Thanking God for sowers, waterers, and reapers

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The Lord has given each of us our own work to do. I planted the seed. Apollos watered it. But God has been making it grow. So the one who plants is not important. The one who waters is not important. It is God who makes things grow. He is the important one. (1 Cor. 3: 5b-7; NIrV).

For the past seven years I have had the privilege of helping you plant seeds, water both tender shoots and mature plants, and harvest souls for Jesus’ sake. It’s now time for another “farmer” to guide and foster this ministry. Occasions like this provide an opportunity to count blessings in the past and anticipate God’s love in the future.

Some of the enduring memories I take from my time here are the comments from our students. They tell how our Bible studies have helped them come to know Jesus or know him better, or how they are eternally grateful for all the volunteers. For instance, William, a student in Arizona says: “I enjoy learning and these study guides bring me joy and shine God’s light in this dark place I’ve put myself in. Thank you for all the encouragement!”

Another memory I take with me is the love and dedication of all our volunteers, donors, and staff. Thank you all for your support and service to the Lord that was not in vain. It was especially gratifying to see the enthusiasm of our volunteers as they labored into their 80’s, 90’s and even 100’s. One of my great joys was providing an opportunity for meaningful kingdom work for seasoned Christians who don’t have other options. I’ll also remember the faces of our volunteers who finished their race here and heard their Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Our verse reminds us that there is only one thing that truly matters, Jesus our God and Lord. He gave us the work to do and blessed it. And there is much left to do. I pray our ministry masters and greatly expands digital delivery of God’s saving Word. I pray that our ministry increases visits to current inmates and mentoring former ones.

As John the Baptist said: “He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30, NIV) I commend this ministry and all of you in Jesus’ harvest field into the nail-scarred hands of him who desperately loves us and those we serve. Trust Jesus as you continue to support and serve in his name.

Dave Hochmuth, WELS Prison Ministry administrator

 

 

 

Integration milestones

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The integration of WELS Prison Ministry into Institutional Ministries (IM) continues apace. Though the full process is expected to take another year, we are approaching some near-term milestones:

  • Current milestones
    Last newsletter – This is the final edition of the WELS Prison Ministry newsletter. Beginning August 2025, news about this ministry will be carried by Institutional Ministries’ “Compassion Newsletter.” Make sure to sign up for this newsletter by going to im.life, scroll down and click on the “Sign Up Now” button.
  • Expiration of Administrator’s call – As of July 1, the administrative responsibilities borne by Dave Hochmuth will be transferred to IM personnel (see “Meet the New Players”). Office staff, including Amy Rich, Beth Kretsch, and Jennifer Bendix, will continue to function in their current capacities.
  • Donations – As of July 1, we encourage all donations to this vital work be directed to Institutional Ministries at 1833 Executive Dr., Ste 101B, Oconomowoc, WI 53066. Gifts can also be given online at im.life/donate. We are so grateful for the faithful support of our donors and urge you to continue to support our efforts through your generous gifts, now to IM. Note that for the time being, WELS will still accept gifts to Prison Ministry. These funds will be used to offset ministry expenses that IM would otherwise incur. If you have any questions about this support, please contact WELS Director of Special Ministries Joel Gaertner ([email protected]).

Future milestones
Much work remains. Institutional Ministries will take the lead in setting future milestones to help the combined ministry thrive. The future tasks include building a unified training program for volunteers; implementing a unified tracking system to ensure all inmates are well-served; combining all funding sources, including estates and gifts from retirement funds; and many others.

 

 

 

Edovo and online correcting news

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Our efforts to make electronic delivery and correction of tests are bearing fruit. After a long struggle, we believe we have ironed out many of the issues that arose during the initial months using our online corrector’s portal. The system is working much more smoothly. In fact, the system is working well enough that tests are corrected within a day or two of appearing on the portal and it appears that there is greater capacity to correct tests than there are tests available to correct. This is great news because it indicates we can expand the number of courses available on Edovo (still only three currently). WELS Prison Ministry and IM have developed an expansion plan and are starting to work on the initial tasks. Please pray for this effort as we seek to make more gospel available to more inmates.

Correctors’ corner

Once again, we want to emphasize the importance of correctors adding encouraging comments to the tests they review. Whether done in writing on a physical test or into a comment box on the online portal, these comments lift our students tremendously. Here are some factors to remember:

    • Please remember to be encouraging regardless of how well a student does on a test. We are commending them for spending time in God’s Word, even if their understanding is still limited.
    • Even a few encouraging words can make a huge difference. It shows Christ-like love, which is severely lacking in their lives.
    • Many of our students have been completely abandoned by their friends and family. That any person would voluntarily take time to look over their work is impressive to them and makes them more apt to take your words to heart.
    • When correctors do not add comments, our office staff has to take time to add them, which takes time from other ministry tasks and hampers our work.

If you want some advice or pointers on how to comment well, please contact our New Ulm office at [email protected] or 507-354-3130.

 

 

 

 

Meet the new players

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One of the blessings of our integration with IM is the additional human resources that will be used to meet ministry needs. A complete listing of the IM staff can be found at im.life/our-staff. We’d like to introduce three of the key players who will have large roles in carrying out the work that WELS Prison Ministry has historically undertaken. These are Rev. Phil Henselin, executive director; Rev. Ed Frey, director of ministry; and Mrs. Tricia Parkhurst, volunteer coordinator. Short job descriptions for each are provided at the link above. Here’s a bit more detail with respect to the integration:

As executive director, Phil Henselin has overall responsibility for ensuring that the integration goes smoothly by assigning the appropriate IM personnel to integrate the new IM tasks with the existing IM work. He keeps the IM Board of Directors informed of all integration activities and works with Joel Gaertner and IM financial staff to take care of the transition of financial support.

Ed Frey, director of ministry, has responsibility for making sure the correspondence ministry and other aspects of WELS Prison Ministry continue and, Lord willing, expand under IM leadership. Ed will work to maintain the library of studies and add to it. He works closely with the volunteer coordinator to ensure the resources are available to get the ministry’s work done.

Volunteer Coordinator Tricia Parkhurst is integrating IM’s volunteer recruiting and support system with that of WELS Prison Ministry. She will support Amy Rich and Beth Kretsch, who will continue to operate the New Ulm office and direct the volunteers there. Tricia coordinates other resources, including IM’s HelpReturning resource database to assist released inmates. This integrates well with our “Mentoring a Returning Citizen” training course.

As this work moves forward, we pray that the LORD of the Church continues to bless this integration effort.

 

 

 

 

Three ways to support WELS Prison Ministry – Summer 2025

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Pray – As God’s redeemed children, our prayers are powerful and effective. Current prayer requests: for guidance in the best use of new technology and opportunities; for success in integrating WELS Prison Ministry efforts with those of Institutional Ministries.

Serve –All our ministry efforts are driven by volunteers motivated by Christ’s love. To inquire about any test correction or pen pal matters, contact our New Ulm office ([email protected] or 507-354-3130). To inquire about serving as a mentor to a returning citizen or making in-person visits to a correctional facility, contact IM’s volunteer coordinator ([email protected] or 414-259-4302).

Give – This is the lifeblood of our ministry. After July 1 we ask that you give directly to Institutional Ministries (see Milestones article)

By mail:
Institutional Ministries
1833 Executive Dr., Ste 101B
Oconomowoc, WI 53066

Donate online at im.life/donate.

Note: All gifts to WELS Prison Ministry received at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry will be used to offset Prison Ministry expenses (before July 1) or forwarded to Institutional Ministries (after July 1). If you have any questions about the transfer of financial support, please contact WELS Director of Special Ministries Joel Gaertner ([email protected]).

 

 

Remembering what motivates us

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We are now in the church season known as Lent, when we retrace the steps of Jesus on his way to the cross. This season is meaningful for all of us, but especially for people behind bars. We see Jesus arrested, put on trial, found guilty (even though he was far from it), condemned, and executed. During this process he is physically assaulted, disowned by friends, and forsaken by his heavenly Father. While it may be painful to revisit these events, it will do us all good. We’ll see many things. Here are a few (all passages New International Reader’s Version).

No matter how great or small our sin is in the world’s eyes, we ALL need Jesus: All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way. And the Lord has placed on [Jesus] the sins of all of us. (Isaiah 53:6)

Jesus was our substitute. He paid for our sins: Christ didn’t have any sin. But God made him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Here we see the height of God’s love: But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Eternal life is ours because of this love: God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Christ’s love motivates our loving actions towards others: Love is fulfilled among us when in this world we are like Jesus…We love because he loved us first. (1 John 4:17b,19)

May this year’s Lent and Holy Week once again be a blessing to you in your daily walk with Jesus. May this journey to the cross also motivate you to serve or give to our ministry because of the impact we are making by the Spirit’s power in the hearts and lives of people Jesus died to save.

