As part of my journey toward ministry, I spent time in Iowa, as an Assistant Professor in the Speech and Hearing Department at The University of Iowa. It is one of the few departments on the Iowa campus that has its own building. It’s located between the football stadium and the basketball and wrestling arena. That isn’t what makes the building unique. Known as the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center, it Is three floors, …well actually 3 and a half floors.
When the building was constructed an anechoic chamber was built on one side. It is a self-contained room, surrounded by concrete. The foundation, walls and ceiling are a series of cones which are at least 6 feet deep. The floor that one walks on is actually in the middle of the room. It is composed of wire mesh suspended in the center of all the cones. The room was the highlight of tours for prospective students at The University of Iowa. The door to the room was about 3 feet thick, and when closed the room was utterly quiet. This is the room where it is so quiet, you can hear a pin drop.
You could hear your own heartbeat and if you stayed still long enough, even the blood rushing through your ears. It is the quietest place I have ever visited. In some ways it is a peaceful place. Because there is no reverberation, your own voice sounds very different. No one spends a long time in the room, unless they are setting up an experiment.
The room offered each of us who visited it, insight about how one’s hearing can be affected by the sounds, or lack thereof, around us. It was revealing to know that the muffling that occurred in the room was sometimes how people heard sounds all the time. Becoming quiet enough to listen for one’s heartbeat and blood circulation took time and skill. The desire to say something became stronger, even when the goal was to sit quietly and listen for sounds within us.
Time in that room taught me so much about how important the quiet spaces can be for our lives. Listening is as essential to communication as speaking. Over the next few days, each of us will be invited to listen, not only with our ears, but also with our hearts and spirits. I encourage each of us to hold one another in a loving embrace as the time for General Conference is at hand. Create quiet spaces for prayer, reflection and discernment as we support the delegates at this special Conference. Listen to the words being spoken, and listen to what is coming from the hearts and souls of all of us as we gather together for this momentous time. And Amen.