My John now has hearing aids.  He didn't have any idea how much he missed
without them.  So I've become more aware of how people with hearing loss
have difficulty hearing.  Do you think speaking up about it in church makes
any difference in the accommodations John?

Vicki

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Schwery" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 5:37 AM
Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Fw: Church Throw Aways


> Vicki, that's true.  If a building has a lot of echo, I miss a lot.
>
> earlier, Vicki and The Rors, wrote:
> >I would think that some churches, just because of the construction would
be
> >especially hard to hear in with a hearing impairment, John.
> >
> >Vicki
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "John Schwery" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 8:18 PM
> >Subject: Re: Fw: Church Throw Aways
> >
> >
> > > Phil, you have it right concerning hearing impaired people.  I only
hear
> > > parts of our messages in church.
> > >
> > > earlier, Vicki and The Rors, wrote:
> > > > > > Throw Away Christians
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > By Phil Scovell
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      I have discovered a class, or group, of people, born again
> > > > > > they are, members of the Body of Christ, yet the church has
thrown
> > > > > > them away.  Strangely enough, I have learned how much God loves
> > > > > > each and every one of these throw away Christians.  It goes
> > > > > > without saying, but I will say it any way, Jesus died for them,
> > > > > > shedding His blood for their sins, and was bodily resurrected
for
> > > > > > them, too.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      These special groups cover a wide range of personalities
and
> > > > > > a variety of physical conditions.  Some are in wheelchairs for
> > > > > > whom ramps are conveniently constructed in order to get these
> > > > > > pitiful souls up and into the church building.  Unfortunately,
for
> > > > > > these people, none of the bathrooms have been modified to handle
> > > > > > wheelchairs, So, extra faith is required of these folk to hold
it
> > > > > > for several hours until they get back home or to wherever they
> > > > > > live.  These special folk are such a blessing to the church,
too.
> > > > > > It makes you thankful that you aren't in a wheelchair.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Another category of these special Christians with special
> > > > > > needs are hard of hearing.  Little, if any, regard is given to
> > > > > > their inability to hear through the Public Address system to
> > > > > > accommodate the hearing loss these people have nor have any
> > > > > > special accommodations been made to the amplification system
which
> > > > > > would allow them to wear earphones or to even plug in to the
> > > > > > system, if using implants, so they could hear better.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      If you are totally deaf, on the other hand, you are in
luck.
> > > > > > The larger ministries have taught sign language and so the
> > > > > > services are then translated for the deaf.  If you so happen to
> > > > > > wish to attend a church without a translator, then you are out
of
> > > > > > luck.  The hard of hearing, and the totally deaf, are such a
> > > > > > blessing to the church, too.  It makes you thank the Lord for
your
> > > > > > own hearing ability.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      The elderly have their own Sunday school class.  This is
> > > > > > nice, of course, because then all those that the church brings
in
> > > > > > from the nearby nursing home can sit in their own class without
> > > > > > disturbing the mainstream body of believers.  Especially if they
> > > > > > smell funny and those bussed in from the nearby nursing home
> > > > > > always do.  Yet, even these elderly people are such a blessing
to
> > > > > > the church.  It makes you thankful for the youth we have.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      This special class and seating arrangement in the church
> > > > > > service for the elderly is very much like Sunday school for the
> > > > > > children, of course, so it seems logically that the elderly
would
> > > > > > have their own class where they won't be a bother to others.
> > > > > > These same children, since they are so disruptive, have junior
> > > > > > church immediately after Sunday school.  This is their own
little
> > > > > > church they have while their parents are out in the auditorium
> > > > > > having their big church service.  In this way, church workers,
who
> > > > > > never get to sit in on a Sunday school class or church service,
> > > > > > get to teach the children for a good three or four hours each
> > > > > > Sunday.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Although it is rare, some of the mega churches have
> > > > > > discovered blind people read Braille instead of print.  Since
> > > > > > blind people don't need to see, their little group of eight or
ten
> > > > > > sit on the back row where those ungodly large Braille hymn books
> > > > > > are easily stored.  This has really brought the blind community
> > > > > > together, we are told, and the church is able to minister to
them
> > > > > > better when they are all grouped together.  Additionally, there
is
> > > > > > the added blessing of the camaraderie which occurs among these,
to
> > > > > > be pitied of all handicapped peoples, just because they are now
> > > > > > grouped together.  They are such a blessing and encouragement to
> > > > > > the rest of the church as they sit back on the back roe with the
> > > > > > large Braille song books and singing right along with the rest
of
> > > > > > the church.  It makes you thankful you aren't blind.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Closely related to the blind group of special Christians,
are
> > > > > > the Path Finders group.  These are the mentally retarded bussed
in
> > > > > > from a local care home.  This group also gets to sit in the back
> > > > > > of the church because they often become disruptive during the
> > > > > > service and have to be taken out by the special workers.  Thank
> > > > > > the Lord we are not like them and have mental normality.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Finally, there is a silent group of people who rarely are
> > > > > > considered.  They don't have their own special hymn books nor
are
> > > > > > they assigned a special place to sit in the service.
Furthermore,
> > > > > > they have no special Sunday school class of their own to attend.
> > > > > > We notice their tears they often shed during the preaching and
> > > > > > teaching of the Word but we just figure they are being moved by
> > > > > > the Holy Spirit to tears.  We would never once consider that
> > > > > > something else might be wrong.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      We have also noticed that this silent group of unnamed
people
> > > > > > often are going forward during the altar call for specialized
> > > > > > prayer.  Again, we have no idea why but just assume they have
