The Trinitarian

Trinity Heights United Methodist Church, Newton, Kansas July 2015

Rev D writes…

I cannot possibly introduce myself without mentioning that I have two children. My daughter, who

lives in Florida and is 28, is a social worker. I also have a son who lives between Colorado in the

summer and Alaska in the winter. My son was home this last weekend for a wedding with all his

buddies who affectionately reminded me that my name is “Rev. D.” The ‘REV’ is for Richard E.

Voteau, my father, and I am his daughter as my son reminds me. (He is definitely my son.) It was

so fun to see him with all his buddies and get to be at a lovely wedding. Life’s passages are really

important. When the priest thanked the couple, Todd and Rachel, for inviting all of us to celebrate

with them, he said we were all a reminder of Christ, who attended a wedding, to the couple. Also,

he assured them we did not have the ability to change water into wine. What a great sense of

humor from a priest.

I am telling you all that because I am often asked: what do I like to be called; Pastor Donna or

Donna or Rev. D. or I have a name plate on my desk that says Most Holy Rev. (just kidding on the

last one). I will answer to any name and I want you to use what feels comfortable.

Let’s see though, I should probably tell you I am a huge Cardinal fan since I grew up in St. Louis. I

love KU basketball and since one of my Louisburg kids, whose father was the building chair, is a red

shirt at KU, I may actually have to start rooting for KU football also. I do have tremendous respect

for Coach Snyder and if I could pastor like any coach I would hope it would be just like him. If I can

help each of us constantly get better in our lives at living like Jesus then I have done my job as a

pastor.

VBS is one of those huge parts of my life. It is where I first learned to memorize scripture, learned

great songs I still love to sing like the B I B L E and Deep and Wide complete with actions. I loved

crafts. I remember wishing that every Sunday could be just like Vacation Bible School. I am so ex-

cited to experience our VBS. I loved the jungle when I was in Africa for two years as a missionary

in Liberia so this will be great. My daughter’s church did this same VBS in Bradenton, Florida and

the children are still talking about it.

I can’t wait to get started and to get to meet all of you in person. Remember, a name tag will help

me to learn names. Oh Yah one last thing the VBS cheer. Two pats on your lap and then a clap of

your hands and then the chant VBS VBS Do WE LIKE IT YES YES YES !!! Lets all cheer for VBS!!!

Jungle Safari VBS at THUMC

July 12 - 16

6:00 - 8:00pm

Register by July 1st to receive a T-Shirt

The

Christian

Education

On

Youth

Group

Summer has begun! We have adjusted our regular

Youth Group Schedule to meet twice a month on

Sunday’s and then we have a couple activities during

the month. So far this summer we have done com-

munity service at New Jerusalem and went hiking at

West Lake. Our numbers have been down in atten-

dance due to summertime vacations and sports.

We have our Mission Trip scheduled for August 5th

– 8th (Wed-Saturday). We will be staying in town

and doing work in the Newton/Wichita area. The

plan is to utilize the church for sleeping quarters and

meals. Last year there were church members who

provided meals for the youth either at the church or

in their homes. I would like to see if we could find people willing to do that again this year. It would be

a great help and I am sure the kids would greatly

appreciate it. We may need a male adult to help

with the mission trip this year. If you are interested

in helping with the Mission Trip, please contact me

at crossiter4@aol.com or 316-217-1450.

Trinity Heights Campers

Trinity Heights awarded 8 church camp scholarships

to our children and youth this year. Here is a list of

the United Methodist camps the children attended or

will this summer. When you see them around the

church, ask them about their camp experiences.

Day Camp

Trek Wedel

Little Explorers Overnight Camp

Lucas Kaufman

Young Wonders Camp

Mason Crumrine

Elementary Explorers Camp

Bryttan Adams

Olivia Adams

Lauren Anton

Clayton Kaufman

Junior High Journey

Jaden Anton

VBS

Jungle Safari runs July 12-16 from 6:00-8:00 pm. If

you haven’t turned in your registration card, please

do so as soon as possible.

Some of our THUMC campers

You are invited to join Truman and

Ellenora Meyer at a reception to celebrate

their 70th wedding anniversary. Please join

them in Fellowship Hall on Saturday, July

25th, between 2:00 - 4:00pm to help them

commemorate this special anniversary.

70th Anniversary

THUMC Youth Group Pictures June 6 Community Service at New Jerusalem

June 20 Hiking at West Lake

Doughnuts Before

Work

Azzy Sweeps New

Jerusalem

A hiking we will go...

After hiking . . .

Fishing!

Keaton’s Catch

Today I am writing about how to address a person who has a disability. My

information has come from an article written by Kathie Snow, “PEOPLE FIRST

LANGUAGE”.

People with disabilities constitute our nation’s largest minority group. It’s also

the most inclusive: all ages, genders, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations,

and socioeconomic levels are represented.

Yet the only thing people with disabilities have in common is being on the receiving end of societal misunder-

standing, prejudice, and discrimination. You may not realize is that this minority groups is the only one that

anyone can join, at any time: at birth, in the split second of an accident, through illness, or during the aging

process. If and when it happens to you, how will you want to be described?

Words matter! A disability is a medical diagnosis, and when we define people by their diagnoses, we devalue

and disrespect then as individuals. Using medical diagnoses incorrectly-as a measure of a person’s abilities or

potential-can ruin people’s lives.

