Born and raised in Texas, Jerry Sanders attended a number of schools before he graduated at Texas School for the Deaf. He graduated from Gallaudet University with a BA in Mathematics in 1977, then received a Master’s degree in Deaf Education in 1994 from McDaniel College.

Leslie was born and raised in New York. She attended Public school with no supportive service for the Deaf.

Jerry and Leslie met at Temple Deaf College in 1977. They got married and lived in the Kansas City area for over 30 years. They have three adult children, two of whom are also Deaf and they are blessed to have seven grandchildren.

During their time in Kansas City, they were involved in the planting of a Deaf church where Jerry served by teaching, preaching, and leading in worship. He also worked at Kansas School for the Deaf as a teacher and computer room coordinator. 

In 2018, a few years after retiring, Jerry and Leslie decided to move to Wisconsin to be near their youngest daughter. They began their search for a church that interprets for the deaf members and discovered Wausau Alliance Church which had a deaf ministry. 

The ministry was started by Don Ketter, whom Jerry knew from Gallaudet University for he and his friends led Don to the Lord.  When Don was dying, he wasn’t happy that he had to leave the ministry with no one to lead.  He wanted to know if there was someone who could take over. His pastor at the time encouraged him that God will provide a leader and to trust Him according to the verse in Philippians 1:6.  

Within a few months of visiting Wausau Alliance, Jerry and Leslie became members of the church. Pastoral staff began to see God’s hand at work in bringing the Sanders to the Wausau area and began to encourage Jerry to lead the deaf ministry. It is here that God has led Jerry back to his passion for teaching the Deaf about the Bible. 

Wausau Alliance Church is a part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) denomination. The district leadership of the CMA, along with the local church pastors started to also share the vision they had for planting 3 churches in 5 years. There is a great need for the deaf community to know Jesus so we are listening to the call to share his Kingdom and join as laborers in the harvest (Luke 10:2). It is for that reason Jerry and Leslie began considering planting a deaf church.

We are excited to say that as of October 17, 2021, the deaf ministry at Wausau Alliance Church, being shepherded by Jerry and Leslie Sanders, has launched as Restoration Church for the Deaf.