Barbara Reynolds, Spreading the Word

Barbara Reynolds has dedicated her life to spreading the word so that Deaf people can function just as well as hearing people at work, school and church.

Barbara was born deaf and turned 77 on Sunday, August 30, 2009. She recently returned from the World Methodist Mission Conference of the Deaf in Seoul, South Korea, where, among 400 people representing deaf ministries across the world, she took a tour of the country and attended services at the nation's oldest Methodist church.

"Everybody said I was crazy to go to South Korea, but I already had reservations," said Reynolds, who still is recovering from back surgery she had in October.

Three months ago, Reynolds joined the First United Methodist Church of Melbourne, where she has since started a Deaf ministry and brought in a volunteer interpreter, Melissa Jackson, to sign during one of the church's five Sunday services. She also represents the Southeastern United States in the United Methodist Committee on Ministries with Deaf, Late-Deafened, Hard-of-Hearing and Deaf-Blind People, an organization headquartered in New York City.

She's started deaf ministries at several churches across the United States, she said. "It is to help the hearing-impaired survive like I did," she said about the mission of the ministry.

Reynolds said she hopes to educate people about day-to-day differences between deaf and hearing households, such as how lights flash around a deaf person's house when the doorbell rings. At the same time, she said, she hopes to remind people that the deaf can drive, as she still does, and attend college, as she did.

In addition to the interpretation service, the church is planning a Deaf awareness event, where hearing members of the church can learn about Deaf culture. "I hope more churches will open the door for deaf ministries," Reynolds said.

Supporting the Advance

At a meeting with First United Methodist Church of Melbourne pastors Mellissa Stump and John Denmark, Barbara Reynolds displays her support for The Advance and Deaf Ministries.