The Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Institute of Christian Education (Deaf Institute) in Cincinnati, Ohio, helped start a deaf
program at the North America Christian Convention (NACC) by using a overhead projector in 1968. Cheryl Nagel, the deaf
daughter of Cecil Bennett, who founded DI, was the first and only deaf person to show up at the NACC in 1968. Cecil
continued to get more deaf to attend NACC each year.
In 1975, Deaf Missions started the idea of having a convention for the deaf all day, but mainstream with NACC every evening.
This idea became the "NACC Deaf Convention." Attendance varied each year within the largest attendance being 75 deaf and hearing signers that attended the NACC Deaf Convention in Indianapolis in 1986.
After 1986, the attendance has not gone over 25. The small number of deaf Christians who faithfully attended NACC wondered, "Why wasn't the attendance of deaf Christians growing at NACC Deaf Convention each year?" This core group included Gary & Phyllis Wilson, James & Deborah Wines, Janice & Jerald Erkerle, Terry Dowling, Gail Carr, Cheryl & Tim Nagel, and Rod & Brenda Burke.
During North America Christian Convention (N.A.C.C.) in St. Louis , Missouri in 1993, James Wines and Rodney Burke were discussed about the deaf convention similiar to N.A.C.C. They were very concerned about the low turnout of the deaf Christians at N.A.C.C. They decided to call the deaf Christians to the special meeting at the hotel where they were staying. James Wines and Rodney Burke made the announcement to almost 13 deaf Christians and about 40 hearing signers that a meeting would be held one evening at 9 pm to discuss starting a "deaf owned" Christian convention. Twelve out of 13 deaf Christians and only 1 out of 40 hearing signers showed up for that meeting. It is interesting to note that the only hearing who showed up was Bryan Eubanks, the director of Deaf Institute! They proposed that they should have their own deaf convention. At first, they were shocked to learn about this proposal.
They boldly agreed to proceed with the idea. They debated about the name of the deaf convention. They voted to name National Christian Convention of the Deaf as known as N.C.C.D. Then they again debated about where to host at. They finally decided to draw the paper with name of city on it out of the bag. The 1st draw was Detroit, Michigan. Scott Hembree, who lived in Dearborn, Michigan, was not ready to take up on it. Then the 2nd draw was Charleston, West Viriginia. Rod Burke accepted to take up on it.
The rest is history - the purpose of NCCD is to be a "Deaf NACC" where deaf Christians and hearing signing Christians from all over the world are welcomed to fellowship within each other, to be uplifted spiritually & emotionally by worship serices, to attend workshops, spend refreshing times on a field trip, and have a formal banquet.
NCCD was born out of NACC at that meeting in St. Louis on July 1993 (Remember that great flood of the Midwest?). It was at that meeting that the name "National Christian Convention of the Deaf" was chosen. It was also decided that the meeting that the first ever NCCD would be in Charleston, West Virginia, on one weekend in October 1994.
In 1975, Deaf Missions started the idea of having a convention for the deaf all day, but mainstream with NACC every evening.
This idea became the "NACC Deaf Convention." Attendance varied each year within the largest attendance being 75 deaf and hearing signers that attended the NACC Deaf Convention in Indianapolis in 1986.
After 1986, the attendance has not gone over 25. The small number of deaf Christians who faithfully attended NACC wondered, "Why wasn't the attendance of deaf Christians growing at NACC Deaf Convention each year?" This core group included Gary & Phyllis Wilson, James & Deborah Wines, Janice & Jerald Erkerle, Terry Dowling, Gail Carr, Cheryl & Tim Nagel, and Rod & Brenda Burke.
During North America Christian Convention (N.A.C.C.) in St. Louis , Missouri in 1993, James Wines and Rodney Burke were discussed about the deaf convention similiar to N.A.C.C. They were very concerned about the low turnout of the deaf Christians at N.A.C.C. They decided to call the deaf Christians to the special meeting at the hotel where they were staying. James Wines and Rodney Burke made the announcement to almost 13 deaf Christians and about 40 hearing signers that a meeting would be held one evening at 9 pm to discuss starting a "deaf owned" Christian convention. Twelve out of 13 deaf Christians and only 1 out of 40 hearing signers showed up for that meeting. It is interesting to note that the only hearing who showed up was Bryan Eubanks, the director of Deaf Institute! They proposed that they should have their own deaf convention. At first, they were shocked to learn about this proposal.
They boldly agreed to proceed with the idea. They debated about the name of the deaf convention. They voted to name National Christian Convention of the Deaf as known as N.C.C.D. Then they again debated about where to host at. They finally decided to draw the paper with name of city on it out of the bag. The 1st draw was Detroit, Michigan. Scott Hembree, who lived in Dearborn, Michigan, was not ready to take up on it. Then the 2nd draw was Charleston, West Viriginia. Rod Burke accepted to take up on it.
The rest is history - the purpose of NCCD is to be a "Deaf NACC" where deaf Christians and hearing signing Christians from all over the world are welcomed to fellowship within each other, to be uplifted spiritually & emotionally by worship serices, to attend workshops, spend refreshing times on a field trip, and have a formal banquet.
NCCD was born out of NACC at that meeting in St. Louis on July 1993 (Remember that great flood of the Midwest?). It was at that meeting that the name "National Christian Convention of the Deaf" was chosen. It was also decided that the meeting that the first ever NCCD would be in Charleston, West Virginia, on one weekend in October 1994.