"Dan is a Son and He is Home" — Funeral of Daniel E. Heidemann — August 21, 2026

"Dan is a Son and He is Home" — Funeral of Daniel E. Heidemann — August 21, 2026

Author: Rev. Christopher Gillespie August 22, 2026 Duration: 19:00

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Let us remember with thanksgiving what God has done through His servant Daniel E. Heidemann.

Dan was given life by his Creator and was born on January 21, 1954, in Sheboygan, the child of Lester and Marion (Habeck) Heidemann. On February 21, 1954, at one month old, he received the gift of Holy Baptism in his own home at the hands of the Rev. E. Zapf and became a child of God. On April 7, 1968, at this altar, he publicly confessed his faith and was confirmed, and was given the words of his Lord to carry with him: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” He received the precious gift of the Lord’s life-giving body and blood. On February 29, 2008, he received the gift of a beloved companion in his wife, Bonnie M. Backhaus, and with her the gift of children and grandchildren: Adam and Danielle, and Cameron, Thomas, and Caleb. God blessed Dan’s life with many special people as he served God in his vocations at home, church, work, and in the community — on the family farm he grew up on, at Fleet Farm Auto Service, the FS Waldo Feed Mill, Gehl Corporation, and the Kohler Company. Finally, on August 7, 2026, God blessed Dan with a holy death and took him home to rest in the arms of Jesus to await the resurrection of the dead. He will be laid to rest in St. John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, at the congregation where he was baptized into Christ, confirmed in the faith, and fed at the Lord’s Table all his life.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord. We give thanks to God our Father through Jesus Christ, our Lord, for our brother Daniel.


In the quiet community of Random Lake, Wisconsin, Preaching and Teaching from St. John Ev. Lutheran Church (Sherman Center) offers a steady voice of Lutheran tradition and scriptural reflection. This podcast is an extension of the congregation's life, featuring sermons and lessons grounded in the confessional standards of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Listeners will hear the consistent, expository teaching of Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie, which aims to draw the community deeper into the Word. The content is shaped by an unconditional subscription to the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, providing a clear theological foundation for every discussion. Episodes are recorded within the context of regular worship and study at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church & School, reflecting the rhythm of parish life. It is a resource for members and those curious about confessional Lutheranism, seeking thoughtful engagement with Christian doctrine. The tone is pastoral and instructional, focusing on the gifts found in Lutheran teaching. By tuning in, you join a gathering centered on scripture, much like the physical congregation in Sherman Center. This audio ministry serves to enlighten and reinforce faith through deliberate, careful biblical exposition. The podcast functions as a digital sanctuary for reflection, learning, and spiritual nourishment, extending the church's mission beyond its geographical walls. It is for anyone seeking substantive religious content from a specific, traditional Christian perspective.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Preaching and Teaching from St. John Ev. Lutheran Church (Sherman Center), Random Lake, Wisconsin
Podcast Episodes
St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord: Luke 1:39-55; Galatians 4:4-7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:04
46 And Mary said:“My soul magnifies the Lord,47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.49 For He…
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers—Matthew 21:33-46 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:25
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when…
The Parable of the Two Sons—Matthew 21:28-32 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:49
28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to th…
The Fruitless Fig Tree—Matthew 21:18-27 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:30
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately…
Jesus Cleanses the Temple—Matthew 21:12-17 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:40
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is w…
Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight—Matthew 20:29-34 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:58
29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!…
Jeremiah: Chapters 13-15 — August 9, 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:50
God’s word for what He made Israel to be is clinging: “as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel… to cling to Me” (13:11). The sash that stops clinging rots in a hole by the riv…
"The tears of your Savior settle it" Trinity 10 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:57
Jesus cries twice in the Gospels — once at a grave, and once outside a church. The grave we understand. The other one is worse, and it is the only thing in that whole city worth crying about. You can read God's oath that…