Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
When I first walked into St. Stephen’s, I knew the acoustics would be a challenge. My internship was in a congregation without carpet and, like us, loved its music. I had to learn to enunciate in seminary, so I was no stranger to the challenge.
How we hear anything is quite a marvel of engineering. And most of us take such a miracle for granted—until it becomes a challenge, of course.
This week’s announcement that hearing aids can now be sold over the counter is remarkable news. Early devices by Sony and Bose look quite promising, especially given they are well under the low end of current hearing aid pricing, making the cost a fraction of what many are paying now.
This means more people can get hearing aids that need them. As it is, many don’t seek help. Like several people in my family, whom we accommodated and encouraged.
We are also working to upgrade the sound system in the church, including a hearing assist system that should make things easier for many.
What all of this highlights for me is just how complex hearing actually is. How much a speaker does to make themselves heard and understood. And how much the hearer strives to hear. We can be grateful that there are things we can do to make it easier.
With love,
Drew