 Amber Venner teaching Peter Eckermann some signs Amber Venner and Sandra Hoopmann testing out some sign language Dedicated cameraman Scott Venner
The process to create a new Faith Inkubators Auslan (Australian Sign Language) resource for Bible Song has begun.
Faith Inkubators Australia provides four integrated faith education systems. Bible Song is designed to connect children's ministry (e.g. Sunday School, Children's Club) to the home and to worship. Children engage with key Bible stories by singing, arting, acting, praying and signing through the Bible. The Bible Song approach uses the Bible as a song book with currently 60 Bible verses put to music. It is exciting to see the creation of this new Auslan resource.
"As a parent I'm enthused that my own children are learning an actual language they can use in their everyday lives as they learn the language of faith," said Faith Inkubators Australia National Coordinator, Peter Eckermann.
Using Auslan is part of Faith Inkubators brain based learning approach. Sign language is all about patterns. It creates motion and meaning and connects multiple areas of the brain and body all at once. Like learning to ride a bike, once sign language is mastered, it is rarely forgotten. It appears that this "skill memory" has an unlimited storage capability in the brain and is among the most easily retrieved of all long-term memories. In this way we are cementing God's Word into patterns that our learners will recall for the rest of their lives.*
The LLL meeting room was transformed into a film set last week, complete with studio lights and a green screen, for the first day of filming. Though there were a few ‘lost in translation' moments, the day went well. Fortunately, Auslan Consultant Sandi Hoopmann was on hand to help with tricky translations.
The new Australian face of Bible Song is Amber Venner, who has worked as an Auslan interpreter for 10 years. Amber's parents are both profoundly Deaf, and her father is the pastor at the Adelaide Deaf Community Church in South Australia.
"I love Auslan – it is such a beautiful language and I'm really excited to be sharing it with a new generation of young people," Amber said, "maybe some of these kids will be inspired to get involved with Deaf Ministry later on".
Amber currently works as the Promotions Officer for Australian Lutheran College, and is a News Editor and writer for Lutheran Media Ministry and The Lutheran.
The Auslan Bible Song resources will be available from November. For more information about Bible Song or Faith Inkubators Australia, contact Peter at peter@faithink.com.au for more details or visit the website www.faithink.com.au.
*From the ‘Brain Theory White Paper' by Rich Melhiem
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