"Ordained to the world, not just to the deaf"

By NEVA RAE FOX

Communicating is not a problem for Christine Selfe. She communicates with everyone she can in many ways – vocally, American Sign Language (ASL), email - it doesn’t matter to Christine. She has a message and she communicates it.

The Rev. Christine Selfe is the vicar for St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf in Manhattan, a calling she has enjoyed “one year exactly on January 5,” she smiled. “It’s been a wonderful year.”

While questions and conversations were presented to her in ASL through an interpreter, Christine answered vocally, always with a smile and an expressive face.

The Rev. Christine Selfe at her ordination to the priesthood with Bishop Catherine Roskam in 2004. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Christine Selfe

Her calling to St. Ann’s may be only a year old, but she’s been affiliated with the church for many years. She’s been a part of St. Ann’s since 1982 “when I first came to St. Ann’s as a student assistant,” she said. “Since then, it’s been an ongoing relationship with St Ann’s.”

“I came as a student in college,” she elaborated. “I’d come to New York and I’d visit St. Ann’s. I attended St. Ann’s while I was at GTS.”

But she was quite familiar with St. Ann’s long before entering GTS. “In the deaf community, you get to know all the deaf churches.”

In fact, Christine is proud of her church and of her diocese as St. Ann’s is the oldest congregation for the deaf in any religion, founded in 1852.

“St Ann’s is the first set-up in the world for the deaf congregation in any denomination,” she pronounced. “There are over 40 congregations where deaf worship regularly. Many of these are predominately hearing churches that utilize an interpreter. There are a growing number of churches where services are held in ASL as the primary language. As a matter of pride, again, St. Ann’s was the first to that.”

She feels “awesome” to be the vicar of one of those congregations.

Meet Christine
Born and raised in central Pennsylvania, Christine lost her ability to hear as a child. “I was born with jaundice and sustained loss of oxygen during blood transfusions,” she shared. “The medical professionals told my parents that if I survived I would be mentally retarded. So they attributed any trouble I had understanding speech to mental retardation. I was eight when I was finally diagnosed as hearing impaired. My hearing loss is classified as progressive Sensori-Neural.”

Christine’s Alma Mater is Gallaudet University in Washington DC, which, according to its web site, “leads the world in undergraduate liberal arts education, career development, and outstanding graduate programs for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students.” (http://www.gallaudet.edu).
It was there that Christine found the ECUSA. “I become interested in the Episcopal Church when I met the Rev. Jay Croft through the campus ministry at Gallaudet University in 1981,” she noted. “I was confirmed by Bishop John Walker in 1982.”

A 2004 graduate of General Theological Seminary, Christine’s first week of seminary was the week of September 11, 2001. Her face grew sad and reflective when speaking of that memorable date. “For me, it was a matter of learning that I really could trust God in all circumstances. I knew it before, but that moment when it comes very clear, and very much a part of you, that happened that week. You can move on, in spite of the fear. That first day was so much.”

Today, living in Brooklyn, she is active in the deaf and disabled communities. She quickly points out that St. Ann’s is accessible for the physically challenged. “It’s a big pet peeve that many of our churches are not accessible,” she stated.

But she’s also very clear about her role in the Episcopal Diocese of New York in helping the deaf and hearing impaired community. “I make myself available,” she stressed, noting that she will assist any congregation or priest who wants to reach out to the deaf and hearing impaired. “It’s part of my ministry,” she said. “It would be helpful if the clergy in the diocese has deaf members, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Her ministry doesn’t stop there. Christine looks straight in the eye and states, “I don’t want to limit my ministry just to deaf people. I’m ordained to the world, not just to the deaf.”

Christine is a member of the national network the Episcopal Conference of the Deaf, and she’s hoping to attend General Convention 2006 in Columbus Ohio in June to share the news about the growth and opportunity in the deaf community. (http://www.ecdeaf.com/)

In her spare time, Christine’s an avid reader and has started a new venture – she’s currently writing a children’s story.

Email aids the deaf community
Modern communications systems are also part of her work in the church. “I have an on-line ministry and through that I have people who serve from as far away as Norway, Australia, Scotland. They contact me for spiritual advice.”
She recognizes the impact of today’s communications vehicles. “Email has really opened up the world for the deaf community,” she stated. A web site is in the works, she promised.

A Glimpse of St. Ann’s
Christine has tracked a lot of changes at St. Ann’s. “It’s very exciting to see,” she explained. “In the past we had bi-weekly services. First thing I said is that we will have services every Sunday.”

That’s a promise she has kept. Sometimes it’s new people coming to church. Sometimes it’s the “old” people coming. “Every Sunday is different people,” Christine said. “I don’t have the same people every Sunday. It varies, it’s small numbers, but there’s growth because there are new people.”

She is glad that her congregation is varied. “Right now 90% of my congregation is deaf. The other 10% are hearing, but they are people who are involved in the deaf community.”

Whereas services at St. Ann’s are conducted in ASL, “I will voice if necessary to meet the needs of a deaf and hearing congregation."

“One of my hearing members is an interpreting student from NYU. She grew up Episcopalian and started coming. When necessary I ask her to voice and interpret.”

She is reaching out to Columbia University and has what she calls “a small ministry there.”

“Many of my members are elderly and they are located in all areas of the diocese, because they cannot travel to the diocese, I go to them. I do a lot of traveling.”

She smiles broadly when sharing the Mission Statement for St. Ann’s. “The new Mission Statement,” she points out. “It may be long but it tells a lot about us.” (see side story)

The Mission Statement shows purpose and meaning while illustrating its outreach. It’s a statement for all people. “This is no obstacle to their inclusion and oneness in our Christian family,” it states.

She added, “God willing, the church will continue to grow.”

St. Ann’s is located at 209 E. 16th St., New York, NY. Phone: Dial 711 (Local) 1-800-421-1220 (Outside NYC) then give operator (212) 673-2653 (TDD); (646) 247-1046 (Pager) Email:acselfe@tmail.com.