People First Language puts the person before the disability, and describes what a person has, not who a

person is. Is a person “handicapped/disabled” or does she “have a disability”? Using a diagnosis as a defining

characteristic reflects prejudice, and also robs the person of the opportunity to define himself.

A Few Examples of People First Language

Say: Instead of:

Children/adults with disabilities Handicapped, disabled, special needs

He has a cognitive disability He’s mentally retarded

She has autism She’s autistic

He has Down syndrome He’s Down’s

Just remember-We are not our disabilities.

I enjoyed reading the article, and it gave me a new perspective about how to speak about disabilities.

www.disabilityisnatural.com.

Connie Rickard

Trinity Heights Respite Care Director

Summer Reading Challenge

“Hit a Reading Home Run” July 28 - August 16

BABIES -- CHILDREN -- YOUTH

Read 10 books from our church library and be able

to choose a new book to be placed in our library in

your honor.

Ice Cream Reward!

NEWS FROM

MISSIONS

July request from Salvation Army

Although they can always use the pb&j and cereal,

July special requests are: vegetables (green beans,

corn, etc), pork & beans and tuna. Remember when

you are out shopping for you family to pick up

something to put in the donation for Salvation Army

collection at church. It can help us remember how

blessed we are.

News From the THUMC Library

Thank you all for your extreme generosity and

thoughtfulness through prayers, words of encour-

agement and favors as requested! Glen, Cheyenne,

Montana and I truly appreciate all of your help.

THANKS! Arlene Garrison

THANK YOU for all the cards and good wishes for our 40th Anniversary celebration. It was a wonder-ful blessing to have all of you encourage us on our journey.

God Bless, Harlan & Judy Rittgers

We want to thank our friends for their cards, gifts,

and presence at our 50th wedding celebration.

Elvin & Betty Melcher

9:00am Potluck Breakfast

Fellowship Hall

10:30am Combined Worship

Sanctuary

Be sure to join us for breakfast and worship on July

5th. Breakfast will be a special time for meeting

Pastor Donna Voteau. Please bring a breakfast dish

to share; table service and drinks will be provided.

Our combined worship will blend our traditional

and contemporary services with something for

everyone.

THUMC Members

In the NEWS! Several of our THUMC members have

been recognized in the local area news recently:

Ann Adrian - Washburn Alumni Association’s

“Distinguished Service Award”

Dr. Deborah Hamm - Nominated for the 2015

Newton/North Newton Woman of the Year

Jill Gatz - Nominated for the 2015 Newton/North

Newton Woman of the Year

Blake Lujano - Received a promotion at Midland Na-

tional Bank where he is employed

and

SUNDAY

JULY 5th for

Please Wear A Name Tag

Sundays

July 5, 12, & 19

To help Pastor Donna get acquainted! Greetings to all of you. I am Judy Rittgers, the new

President of THUMC unit of UMW. I will have lots

of questions and need your advice. Our other offi-

cers for the coming year are: Vice-President - Con-

nie Rickard; Secretary - Dee Schroeder/Pam Wedel;

Treasurer – Phyllis Greene; Communications –

Nancy Martin/Donna Kepley; Historian – Jean

Pauley; Program Resources – Sue Swender; Mission

Outreach – Donna Tanner Mourey. Our new pas-

tor, Donna Voteau will also be on the board. The

Committee on Nominations consist of: 2016-Iva

Reber, 2017-Lorraine Richards, 2018-Betty Melcher.

We all look forward to September when the UMW

activities will begin again. This summer we have

Mission U happening in Salina, July 19 – July 23.

Deadline for refundable registration is June 29, but

you can still register after that. The Executive Com-

mittee will meet on July 11 at 9:00 at the church.

May God bless all of us as we work through UMW

to be His servants in the world.

Judy Rittgers, President

HOW TO REACH US . . .

Trinity Heights UMC

PO Box 232, 1200 Boyd Ave

Newton, KS 67114

(316 283-6410

Church email: trinityheights@att.net

THUMC Website: trinityheightsumc.org

Eli Bontrager 7/1

Adrienne Buss 7/1

Cody Reber 7/1

Kandy Olsen 7/3

Lisa Timmons 7/6

Gerald Greene 7/7

Harlan Rittgers 7/8

Tim Rawlins 7/9

Mary Kaufman 7/10

Sue Engel 7/11

John Lachenmayr 7/12

Dick McCall 7/12

Janean Williams 7/12

Larry Myers 7/13

Pam Wedel 7/14

Tamie Schroeder 7/17

Edd Wallace 7/17

Lois Wedel 7/17

James Brown 7/19

Heidi Vagts 7/19

Richard Walker 7/20

Ben Walker 7/22

Cheryl Williams 7/25

Elda Penner 7/27

Iva Reber 7/27

Chris Brenneman 7/28

Cole Davis 7/30

Jean Pauley 7/30

Jason & Sarah Harkness 7/3

Bob & Donna Nattier 7/6

Rick & Rochelle Glover 7/11

Ken & Connie Rickard 7/14

Tom & Ann Adrian 7/17

Matt & Jennifer Hamm 7/20

Truman & Ellenora Meyer 7/20

Chet & Pat Osborn 7/26

Richard & Ann Walker 7/28

July Birthdays

THUMC CALENDAR . . .

The church calendar can be

viewed by going to the Trinity

Heights website:

trinityheightsumc.org.

July Anniversaries

TRINITARIAN DEADLINE Monday, July 20

for the August Trinitarian

See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God! And

that is what we are!

1 John 3: 1a