The Deaf Church in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire took part in the Oxford Deaf Festival this year, a vibrant two-day gathering that brought together over 700 people from across the UK and beyond.
The festival was a rich celebration of Deaf culture, language and community, with visitors from Belgium, Estonia, Switzerland, the USA and more in attendance. Taking place from 26-27 September, the festival aimed to bring together Deaf, Deafblind, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing communities.
It was an important opportunity for the Deaf Church to be visibly part of this wider gathering, especially at a time when traditional places to meet are in decline.
The Revd Dr Hannah Lewis, diocesan chaplain for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, hosted the stand at Oxford's Town Hall. She reflected on the importance of the weekend:
“Deaf Festivals are newly significant gathering places for all generations of the Deaf BSL-using community and their allies. Since the closure of the traditional Deaf centres, the Church has been less visible in the community, and it was important to the Oxford Diocesan Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODCD) that we were present to remind people we are there for them.
"I had a wonderful time signing with all the people who came over to ask questions, or just for a chat."
The Deaf Church was represented by ordained and lay volunteers, many of whom served in practical roles throughout the weekend. Their presence was a visible witness to the church’s welcome, hospitality and inclusivity.
The Deaf Church Roger Nascimento, one of the LGBTQIA+ chaplains for the diocese, shared how deeply he was moved by the sense of openness and belonging:
“Hannah had a Pride Flag pin on her lanyard to testify of the inclusiveness of her ministry and of the Deaf Church in Oxford to LGBTQIA+ folks. I was moved by her deliberate signalling during the Oxford Deaf Festival.”
Roger described the festival programme as a 'fabulous experience', full of laughter and joy.
On Saturday evening, three stand-up comedians brought the house down. Cutting-edge technology ensured that no one missed out, combining on-stage British Sign Language, simultaneous oral interpretation, and live remote captioning. The result was a truly shared experience, with comedians playfully interacting not only with the audience but also with the interpreters and transcribers.
This year’s Oxford Deaf Festival was filled with laughter, conversation and shared faith - testament to the rich blessings of Deaf culture, language and community within the Church.
Find out more about the work of Hannah and the Deaf Church in our diocese.