Sermon: The Funeral of Thekla Heuermann

Asleep in Jesus,
Thekla Anna Katharina Lindemann Heuermann
5 April AD 1916 – 24 April AD 2008

On 5 April in the Year of Our Lord 1916, our Creator granted a daughter to Ernest and Clara (Meyer) Lindemann of Union City, Oklahama. On the 26th of that month, by the hand of Pastor Oskar Burkhardt, she received the washing of water and the Word in Holy Baptism through Immanuel Lutheran Church of Union City, becoming a child of God and receiving the name Thekla Anna Katharina. Her family moved to the Concordia area, becoming members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where she attended and graduated the parochial school. There, after instruction by Pastor Brust, she publicly confessed the Christian Faith on the 13th of April, 1930 in the rite of Confirmation and was admitted to her Lord’s altar to receive the life-giving gift of His body and blood. Thekla’s confirmation verse stands her well even in death, serving as the text of her funeral sermon.

She met Edwin J. Heuermann, a member of Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri. They married on 20 March 1938 and she transferred her membership to Holy Cross. Each remained a member of Holy Cross until death.

Edwin and Thekla farmed for many years, finally moving into Concordia in 1973. God granted her many relatives and friends as she served the Lord in her vocation as wife, citizen, and Christian. However, sadness also touched her with the death of her only child, Nyla Kay, in 1952. She attended services at Holy Cross faithfully until her health became poor and remained active in worship at the Good Shepherd Home.

After leading her through several years of struggle with declining health, God blessed Thekla with a holy death, taking her home on 24 April in the Year of Our Lord 2008. Resting safe in the arms of Jesus, she awaits the resurrection of the dead and reunion with friends and family. These include her departed parents; husband; daughter; four brothers, Louis, Richard, Albert, and Theodore Lindemann; and one sister, Esther McDonald. They also number her surviving brother, Norvin Lindeman, of North Kansas City, Missouri and several nieces and nephews.

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 sister Thekla.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Sermon Text: John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Sermon Theme: Grafted, Grown, and Gathered

Readings: Psalm 23; Isaiah 27:2b-6;James 3:11-18; John 15:1-8, 11

Technorati Tags: Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Thekla Heuermann | Heuermann | Thekla | Lindemann | funeral | burial | obituary | Easter | 28 April 2008 | April 28, 2008 | Baptism | Holy Baptism | baptismal regeneration | death | life | resurrection | John 15:1-8, 11 | John 15:5 | sermon | text | theme | topic | branches | vine | I am the vine; you are the branches | mp3 | audio