Visually Impaired

The WELS Mission for the Visually Impaired helps congregations share God’s Word with those who cannot see or who because of visual impairment or a print impairment cannot read a book or other printed material. Copyright law allows MVI to provide a wide variety of Christian resources for free to anyone who qualifies.

Volunteers at the Mission for the Visually Impaired Workshop in South St Paul, Minn. and across the US produce Christian materials in audio formats, braille and large print. These materials are distributed free of charge throughout the world to WELS and non-WELS people who need them.

Video includes audio description

Note: This video includes audio description for the blind and visually impaired. Audio description is added narration which describes visual content that a visually impaired listener would not know about.

To see Jesus and hear his voice

Blindness and vision impairment can be disorienting for congregational interaction, Christian education, and family life. The solutions sometimes fall under the category of Christian compassion, simply being willing to listen, visit, and befriend someone at church who has lost their vision. Church members who lose their eyesight may feel very alone and isolated. They may not know how to cope and or how they can thrive in their spiritual life. School age children who are visually impaired need Christian instruction even if they need to attend public schools that do not offer Bible history and instruction. Members of the Mission for the Visually Impaired are available to encourage and advise anyone who is struggling with vision loss. Representatives can help churches and schools adapt to serving and including people with vision loss in the life of the church and in Christian education.

Mission for the Visually Impaired provides Meditations devotions, Forward in Christ magazine, Northwestern Publishing House books, and others. Check out our online catalogs of resources for yourself or a loved one!

Because many blind people now use Internet readers and can listen to audiobooks on their devices, Mission for the Visually Impaired offers materials through an online library, the WELS Listen Library. This password protected website has materials that can be read, listened to online, or downloaded to a device. Mission for the Visually Impaired provides Listen Library access to those who need audio or braille to read Christian materials.

WELS Listen Library

Christian books, periodicals and worship resources are available free of charge to anyone who has a visual or print impairment through the Listen Library. The Library is password protected.

To apply for access to the library or materials from the catalog, or to refer someone who qualifies for these services, complete the MVI Service Application form. People who already have registered with the Mission for the Visually Impaired will receive a password to use the library and can order materials by phone 651-291-1536 or email [email protected].

Some audio resources from the MVI catalog are available on the WELS Listen Library. See what’s available!

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