"Our Mission: To serve and spread the Good News of Jesus in church and beyond in sign language."
HOC Doings
What's coming up? Here's what's happening in the faith community:
- Lent: A Time to Let Go
- Ash Wednesday is on February 6th this year. It marks the start of Lent season, but to some of us it feels so "soon" after Christmas to
begin the season of Lent. But the season of Lent is the season of change, of letting go, and of becoming better people.
It's not easy to let go of some things. Sometimes we hang onto things that are not good for us to hang onto: hurt feelings, anger, regrets.
We must let go of these things. Lent is the time to make changes. Forgive old hurts. Choose to not be angry. Move forward, and reach out to
help others move forward, too - even those who hurt you!
When we give in to anger, hurt feelings and negative thoughts, we become separated further from God. We can't be close to His Spirit with those feelings and thoughts in our hearts. LET THEM GO! Take a deep breath, and turn to God. Then real change can begin. - Holy Week Events
- MARCH 20: There will be a special Maundy Thursday worship at First English Lutheran Church in Oshkosh at 7:00PM on March 20, 2008. If you plan to attend, and need to sit in the Deaf section, please contact Pastor Gisele and let her know so she can reserve enough seats.
- MARCH 21: Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry will hold a special Good Friday worship with song and drama by the HOC Choir. Worship will be at First United Methodist Church in Appleton, in the small chapel, starting at 7:00PM on Friday, March 21, 2008.
- MARCH 23: Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry will also celebrate the joy of Christ's Resurrection with a special Easter Deaf Worship at 10:15AM at First United Methodist Church in Appleton, in the small chapel on Sunday, March 23, 2008.
- Photos Coming Soon
- The Webmaster is working on completing an online photo album depicting the many activities of Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry, including the
Choir's visits to various hearing churches in the area. It's nearly done, and when it is finished, a link to the online album will be
placed here for your viewing pleasure!
If you have taken pictures of events around HOC, and would like us to showcase them, let the Webmaster know. We like to include pictures taken by our friends! - Extra Travel Sundays for the HOC Choir
- During the 2007-2008 year, the HOC Choir will add five additional Travel Sunday dates to their calendar. You can see their Travel Sunday schedule on the Worship page.
About Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry
Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry is an ecumenical Deaf Ministry serving the Fox Cities area in northeastern Wisconsin. We originated in 1997 at All Saints Lutheran Church in Oshkosh; from there we grew to where we now have an office in Appleton and hold regular monthly Deaf worship services, also in Appleton. Our Choir travels monthly from September through May, with a break during the summer months.
Two boards govern the Ministry; the Administrative Board and the Spiritual Board. The Administrative Board is made up of representatives from the churches among the five denominations that support HOC. The Spiritual Board is made up of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals who are members of Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry. Together, we make sure that our Ministry runs smoothly and that we can serve the Deaf and hard of hearing people in northeastern Wisconsin.
We have activities designed to encourage people to have a closer relationship with God. These include monthly Deaf worship, Bible studies, fundraisers, community service projects, and holiday socials. To encourage people to read the Bible, we have a daily readings calendar.
Our Ministry is available to all people who want to learn about God's love and the Christian faith. To learn more about Hands of Christ, contact Pastor Gisele Berninghaus.
Copyright ©2008 all rights reserved, Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry.