Funeral For Terry McCann

Obituary

Terence Wayne McCann, age 78, of Marion, Indiana, passed away December 16, 2025, at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne. Terry was born in Marion, Indiana, on January 25, 1947, to the late Marion Carl McCann and Donna Jean (Huston) Harris. He graduated from Mississinewa High School and entered into the United States Army where he honorably served his country from 1966-1968. He married Sherry Carvin on March 20, 1971, in Gas City, Indiana. Terry was retired after more than 30 years of service with Delco-Remy. After his retirement, he employed as a custodian at Mississinewa High School in Gas City.

Terry McCann

Today we are here to remember the life of Terry McCann.

Let me speak for just a moment directly to the family and those closest to Terry.

It is OK to Mourn -

At a funeral the Family, extended family, Friends and neighbors come together they greet each other and those closest to the deceased, they give their condolences, and they sit through a service to pay their last respects.

For you, the family, this is a time where you feel loved and cared for as you begin the mourning process. However this is just the beginning and the hard part starts when the funeral is passed, the visitors are gone, and you are left with just your thoughts, memories, pictures and despair.

So I say it again, “It is OK to Mourn.” We here in this sanctuary mourn with you. And when the sadness comes we want you to know we are here it is an open invitation to come and we will cry, laugh, listen, and help in any way that we can.

I want to start today by saying that I loved getting to know Terry and my only regret is that I didn’t get to know him better. On several occasions we interacted and each time Terry shared with me his love for God and his desire to serve. I know that Terry loved to teach the word a task that he relished in as he taught a Sunday School class regularly at Sunny crest Baptist Church and a task that he was asked multiple times to fill at New Hope when Mike Crouch, Terry’s Sunday School teacher, was absent. One of my own favorite memories is that one Sunday I mentioned a quote from the late preacher Adrian Rogers and Terry loved listening to Adrian Rogers so the next week Terry brought me this."Adrianisms, The wit and wisdom of Adrian Rogers”. As a pastor I sometimes wonder if anyone really ever listens to what I say and when I add quotes into my sermons I think are important or add to the understanding I rarely know if it makes any difference to others. However, in this case, I know that it absolutely mattered to Terry and he wanted to show his appreciation by giving me this gift. I will cherish it. And I will also use it in fact I will sprinkle a few Adriansims in throughout the rest of this sermon.

Terry was a wonderful man of God and today we have the opportunity not just to remember him but honor the life he lived but we can’t do that without worshiping the Lord Terry worshiped. We have read the obituary which gives us a brief glimpse at the major details of his life, when he was born, who were his parents, when he served in the Army, whom he married, and where he worked. These are all incredibly important facets of Terry’s life but he would be the first to tell you today that they while important were not THE most important part of His life.

In 2023 Terry became a member of New Hope Baptist Church and as part of that membership process I get the privilege of reading the Testimonies of each potential member. Here is Terry’s: I don’t recall the exact date but a man who I worked with started witnessing to me and it was during these conversations that I began to be convicted of my sin. (Let me interject one of those Adrianisms her to help explain something, ORANGE) However, that is not where Terry asked for forgiveness. Upon being drafted into the Army Terry recieved a Gideon Bible and he held onto that Bible for years. Inside the front cover of that Bible was printed the plan of salvation. The life death and resurrection of God and the call for me to repent of my sins, ask for forgiveness, and turn from my old ways and turn toward Jesus. Terry read that plan of salvation and it cut him to the core. He realized his own need for forgiveness and his depraved heart and he fell on his knees and asked Jesus to forgive him. From that time on it changed everything and Terry couldn’t wait to tell others about his new found faith. He couldn’t wait to get back to work and tell that man who had witnessed to him about the decision he had made. From that time on Terry said that he did all that he could to memorize scripture and telling others about the love of God and the salvation that only Jesus can bring. Let me again give you one of those Adrianisms, GREEN.

Those words written by Terry are the most important facet of his life. For they are the only words that carry with them the certainty of an eternity in heaven with God Terry’s Heavenly Father instead of the eternal torment in Hell for the punishment of his sins. Terry had a decision to make concerning his sins and He chose Jesus, and because He chose Jesus his eternal home is secure.

