Our Mission Statement:
We share God’s love
in the Deaf community,
so together we can develop
our Christian faith.
Who we are and
How we came to be
WOLD is one of a handful of Deaf congregations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The three videos below are in sign language only, but you can click for transcripts. The first video explains WOLD’s relations with the wider church – the ELCA, our Synod, and the Evangelical Lutheran Deaf Association (ELDA). A transcript for that video is here.
Scrolling down, the next video tells the story of how WOLD came to be (click here for that transcript), and the last video, at the bottom, is a helpful explanation of “What to expect on your first visit to WOLD” (transcript here).
Did you know…?
WOLD received the “City on a Hill” award at the 2018 ELDA biennial conference!
The “City on a Hill” award is based on Matt. 5:14. The award is “for any congregation or organization in recognition of their donation of resources, programs or ministries that strengthen the Church’s outreach to Deaf people with the Gospel anywhere.”
WOLD council members expressed their gratitude at receiving this honor with these statements: “We feel humble to receive it, and we feel encouraged to do more.” “The award helps us to think not about ourselves, but about others.” “It reminds us that ‘church’ is also what we do outside of worship.” WOLD leaders appreciate the recognition of its members’ work that the award brings.
A telling statement about what it means for WOLD to receive the award was made by one council member, herself a chartering member of the congregation — “It helps us see the difference in ourselves from long ago to now.”
WOLD’s church council recognizes what it means for any ELDA member site to receive this award, by saying in a recent council meeting, “It is important for this award to exist, so others know there are Deaf churches doing God’s work.” It is in this sense that WOLD proudly bears the award.
Did you know…?
WOLD celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2019!
WOLD was founded on Feb. 20, 1994, to give Deaf people in the Lancaster area an authentic expression of worship through American Sign Language (ASL).
ASL allows – in ways that interpreted English cannot – ministry that Deaf people can experience personally, through their own culture and language. ASL “breaks down the walls of disability,” and gives Deaf people a means to participate in God’s grace, furthering and empowering their discipleship of the Risen Lord.
WOLD's unique ministry reaches beyond Lancaster, and draws Deaf people from 13 surrounding zip codes! WOLD’s mission statement is “We share God’s love in the Deaf community, so that together, we can develop our Christian faith.”
WOLD’s priority in outreach is for Deaf people. Locally, WOLD supports the work of social service agencies focused on serving the Deaf population. Nationally, WOLD aided the Texas School for the Deaf and a Puerto Rican Deaf agency in their recovery from hurricanes. Internationally, WOLD has given support to a Deaf mission in Jamaica, and the Deaf Centre of the Lutheran Christian Church of Nigeria. WOLD faithfully supports the annual Lenten & Thanksgiving appeals from ELDA.
WOLD engages in regular midweek Bible study. Bible studies used at WOLD have been presented at Hearing congregations to favorable reception. WOLD also serves the community by hosting movie events of different sizes. Here’s to 25 years…. and more!
WOLD is not an independent church, but belongs to the wider ELCA: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The ELCA is divided into synods. Each synod has a bishop that’s responsible for oversight of the congregations in the synod. WOLD is in the Lower Susquehanna Synod.
Both the ELCA & the synod represent the wider church that WOLD relates with. WOLD also relates with other Deaf congregations and ministries through ELDA — the Evangelical Lutheran Deaf Association. Different Deaf churches and Deaf ministries all relate with each other through ELDA.
ELDA provides education, fellowship, worship, and service opportunities for Deaf church members all across the country. ELDA does work outside the U.S. too! Check-out ELDA’s website by clicking on their link below!
Word of Life Deaf Lutheran Church (WOLD) was formed in 1989 as a mission start of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pa. Deaf people were part of that congregation’s life, and St. Matthew’s recognized the need for Deaf people to have their own expression of worship.
WOLD started its congregational life by sharing worship space at St. Matthew’s. The Synod selected and called the Rev. Kim L. Lengert to serve as pastor-developer for the congregation. WOLD’s first worship service was held on Christmas Eve 1989.
WOLD worshipped twice a month and had Bible Studies and fellowship events. On Sept. 19, 1993, WOLD’s charter was opened, and the charter members started signing on. On Feb. 20, 1994, the 1st Sunday in Lent, WOLD closed its charter and was received into the ELCA as a official congregation. 44 names were signed to the charter. After chartering, WOLD “left the nest” and relocated to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Lancaster.
In 1995, Pastor Lengert began covering the pastoral vacancy at Trinity Deaf Church in Reading, while maintaining her work with WOLD. Pastor Lengert led worship twice a month at each congregation. In 1998, Pastor Lengert resigned from WOLD and accepted a call to Trinity Lutheran Church in Reading to serve Trinity’s Deaf members.
WOLD’s first pastoral vacancy lasted three years. Council President Donald Johnston, Sr., and his wife, Pauline (council secretary), are credited with keeping the congregation going during this time. The Rev. Jack Hoffman from the synod office aided WOLD greatly during their long search for a pastor.
The Rev. Russell A. Rockwell, then serving at Bread of Life Lutheran Church for the Deaf in Minneapolis, Minn., was called to serve WOLD.
Rev. Rockwell’s acceptance of the call to WOLD had this distinction: it was the first time WOLD chose its pastor. The call was issued by the Synod in August 2001.
In addition to the pastoral charge for WOLD, Rev. Rockwell was given responsibility for synod-wide Deaf ministry as “Deaf Missioner.”
In 2003, WOLD began using a video projector with worship and bible study — the visual element significantly enhanced WOLD’s ministry.
In Advent 2007, WOLD relocated to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lancaster. St. Peter’s had just expanded their building, and welcomed WOLD into their new space as part of their own mission to the community.
Bible studies and midweek services did not happen often at the downtown location, but they flourished at the St. Peter’s site. Since 2008, bible study attendance has been comparable to worship — an average of 20 at worship and 18 at bible study. WOLD members also very much enjoy attending St. Peters’ Lenten & Advent midweek services.
WOLD's unique ministry draws people from 13 different zip codes, some from as far as 30 miles away. Only 6 WOLD members live within a 3-5 mile radius of St. Peter’s. Non-members actively contribute to the life and mission of WOLD, and are mostly Hearing people who know sign language, and attend for various reasons.
In 2010, WOLD increased worship to three times a month, and added weekly worship during the seasons of Lent and Advent. The goal is to achieve weekly worship.
WOLD shows movies of interest to the wider Deaf community, and is a big supporter of ELDA. WOLD remains a mission-support congregation, receiving support from the synod, the national church, local and out-of-state congregations.
Because WOLD is a Deaf Church, you can expect to see a lot of sign language! If you are a Deaf person, you can expect to see & meet other people like yourself. You will feel comfortable, and you will feel like you can relate.
If you are Hearing, and you’re learning sign language, WOLD is a good place for you to come! Guaranteed — you will learn & pick-up more!
If you don’t know sign language, come anyway! You will learn from the experience, and you will feel inspired from the warm community we have!
Our worship service has liturgy (an order of service) projected onscreen, which you can read & follow. We have no voice interpreters, but most times, pastor has copy of sermon to give you.
Come early for worship — enjoy the coffee fellowship before the service.
If you’re watching my v-log video now, tell me! Come to church, and tell me, “I saw your church website v-log, and I’m here!” It will thrill me to know you saw it and came! So, come!