Are you having trouble hearing in church? If you are, you’re not alone. Working as an audiologist at Allina Medical Clinic-Northfield, I find that this is one of the most common complaints I receive from people with hearing loss.
It makes sense when you consider the following:
- Many spaces for religious worship are large with high ceilings.
- The level of sound can range from a person to a soft voice to loud music.
- As sound travels through the air, it loses its punch and gets softer.
- There may be other sounds between you and what you want to hear such as people shifting in their seats, kids talking and paper rattling.
A panel discussion on hearing in religious services planned for June 15 will offer the community an opportunity to discuss the challenges that are often faced by people with hearing loss. We will also discuss solutions.
I’ll be sharing some solutions that can help make it easier for you to hear in religious services.
One of those solutions for people with hearing loss is a loop system. This consists of a configuration of wires that are hooked into a space’s sound system. When a person wearing a hearing aid accesses the telecoil program in their hearing aid, the sound from the sound system goes right into the hearing aids.
A temporary loop system will be installed in the First United Church of Church sanctuary for this event. This will allow people with hearing aids to experience a loop system firsthand.
If you wear hearing aids and plan to attend, you will want to see your audiologist or hearing instrument dispenser to make sure your hearing aids will work with the loop system.
Loop systems have the potential to help people with hearing loss hear better in any meeting space large or small. Debby Larson from College City Sertoma will be sharing resources that Sertoma has to support communities in getting spaces looped.
Two clergy in Northfield—Pastor Todd Smith Lippert of First United Church of Christ and Pastor Will Healy of Emmaus Church—will share their perspective in how they approach leading services for people with hearing loss.
There will be plenty of time for discussion and questions.
If you are someone with hearing loss or know someone with hearing loss, I’d encourage you to attend. It will be a great conversation.
Hearing In Religious Services Panel Discussion
Saturday June 15th
10:00 -11:15 am
First UCC Northfield
300 Union St.
Please contact Shannon Garlitz with questions at Shannon.garlitz@gmail.com or at 507-412-0066.