ILC Newsletter
Every other month we get an update on what’s been happening recently at our
Immanuel Lutheran High School, College and Seminary in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
“Run with endurance the race set before you.”
ILC’s new professor is the son of John and Sharon Schierenbeck of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He is also the brother of Professor Jeffrey Schierenbeck of Eau Claire; Michael Schierenbeck of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Amy Mielke of Eau Claire; and Dawn Watson and Scott Waugh both of Columbia, South Carolina.
Dan has completed several half marathons and 10k races, even conquering the infamous Hospital Hill in Kansas City, Missouri. This is a remarkable feat considering his health history. What is even more remarkable is the spiritual race that led Dan to be a professor at Immanuel Lutheran High School and College.
Dan was born in Spokane, Washington, on New Year’s Eve 1969. Shortly after his birth, Dan was diagnosed with a hole between the two ventricles of his heart. The Lord provided a world class pediatric heart surgeon who banded his pulmonary artery when he was six weeks old. This minimized the leaking and made it possible for him to survive until he was five years old and could have open heart surgery to repair the hole. The Lord blessed both of these operations.
In July of 2008, when he was donating stem cells for his brother Mike’s stem cell transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, it was discovered that he needed open heart surgery again to repair his pulmonary artery and also a small hole in his heart. A year later, he had open heart surgery again to replace his pulmonary valve. He continues to run his race.
Dan’s “race” was blessed by a Christ-centered education with special Christian teachers. He attended grade school at Gethsemane Lutheran School in Spokane, Washington; and at Holy Trinity Lutheran School in West Columbia, South Carolina. He then graduated from Immanuel Lutheran High School and College. The Lord was preparing him for his appointed race.
The Lord provided a helper suitable for Dan in Sharon (Sherry) Babb from Tony, Wisconsin. He blessed them with three special daughters: Morgan, who will graduate next spring from the University of Central Missouri with a degree in economics; Hannah, who will be a freshman at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire; and Allie, who will be a sophomore at Immanuel Lutheran High School.
He developed an interest in English and English literature in his classes with Professors Paul Koch and John Lau. Dan earned his master’s degree in English at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire. He went on to get his Ph.D. in English at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Dan taught at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri, near Kansas City, for seventeen years. He served as the chair of the English department there for the past three years.
Little did anyone know that all of this was in preparation for the next big step in his life. In the fall of 2018, Dan received the call to teach English at Immanuel Lutheran High School and College. The Holy Spirit led him to accept this call. The Lord had it all figured out. They sold their house in Warrensburg to the first couple that looked at it. Sherry came up to Eau Claire in June for a job interview with Child Support of Eau Claire County, and a week later the job was hers. The sale of their house closed on July 11. Sherry’s new job began on July 15. The professorage was ready for their furniture on July 18.
As Dan and his family settle in to new challenges and a busy life, they are encouraged by the writer to Hebrews to “run with endurance the race set before you looking to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) Jesus has provided another gift to build up the body of Christ.
John Schierenbeck, father of Dan, is a retired pastor and former President of the CLC. He and his wife Sharon now make their home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.