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General Conference

Discipline paragraph 3004

The Church and Deaf Ministries Steering Committee

Persons who are Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing or deaf-blind desire to serve the church and become a resource for the whole connection.

Structure
1. There shall be a steering committee composed of ten (10) members recruited by an assigned staff member of GBGM as follows: two persons who are Deaf, two late-deafened, two hard of hearing, one deaf-blind, one deaf institutional ministry professional, and two clergy with experience in ministry with persons who are Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind.
2. The committee shall be inclusive with regard to gender, ethnicity, jurisdictions, and different sign language and hearing abilities.
3. The steering committee members shall elect their own officers: president, vice-president, and secretary.

Tasks and Objectives of the Steering Committee
The Committee shall set an overall agenda utilizing allocated funds for the quadrennium and be charged with responsibilities including:

• providing resources for the general church, annual conferences, faith communities, and local churches; and working with general boards and agencies, and engaging in interagency cooperation especially with the older adult division and the task force on disability ministries.
• developing Christian leadership among the community of persons who are Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing and deaf-blind. This includes having the ability to attend seminaries or other credentialing systems for entering the pastoral ministry when God calls.
• encouraging and nurturing young people who are Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing or deaf-blind to engage in this ministry
• creating new places for worship with people who seek to worship with other people who are Deaf, late-deafened and deaf-blind
• engaging in ministry with persons who have been historically undereducated and underemployed
• improving global health through mission including communication in sign language or other means of communication such as assistive listening devices

Accountability
The Committee will be accountable to an assigned section of the General Board of Global Ministries sharing yearly progress reports and evaluation. The steering committee shall also report to The United Methodist Congress of the Deaf for discussion, sharing information, and plans for implementation.

Summary
In The United Methodist Church, the ministry with people who are Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind is a vital part of our four focus areas, developing leaders and creating new places for worship, including people that have not been included in worship, improving global health and engaging in ministry with the poor.

ADOPTED 2000
READOPTED 2008
AMENDED AND READOPTED 2012
RESOLUTION #3009, 2008 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #111, 2004 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION #101, 2000 BOOK OF RESOLUTIONS
See Social Principles, 162I.

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