Our Pastor -- Rev. Dana Newhouse
Grace and Peace to you all from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a short autobiography of my life for everyone.
I served on Active Duty in the United States Navy as an Electronic Warfare Technician beginning in May of 1977 and retired as a Chief Electronic Warfare Technician (EWC, E-7) in May of 1997. Duty Stations included USS Kitty Hawk CV 63 (two tours), USS Guam LPH 9, and Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station (three tours). Remarkable events during service included the Iran Hostage Crisis, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Awards included the Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), Good Conduct Medal (five awards), Navy Expeditionary Medal (two awards), National Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation (two awards), Battle “E” Efficiency Award, and Sea Service Deployment Award (3 awards).
Here is a short autobiography of my life for everyone.
I served on Active Duty in the United States Navy as an Electronic Warfare Technician beginning in May of 1977 and retired as a Chief Electronic Warfare Technician (EWC, E-7) in May of 1997. Duty Stations included USS Kitty Hawk CV 63 (two tours), USS Guam LPH 9, and Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station (three tours). Remarkable events during service included the Iran Hostage Crisis, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Awards included the Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), Good Conduct Medal (five awards), Navy Expeditionary Medal (two awards), National Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation (two awards), Battle “E” Efficiency Award, and Sea Service Deployment Award (3 awards).
During my 20-year career in the Navy I attended college courses at San Diego Community College and the Troy State University Branch Campus at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida as I worked toward an Electronics Management Degree to help me advance in rank in the Navy. I stopped attending college classes after I earned my promotion to the middle management level rank of Chief Petty Officer in 1985 and my eventual assignment to the management level position of Division Officer in 1990. I was stationed on-board the aircraft carrier, USS Kitty Hawk CV 63, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1990 when I first met my wife, Susie.
I was intrigued and felt compelled to date Susie after she told me that she would only agree to date me if I would attend church with her. Although I had turned away from God when I was a teenager, God was always present and faithful in calling me into a relationship with God over the years through the witness of many faithful servants of God. I finally realized as I attended Peace Lutheran Church with Susie and the other welcoming members of God’s people there that I was being drawn by the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Gospel to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I was baptized on October 8, 1991.
On the day of my baptism I was given a Bible and I took my Bible with me on a two-and-a-half-month cruise and I read it all. Once I had started reading the Bible, I couldn’t seem to stop and felt the desire to share the Good News of Jesus with everyone I met.
Shortly thereafter, Susie and I were married on December 31, 1991 at Peace Lutheran Church in Connersville, Indiana. I continued to study and learn God’s Word in Sunday School class, small group Bible Study groups at our home and others' homes, during worship service and when our Pastor would visit us occasionally at our home. Looking back now, I believe that God was preparing and equipping me for service in God’s Church. Eventually, Susie and I felt God’s leading through prayerful discernment as we were filled with the desire to serve as Youth Group Leaders from 1996 until 1998 at Peace Lutheran Church and I also felt led to teach the High School Sunday School class for 12 months during that time. I received my call to ordained ministry during the time I was serving as a Youth Group Leader. I also felt led by God to serve at Peace Lutheran Church as a Deacon, lay reader, and by leading and preaching at the worship service on Sunday when it was necessary for my pastor to be out of town.
After I retired from the Navy in 1997, I taught a few electronics courses at IVY Tech State College in Richmond, Indiana before I decided to pursue a job at the local Post Office in Connersville, Indiana where we had bought a house. After I felt God's leading to pursue my call to ordained ministry in 1998, I enrolled as a full-time student at Indiana University East (IU East) in Richmond, Indiana to finish my undergraduate college degree in preparation for entering Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Shortly after classes started at IU East, I was offered and I accepted a full-time job at a local Christian Television Station (WKOI) in Richmond, Indiana as the Assistant Chief Engineer.
I graduated from IU East with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies with an area of concentration in the Behavioral and Social Sciences in May of 2002 and I was admitted and began attending classes at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in September of 2003. In addition to attending classes at the seminary, I served the congregation of First English Lutheran Church in Richmond, Indiana by helping the Senior Pastor and Associate Pastor in leading the Contemporary, Traditional and Holden Evening Prayer services on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings and helping in all aspects of ministry there as well.
After I graduated with a Master's Degree of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in May 2008, I felt led by God and God's people to accept a Call to begin serving God and God’s people as the Pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Terre Haute, Indiana in September of 2008, where I am currently serving.
God’s Blessings to you all,
Dana Newhouse
I was intrigued and felt compelled to date Susie after she told me that she would only agree to date me if I would attend church with her. Although I had turned away from God when I was a teenager, God was always present and faithful in calling me into a relationship with God over the years through the witness of many faithful servants of God. I finally realized as I attended Peace Lutheran Church with Susie and the other welcoming members of God’s people there that I was being drawn by the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Gospel to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I was baptized on October 8, 1991.
On the day of my baptism I was given a Bible and I took my Bible with me on a two-and-a-half-month cruise and I read it all. Once I had started reading the Bible, I couldn’t seem to stop and felt the desire to share the Good News of Jesus with everyone I met.
Shortly thereafter, Susie and I were married on December 31, 1991 at Peace Lutheran Church in Connersville, Indiana. I continued to study and learn God’s Word in Sunday School class, small group Bible Study groups at our home and others' homes, during worship service and when our Pastor would visit us occasionally at our home. Looking back now, I believe that God was preparing and equipping me for service in God’s Church. Eventually, Susie and I felt God’s leading through prayerful discernment as we were filled with the desire to serve as Youth Group Leaders from 1996 until 1998 at Peace Lutheran Church and I also felt led to teach the High School Sunday School class for 12 months during that time. I received my call to ordained ministry during the time I was serving as a Youth Group Leader. I also felt led by God to serve at Peace Lutheran Church as a Deacon, lay reader, and by leading and preaching at the worship service on Sunday when it was necessary for my pastor to be out of town.
After I retired from the Navy in 1997, I taught a few electronics courses at IVY Tech State College in Richmond, Indiana before I decided to pursue a job at the local Post Office in Connersville, Indiana where we had bought a house. After I felt God's leading to pursue my call to ordained ministry in 1998, I enrolled as a full-time student at Indiana University East (IU East) in Richmond, Indiana to finish my undergraduate college degree in preparation for entering Trinity Lutheran Seminary. Shortly after classes started at IU East, I was offered and I accepted a full-time job at a local Christian Television Station (WKOI) in Richmond, Indiana as the Assistant Chief Engineer.
I graduated from IU East with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies with an area of concentration in the Behavioral and Social Sciences in May of 2002 and I was admitted and began attending classes at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in September of 2003. In addition to attending classes at the seminary, I served the congregation of First English Lutheran Church in Richmond, Indiana by helping the Senior Pastor and Associate Pastor in leading the Contemporary, Traditional and Holden Evening Prayer services on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings and helping in all aspects of ministry there as well.
After I graduated with a Master's Degree of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in May 2008, I felt led by God and God's people to accept a Call to begin serving God and God’s people as the Pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Terre Haute, Indiana in September of 2008, where I am currently serving.
God’s Blessings to you all,
Dana Newhouse