United Methodist Committee on Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Ministries

Listening System at UM Church of the Messiah

The Church of the Messiah (UMC), in Westerville, Ohio, wishes to encourage the use of emerging technology to assist hard of hearing people in their participation in their communities of faith, and to share their experience with others. We wanted to obtain an effective listening system for people who have a hard time understanding and responding to comments and questions from other other participants in group discussions.

With support from our senior pastor, Jim Wilson, and members and friends with a variety of hearing problems and expertise, a project team of the Church of the Messiah explored alternatives. As a result, in early 2012 we obtained a system which is working well for us.

We purchased and are regularly using a Acoustic Magic Voice Tracker I Array Conference Microphone, together with a Listen Technologies LT-800 072 Stationary Transmitter (72MHz), four LR-072 Portable Display FM Receivers, a Four-unit Charging/Carrying Case, headphones and an earbud.

The system works well with or without hearing aids, in smaller and larger venues. The mic and transmitter are connected and the receivers kept charged. The system stays on a serving cart which is easily moved from room to room.

We would very much appreciate comments, questions and suggestions in the light your own experience.