Ceri-Jayne Hawley
Ron and Carol
Southwick
Shirley
Graham
Jill Weber
Mike Merkle
Newsletters - Staff and Ministry Center
Recently a meeting was held in the Pittsburgh area. Two Deaf women who are very much in love with Jesus decided to become staff of Deaf World Ministries. They will have roles of working with the new "In His Hands" magazine which is being launched by Deaf World Ministries, shortly. They both have very important roles with the magazine, and with the new Deaf Church in Pittsburgh.
In addition to roles with the magazine they have been involved in very special ways with the launching of the new Deaf Church of Pittsburgh.
More information will be available soon regarding these new leaders, the magazine and the Deaf Church. Keep checking back for the latest stories!
Ceri-Jayne was born in South Africa and has been Deaf since birth. She attended St Vincent School for the Deaf in Johannesburg, South Africa. She became a Christian at the age of 13. After graduating, she worked as an architect for several years. She traveled in many nations on her own prior to entering full-time ministry. In September 1994 she attended the Discipleship Training School and School of Evangelism in YWAM. She also participated in the Billy Graham School of Evangelism and later, the World Perspectives Course sponsored by U.S. Center for World Missions at World Outreach in South Africa. She also attended the Deaf Ministries School at Deaf World Ministries, and joined as staff.
She has ministered to the Deaf in Latvia, England, Holland, Botswana and in Copenhagen, Denmark at the World Games for the Deaf, South Africa and the USA. Ceri-Jayne has also spoken to colleges, organizations and churches about the culture and needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She conceived the idea and assisted in operating the National Christian Interpreters Seminar held for three years in Pittsburgh, PA.
She serves Deaf World Ministries as a full time missionary, in variety of capacities, secretary, consultant on Deaf issues, teacher and ASL instructor for the ministry. She is also the associate pastor of New Life Deaf Church where she leads worship and preaches on a regular basis and leads Wednesday night Bible Studies.
She is a clear communicator and her heart is on fire to see her people group reached with the Gospel. Because of her heart for the Lord and evangelism, she has personally been involved in witnessing and leading Deaf and hearing people to the Lord
As a full-time missionary with DWM she is sent out from her home church in Halfway House, South Africa.
Shirley Graham has been on the governing Board of Deaf World Ministries since 1999 and has been serving the ministry and New Life Deaf Church faithfully over the years. Shirley has demonstrated her willingness to serve and help in many ways. She is also a committed and faithful member.
She has demonstrated a love for Jesus as she seek to learn and grow as she attends weekly Bible Studies and practices the truth she learns. She is also faithful to express her commitment to the body of Christ in service in ministering to the church in many helpful ways. Her participation in our Deaf Family Nights and Deaf Fellowships has been a great inspiration and encouragement to the leaders and the body of Christ.
Shirley was appointed a Deaconess in New Life Deaf Church on Sunday May 11, 2003. Her obvious commitment to the Lord and those she serves has demonstrated the ongoing work of Jesus in her life.
We are happy to see her growth in the Lord Jesus and her intense desire to continue to learn more!
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Mike Merkle has been with Deaf World Ministries and New Life Deaf Church since 1999. He has shown great interest in growing in the Lord. Mike has also expressed his faith to others. He is a witness with his life and his actions. His growth in the past has demonstrated that He loves Jesus. He works at a job full time and ministers part -time with DWM. Mike has been serving the ministry working in many areas of ministry. Mike is always there to give a helping hand, whether it is mowing, fixing vehicles or working on the church. He has shown his heart to serve. He had proven his character and service that he is committed to the Lord Jesus. Mike was ordained as a Deacon in New Life Deaf Church and as a staff member for Deaf World Ministries on Sunday May 11, 2002.
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Jill Weber was born and raised in Connecticut and has been deaf
since birth. In 1994, she accepted salvation, was baptized at the Living Rock
Church in Killingworth, CT and during that time she met Marty, her husband of 10
years. A year later, 1995, Marty and she decided to get married. During the
wedding, Pastor Ryan Young’s prophecy was that they would gather the deaf and
hearing people to serve God in the future.
In 1997, her son Michael was born. Then in 1998, God was calling Jill to move to
Pennsylvania where Marty’s family lived. Marty and Jill took their chance
and followed God’s will and moved to Cabot, PA. They didn’t have jobs, but
trusted things would work out. Then it was discovered that Michael was deaf,
probably since birth, so it was decided to move to Pittsburgh and buy a house
near Western Pennsylvania School of the Deaf, Michael’s new school.
She is now a member Cornerstone Ministries in Export. Then she became a leader
of VIP (Visually Inspired People) Bible Study, for the hearing impaired and
signing hearing people, at her home. She recently has earned a diploma from the
Silent Word Ministries and is currently home learning from the Deaf Bible School
in Arizona.
She loves to encourage and teach deaf people to learn more about Jesus and His
salvation.
She decided to become a staff member of Deaf World Ministries works with the new
“In His Hands” magazine and is excitedly looking forward work with the staff of
DWM.
Ron attended Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs from 1969-1971. After leaving NBC he moved back to California where he lead a youth ministry at the North Hollywood Church of the Nazarene and led Bible studies for youth at his home. He also led a witnessing team to Hollywood every Friday night for almost two years.
In 1973 Ron and his family of three children moved to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area where he began a coffeehouse ministry among the local young people. Many were on drugs and alcohol. But soon a move of God began to happen as they saw many young people come to the Lord. These young people were discipled almost nightly as they met five nights a week to study the Word of God.
In 1975 he began an independent church called Living Waters Fellowship. This grew out of the coffeehouse ministry as a result of the young people becoming saved. After a time Ron felt God was calling him to become involved fulltime with a hearing missions organization.
In 1978 he and his family moved to Solvang, California to attend a YWAM missions training school. In 1982 with a team of 13 people they moved to Titusville, Pennsylvania. They pioneered a ministry center for training and discipling hearing people who had a desire to become involved in missions. Later, Ron felt God leading them to start focusing on Deaf ministry and established a Deaf ministry in Titusville in 1994.
In May of 1999, after a lot of prayer and consulting with his leadership, it was agreed that Ron and Carol were to begin a separate and distinct ministry called Deaf World Ministries at their current location. Thus began the new ministry to specifically target reaching the Deaf people group. The ministry center is set up to be as close to Deaf Culture as possible and to see Deaf people trained and sent out, in-turn, training and sending other Deaf to fulfill the Great Commission.
Ron is available to speak to churches and workshops regarding Deaf awareness, Deaf culture, and preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Carol is the mother of four children. All are grown and on their own. She functions as secretary and accountant along with her many other duties as a wife and mother. She has also home schooled her son who graduated in May of 2000. She has also been a supporter of the Deaf and ministers to them through friendship evangelism. She serves on the board of Deaf World Ministries as Treasurer.
Original Page date - February 27,
2000
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