> > > > > > tender hearts toward the Lord.  We have heard they have some
> > > > > > special problems but we have never talked to them, other than to
> > > > > > say hello when coming or going to the church, and they look like
> > > > > > people who prefer being left alone anyhow.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Eventually, your curiosity gets the best of you and you ask
> > > > > > one of the church leaders who this silent group of people are.
> > > > > > You are told that this group has been unofficially classified by
> > > > > > the church as "those to whom only the professionals can handle."
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I could continue with other segments of society but you likely
> > > > > > have gotten the picture by now.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Scattered throughout these various groups, are little girls
> > > > > > who have been molested or raped by family members or friends and
> > > > > > relatives.  Little boys can also be found in the church who have
> > > > > > been sodomized but as is the case with the little girls, they
> > > > > > have been threatened or ignored if they did tell someone about
it.
> > > > > > Now, most of those children are adults.  Some in this silent
group
> > > > > > have suffered from traumatic childhood experiences and although
> > > > > > they daily experience anxiety and panic attacks, they have no
> > > > > > understanding of the nature of the cross they must carry.  When
> > > > > > seeking counsel from leaders of the church, they often are
> > > > > > referred to "The Professionals" and told they will be placed on
> > > > > > the church prayer list.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      Some of these people suffering from various forms of
> > > > > > depression have ungodly nightmares the would frighten the
average
> > > > > > Christian beyond emotional stability.  Others cry themselves to
> > > > > > sleep at night because of the sadness that tries to crush the
life
> > > > > > out of them.  Others, although they would never admit such to
> > > > > > anyone, even hear voices.  Some have not only considered suicide
> > > > > > but attempted it.  They never told anyone why they were missing
> > > > > > from church for the last three weeks and no one noticed anyhow.
> > > > > > Some of these people in this special silent group, are told they
> > > > > > are in advanced stages of emotional and mental illness.  This
> > > > > > group are on medications for sleep because otherwise they are
> > > > > > awake all night.  Others are on antidepressants and antianxiety
> > > > > > medications for their depression.  Some are on even stronger
> > > > > > medications classified as psychotic or psychotropic mind
altering
> > > > > > drugs.  These are the more mentally ill people, who, amazingly
> > > > > > enough, seem to function in life relatively normally as far as
> > > > > > anyone can tell.  Holding down a job, caring for their families,
> > > > > > driving a car, mowing their grass, reading their Bible, serving
in
> > > > > > the church, and other activities that seem perfectly normal, are
> > > > > > all conducted by these silently hurting people.  If people knew,
> > > > > > on the other hand, they had done as the church leadership had
> > > > > > recommended and gone to "The Professionals" with their problems,
> > > > > > and were now diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or
with
> > > > > > schizophrenia tendencies, or told they have Obsessive Compulsive
> > > > > > disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, or they are clinically
> > > > > > depressed or manic depressive, or if they have ben tested and
> > > > > > found to be bipolar, or, as is the case for some who have been
> > > > > > brave enough to tell their doctor that they heard voices and now
> > > > > > have been determined to have Dissociative Identity Disorder,
which
> > > > > > is multiple personalities, the church wouldn't come near them.
> > > > > > Well, they don't come near them anyway.  These silently hurting
> > > > > > people are throw aways, right along with many others, for whom
> > > > > > the church chooses not to minister.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      My ministry, on the other hand, is to these silently
hurting
> > > > > > and forgotten people.  I pastor them and pray with them.  I cry
> > > > > > for them, making myself available for them 24-7 and pray for
them
> > > > > > on my own times alone with the Lord.  They call me in the middle
> > > > > > of the night and get me out of bed because they are afraid.
They
> > > > > > call me when I'm eating my breakfast or lunch or supper and I
> > > > > > talk to them as they cry and tell me how frightened they are and
> > > > > > how they want to kill themselves.  If they have multiple
> > > > > > personalities, I talk to them when they call or if one of their
> > > > > > personalities emails me, I email them back and attempt to
comfort
> > > > > > them.  I schedule regular appointments of prayer times with them
> > > > > > so the Lord can continue to reach into their lives of fear and
> > > > > > guilt and shame and loneliness and anxiety and pain to heal
them.
> > > > > > How long do I continue to minister to them?  Until they are
whole
> > > > > > and healed from everything.  Is that possible?  If it is not,
you
> > > > > > are serving the wrong God.  Aren't these people crazy people?
No,
> > > > > > they are hurting people whom the Lord not only wants to heal but
> > > > > > can and does.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      If you are one of the suffering silent people and need
> > > > > > ministry, call me.  If you are a pastor and need ministry, call
> > > > > > me.  If you are a pastor's wife and are trapped by fear and
> > > > > > there's no one to tell, call me.  If you are a pastor or
> > > > > > missionary or church leader, and find yourself addicted to
> > > > > > pornography, call me.  If you are a mixed up confused mom who is
> > > > > > hearing voices in your head and you want to kill yourself, call
> > > > > > me.  If you've been raped or molested and can't seem to find
> > > > > > comfort after all these years, call me.  If you are sexually
> > > > > > confused about your identity, call me.  If you have nightmares,
if
> > > > > > you are suicidal, or if you've attempted suicide, call me.  If
> > > > > > you've lost a loved one and the grief is over powering and it
just
> > > > > > doesn't get any better, call me.  If you are an obsessive
> > > > > > compulsive, call me.  If you have committed the unpardonable
sin,
> > > > > > call me.  If you doubt your salvation, call me.  If you have
> > > > > > become involved in an affair, call me.  If you are a throw away,
> > > > > > call me.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >      I am not a professional but I am an intercessor.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Phil.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I Flew Kites With Jesus
> > > > > > www.SafePlaceFellowship.com
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >    Whatever you delete today, you desperately need tomorrow
> > >
>
> John
>
>    Whatever you delete today, you desperately need tomorrow
>