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	July 2003
		A Quick Word by Paul Grayston
			Looping the Loop! There are people among us who are missing out on what the rest of us take for granted. Week by week, some of us are missing out on hearing the scriptures read, taking part in the singing, sharing in the celebration of the Holy Communion, and joining in intercessary prayer. Those affected endure indignity and discomfort or stay away from church altogether. People with difficulty hearing, and particularly those who wear hearing aids, have a tough time in church. Most of us find it difficult to appreciate the difficulties of using a hearing aid in a crowded place, where there is much background noise and reflected sound. The unaided ear has a remarkable ability to screen out background noise and to select the sounds we wish to concentrate on. Hearing aids, unfortunately, are not so forgiving and tend to amplify extraneous sounds. In a church service the prayers, readings, music and preaching, even with amplification, seem swamped or muffled for the hearing aid wearer. There is a solution! Enter the Induction Loop System. The Loop is literally a loop of wire fitted under the floor coverings or around the wall and hooked up to an amplification system. Sit within or near the Loop, switch the hearing aid to the 'T' Position (which stands for something or other) and all sound is cut out apart from that picked up by the microphones up front. The Loop can cover an entire building or, for economy, run around a selected area such as a few church pews. Ear symbol signs identify the area. Other hearers are not affected by the Loop. After the fitting of an Induction Loop many report hearing the prayers, the readings and the Thanksgiving for the first time in years, and in crystal-clear sound. Some say the music sounds as clear as a CD. Others have begun to attend church again regularly after having given up because of being unable to hear comfortably. Many feel welcome and included again. Sweeping A campaign is presently sweeping the United States and Europe calling for Induction Loops to be fitted in all churches. All churches in Denmark are now equipped and most in England. In America entire towns are working to have all their public buildings Looped. It is something we need to take up in our churches. None of us wishes anyone to miss out on the experience of worship. We owe it to those among us with hearing difficulties to make the effort. I hope we care enough. [The Tasmanian Anglican invites readers to write in with their experiences of Induction Loops.] - contact the Editor