Christians United Church

PASTOR JAMES A. AND KAY MCKINNEY

Soldiers' Memorial Chapel is the successor to all the Chapels of Fort Benjamin Harrison for the past 100 years as well as the only Soldiers' Memorial structure ever erected within Historic Fort Benjamin Harrison.

Here, Pastor McKinney has found his perfect niche. He served in the Marine Corps, World War II. He is an ordained minister in the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church and has been an active pastor for over 50 years.

When the Fort closed, the members went many directions, but a faithful and hearty nucleus persevered. Pastor McKinney came on the scene in 1999 and joined forces with the people and today we have a dynamic and joyous fellowship.

We are multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-ethnic.

As a Marine and because of 9-11, Afghanistan and Iraq, Jim is committed to see that this Memorial Chapel become established as an everlasting place of comfort and solace.

Jim and Kay truly love this chapel, its mission and its wonderful people.

Sermon Notes For Sunday,

February 7, 2010

"It's All About Worship--Walking with God"

We want intimacy with God and so we sing:

           “I want Jesus to walk with me.

                      I want Jesus to walk with me.

                      All along my pilgrim journey,

                      Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

           In my trials, Lord, walk with me.

                      In my trials, Lord, walk with me.

                      when my heart is almost breaking,

                      Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.”

           Worship is walking with God.

           “Put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the water.

                      Put your hand in the hand of the Man who parted the sea.

                      Take a look at your life, and you will look at others differently,
By putting your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee.”

        In this magnificent scripture, Isaiah 6, we find God and we worship.

        We worship, stand in His presence when our new church baby, Caetlyn Rose, opens her eyes each Sunday. We look in and see the face of God. We speak to her and she smiles, the smile of God. Her mother adores her and her family surrounds her with protection. May we all see God in her eyes. You can’t be closer to God than that.

        I visited a very aged mother in the hospital this week. She opened her eyes and I saw God. I see God when the moon is full as it was this week. I see God and worship him when the full sun bathes the new-fallen snow. I see God in everything about me. And so life is a constant worship and praise to his name. (Give it up for Jesus!)

        Look at Isaiah 6:1-8.  Isaiah documents worship when he writes,

        “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord.” That’s worship. “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs (angels) were in attendance above him; each had six wings. With two they covered their faces, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

                ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts;

                the whole earth is full of his glory.’

        “The pivots on the threshold shook at the voices of those who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said,

‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts!’” (Intimacy with God!)

        God, our Holy Father, wants us to experience his glory, his holiness.

His glory!

        How do we get there? It is God’s supreme gift to us.

        Listen: God loves you! God forgives you! God wants you to share his glory! -- Yes!

        How? “One of the angels flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The angel touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:

        ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’

And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

(We are God’s yes!)

        And he said, ‘Go and say to this people: “Keep listening...!”’”

        And so we sing it, “I’ll be somewhere a’listening.

        I’ll be somewhere listening.

        I’ll be somewhere listening for my name.

        I’ll be somewhere a’listening.

        I’ll be somewhere listening.

        I’ll be somewhere listening for my name.”

        But it was our friend “Satchmo” who captured the moment of worship when he sings What A Wonderful World.  Listen -- join me:

“I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. ‘how do you do’
They're really sayin'......’I love you.’

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll ever know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.”

        I see God  -- in you.

        Take someone’s hand and say “Thank you.”

        Luke 5:1-11.  Jesus is by the lake -- Peter says, “I am a sinful man.” Jesus said: “Do not be afraid -- you will catch people -- (they left everything and followed him).”  That’s the key.

                “Give it all, give it all, give it all to Jesus

                and He will turn your sorrow into joy -- Follow Him”

Worship Him

Be Cleansed.

Be Whole.

Then you will have “A Wonderful World.”

Sermon Notes for Sunday, January 31, 2010

           I had two special calls Monday, the first from a 94-year-old friend of God. He was a pilot in World War II and then became a school administrator. He and I came to town at the same time. My wife was ill and without telling us, he chartered a plane and flew us to Rochester, Minnesota, to Mayo Clinic where my wife’s brother was a surgeon. His whole life is a YES to God. I hope to see him soon.

           The second call was from a Marine veteran. In the process of his work when he came home, he developed and owned 57 different businesses at one time. But “stuff happens” and he landed in prison for 12 years. He can still make it. Our Heavenly Commandant has a future for Ron. For just as Jeremiah heard from God, so do we. Think of the ways God has spoken to you. Name them. One by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

           Lesson one today is Jeremiah 1:4-10: “Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, get this: ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...I consecrated you...I appointed you a prophet...you shall speak whatever I command you. (Listen to God) Do not be afraid for I am with you.’ The Lord touched his mouth saying, ‘I have put my words in your mouth.’” (Think of it.)

           If he did this for Jeremiah, he does it for you as well!

You are God’s somebody!

This is your captain speaking: Forward march!

Believe it!

           Lesson two is Psalm 71:1-6: “In you, O Lord, I take refuge. You are my rock and my fortress.” Confess it with your mouth!

“Rise up, O men of God!”

           Lesson three: I Corinthians 13:1-13: Love is the engine that drives our soul.  Love never runs out of fuel.

Without love I am nothing!

           Love is patient -- kind -- rejoices in the truth.

Love never ends.

           Faith, hope, and love abide. And the greatest is love.

Love is the engine that drives the soul.

           Lesson four: Luke 4. Jesus was handed “the book of Isaiah” and opened it and found the place where it was written:

           “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. (Wow)

           Because he has anointed me to preach the gospel.

           He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

           to preach deliverance to the captives,

           and recovery of sight to the blind,

           to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

           to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (2010)

           He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled....”

           He was preaching truths and they took offense.

           All in the synagogue were filled with rage.

           They drove him out of town to a hill to hurl him

           off the cliff. But he passed through the midst and went

           on his way. Sorrow of sorrows, to drive God away.

           Rage, anger, rejection of Jesus, brings brokenness, sadness, suffering and death. (Take this truth to heart) Rage, anger, rejection of His message)

           Jesus goes on without us when we reject him that others may follow and discover eternal life. (Beautiful example of young faith -- baptism)

           Ron and Joyce McKee  were in worship last Sunday in their daughter’s church in Michigan. Their grandson Colin Heffel just last Friday finished boot camp in the Marine Corps and then hurried home so he could be in his own church to be baptized on Sunday morning. It meant a lot to him to have this done as a culmination of his Marine Corps boot training, to be in the presence of his family. Semper Fi!

Victory in Jesus!

           “I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory,

           how he gave his life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;

           I heard about his groaning of his precious blood’s atoning,

           then I repented of my sins and won the victory.

                      Chorus:  O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!

                      He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood;

                      he loved me ere I knew him, and all my love is due him;

                      he plunged me to victory beneath the cleaning flood.

           I heard about his healing, of his cleansing power revealing

how he made the lame to walk again and

           caused the blind to see;

           And then I cried, ‘Dear Jesus, come and

           heal my broken spirit,’

           and somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.

                      Chorus:  O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!

                      He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood;

                      he loved me ere I knew him, and all my love is due him;

                      he plunged me to victory beneath the cleaning flood.

           Hey! He’s got the whole world in His hands!

Victory in Jesus!