Deaf Ministries

Deaf Ministries at First UMC Lakeland

Our Deaf Ministries exist to serve people who are deaf or hard of hearing, providing a place to encounter Jesus Christ, grow in faith, and share life together with family and friends. We are committed to preparing and equipping deaf and hard-of-hearing Christians to become strong spiritual leaders in their church, family, and community—leading others to Christ through their witness.

Each week, our 9:30 a.m. contemporary worship service is interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL). Additional services, classes, and events may also be interpreted upon request. To further support communication and connection, we offer free Beginner’s ASL classes for anyone who wishes to learn—whether to communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, prepare for ministry interpreting, or sign songs in worship.

• Class Schedule (resuming September 8, 2025)

  • Mondays in Room C-204 or via Zoom

  • 6:30–7:30 p.m. – Basic ASL Vocabulary

  • 7:30–8:30 p.m. – Songs in Sign

  • For Zoom login details, please contact Sarah Hester.

In addition, we invite you to explore our YouTube playlist featuring more than 100 contemporary worship services with ASL interpretation. Each service is designed to help you fully experience the message, music, and community of worship, whether you are joining us in person or online.

At First United Methodist Church of Lakeland, our prayer is that worship and fellowship will be a true blessing as together we celebrate God’s presence.