Our Eternal Home

Read Scripture: John 14:1-6

In times like these, when we are mourning the loss of someone special to us, we can feel like the whole world is crumbling down around us, and it is at these times that we need to remind ourselves of the truths of God. Here is another Adrainism, “Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view.” That is exactly what we mean by reminding ourselves of the truths of God, it is not that we want more of our truth, we already know we don’t have all the answers so what we need is truth that actually works.

The truth that Jesus is attempting to get across to us is that we have a placed prepared for us if only we will believe. Jesus is reminding us that we don’t have to let our hearts be troubled if we believe in Him, and that last verse we read is of utmost importance. John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” There is no other way into heaven apart from Jesus Christ. When Jesus says “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He means, “No one”. There is no one who has breathed air on this planet apart from Jesus himself who has not sinned and that sin must be punished by a righteous God. So don’t confuse yourself into thinking that you can somehow be good enough or be righteous enough without Christ. Without Jesus you are lost, but with Jesus everything is changed.

Our belief in Jesus has the promise that He is preparing a place for us. A home, a beautiful home. Jesus has gone before us to prepare that house. It says that there are many mansions in my Father’s house, and one of those is there for every believer who calls upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Now the great thing for Terry today is he is there right now with his Heavenly father experiencing that God built home. And it is a perfect home that will never decay or wear out. There are no cracks in the walls, and there never will be.

Jesus doesn’t build inferior mansions. He only builds the best, and His methods are always perfect. Jesus is the Son of God, and we call Him that because God the Father said that Jesus was His son and Jesus called God His Father. God sent the Son down to us, down to this sin-filled world, as a man so that He could live the life of a man. Jesus didn’t build inferior mansions, nor did He live an inferior life. The life that Jesus lived was perfect, it had to be. You see, what Terry understood that day he fell on his knees after reading the plan of salvation and what he would tell you today if he was here, was that sin had corrupted his life and that sin deserved death, but for the perfect life of Jesus. Jesus came because humanity’s sin was too much for us to bear. Therefore, Jesus had to live the life that we cannot, a life without sin. Jesus’ life was then sacrificed on the cross so that God could place the punishment for all of mankind’s sin on His Son, Jesus. The payment for all of our sins was placed on the body of the only one who was sinless. And once that sin was paid for, Jesus died.

And if that was the end right there, then it would be no more of a historical blip than anyone else who would have died, but Jesus was different. If Jesus were just a normal man and not God, not sinless, not perfect, then His death would have to happen over and over again and again and again. But oh, the joy that we get to share because Jesus did not stay dead. He rose, defeating death so that we might have life. Jesus’ resurrection gives us life. Terry knew about Jesus and His sacrifice for his sin and he believed. Do you believe? Jesus says that He has gone to prepare a place for you because He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life, and no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. Adrain Roger said this about salvation, “I promise you on the authority of the Word of God if you will trust Christ as your personal Savior, He will save you. I you can show me any time, any place, or anywhere that someone came to Jesus Christ in sincere repentance and faith and Jesus did not save that person, I’ll close this Book and never preach from it again.” What Adrain Roger’s knew, what Terry McCann knew and what I want to make sure you know today is that when you put your faith in Jesus Christ you will be saved.

I ask that you all would bow your heads with me, and if you would like to receive the promise of Jesus Christ as your savior, then I ask that you believe in your hearts that God raised him from the dead to save you from your sins. You can call out to Him now to save you. If you would like, you can repeat this prayer of salvation after me.

God, I know that I am a sinner / but I know that you provide mercy from my sin.

I believe that Jesus came and died for my sin / I believe he didn’t stay dead but rose so that I may have life.

Today I place my belief in Jesus’ sacrifice / I ask that you call me your child / I ask to receive your gift of Mercy

In Jesus Christ’s most precious name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer today, I ask that you come and speak to me after the service. In fact I want to give you one more Adrainism to settle the matter. BLUE

Benediction - Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. [Amen] 2 Thess. 3:16