility goes a long way in building that relationship. Shiloh can host game nights and the annual auction, as a start.

3. Utilizing the skills of our own members, especially Karyn Sleppy and Casey Robinson, Shiloh can learn more about American Sign Language. In preparation for Shiloh hosting the Sinclair ASL Club silent auction, Casey offered a beginning class for alphabet and numbers. Several members attended the auction and purchased items in support of the ASL program at Sinclair. Imagine how welcome members of the deaf and hearing impaired community might feel if they were welcomed at Shiloh by people who have gone out of their way to learn, even rudimentary,ASL.

I believe that recognition from the Dayton deaf community, in form of the Sinclair ASL Club, calls Shiloh to greater accountability. Can the congregation support these three initiatives as a way of building and growing the budding relationship? I certainly think and hope so.

See You Sunday!