Who We Are

"Ephphatha" is an Aramaic word that means "to be opened". It is found in the 7th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, which tells the story of how Jesus put his fingers into the ears of a man who was Deaf and changed him into a physically hearing person. It is an event that shows the power of Christ in the world, and yet, Christ's power is not manifested in the actual event of hearing. It is manifested in the lives and hearts of people who have

Open Hearts

and lives, through Christ's action of grace and love, to the Son of God who brings Good News to all. The ministry of Heartland Ephphatha is known in the world through the

Open Hands

and hearts of people who proclaim Christ in a language that is very different from that of spoken English. It is a language, a culture, a way of being that is vibrant, alive and growing in the Word and witness of Christ.

What We Do

We serve the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in South Dakota. Heartland Ephphatha is a

Ministry

of the people who are Deaf in South Dakota. It is:

• Bible Study for the Deaf
• Worship at Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls in American Sign Language
• Fellowship opportunities for the Deaf in a Christian setting

Newsletter

Would you like to know the latest news on what's happening at Heartland Ephphatha? Click the picture below to download our latest monthly newsletter - and there's an update about our trip to ELDA, too!

Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to see these documents. Don't have it? Download it free.

October 2006

Past Newsletters:

• August 2006
• December 2005

Why We're Here

Because Jesus ministered to, healed and brought forgiveness to all people and because every person should have the opportunity worship in their own language.

Our Mission

is to make worship, Bible study, and fellowship opportunities available to all people in South Dakota and Southwest Minnesota who are Deaf and hard of hearing and their hearing families and friends regardless of denomination or affiliation.

Our Purpose

is to reach the largest unreached people group in North America. Only about 2% of Deaf people have accept Christ as their Savior. Most Deaf people have never seen the Gospel presented to them in their own language. We help minister to Deaf believers so they can spread the Good News to others.