Dave Hochmuth, WELS Prison Ministry administrator

 

 

Working together to improve ministry

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We are pleased to update you regarding the intended integration of WELS Prison Ministry (PM) into Institutional Ministries (IM). First, let us assure all of you that while this process continues, we remain committed to our primary mission of sharing Jesus with those who are incarcerated and their families. Note that IM has other people beyond correctional care that will also receive their due attention, but the integration with WELS PM will focus on the correctional care efforts of both ministries. We’re striving to make sure administrative tasks don’t overwhelm our gospel-sharing efforts.

Integration done well is challenging. We are planning how best to continue to carry out our ministry activities in a way that avoids duplication and effectively spreads the gospel. We are being careful and trying to do this well without rushing. In the first half of 2025, we are identifying all the tasks we need to integrate and assigning teams to tackle them. The tasks include our communication efforts, managing finances, tracking ministry and database integration, as well as enhancing our ministry-by-mail (both physical and digital) and face-to-face efforts. We expect the entire process to take up to two years. Fortunately, we have found ways to partner as separate ministries for several years. Working together is nothing new for us. Historically, IM has been the most active distributor of WELS PM Bible study booklets. The two ministries have also collaborated for training activities and materials for at least the last 15 years.

We are truly grateful for all of you who have supported PM’s ministry with your prayers, volunteer time, and financial support over the years. We want to assure you that your support is and will continue to be vital to us as we integrate and beyond. This ministry does not exist without you. Because of this, we have special requests as we work towards an integration.

  • Above all, keep praying for us and the people we serve. We can’t make the integration happen without God’s love.
  • If you are a volunteer, we encourage you to continue to serve as you have been. We are seeking to keep much of the volunteer ministry the same or similar to roles we have had in the past. (Some changes to roles were already in progress before integration. For example, Bible course test correcting has added an option for online test correction, apart from the integration. Your current contacts for your volunteer efforts will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
  • While it will likely take some time to consolidate the financial aspects of the work, we want to assure our faithful donors that their gifts will enable gospel ministry to continue through this process. We urge donors of either ministry to continue to support us using whatever process you have used previously. We will keep you apprised of any changes as the process unfolds.

Thank you for your interest in and support of this vital and fulfilling ministry to these lost or straying souls. What you do for “the least of these” brothers and sisters in Jesus, you do for him.

Dave Hochmuth
Administrator, WELS Prison Ministry

Phil Henselin
Executive Director, Institutional Ministries

 

 

 

Correctors using new online portal

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We’ve had an exciting new development in our ministry. On January 2, we began offering the opportunity for test correctors to review tests online. Now we have two options, namely our original method of review using hard copies and U.S. Mail as well as the new online option. This important development gives us more efficiency (get reviewed tests back to inmates more quickly) and greater capacity, which were needed because our workload went from approximately 100 tests per week to about 300 tests per week after placing three of our tests on Edovo, an online learning management system built for inmates with access to tablet computers.

Some of the reactions from correctors so far include: “Online correcting is sssoooooo much easier for me. And it really takes little time to log in, do a test or two, and return later when I have a small block of time. I pray that this allows many inmates to hear the good news of Jesus. Blessings on all of you who are so committed to our Savior in this ministry!!” or “I’m having a great time correcting online!! This is wonderful!! … It’s kind of like popcorn, you can’t correct just one.” or “I just tried out the new portal and corrected three tests relatively quickly and without any issues. A great addition to speeding up the process!”

One impact of portal correcting is that it has enabled some correctors to be very fruitful and correct many tests, which is helping us catch up from some initial backlog. However, on an ongoing basis it appears that we have an appropriate amount of correctors and do not need to recruit more at this time. We do still have a need for pen pals, though this program still operates exclusively through U.S. Mail. Stay tuned because the workload and volunteer resources are constantly shifting and the need for correctors may reemerge in the future.

 

 

 

Support comes in many forms

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Over the years many people have supported our ministry in many ways, including prayer, volunteer efforts, and donations. Some of those donations have been unusual. Several donors have gifted us with postage stamps, including some Thrivent members who used Action Team funding to do so. The stamps span the range of 1 cent stamps up to the current Forever stamps. Given the price of postage, some envelopes end up with quite an assortment. Some inmates enjoy the variety and have started their own stamp collections. In another case a family has faithfully dedicated the proceeds from a specific portion of what their farm produces every year, whether it is a cow or a crop of soybeans. This type of generosity beautifully reflects Jesus’ love and the many different blessings he gives his people. We are deeply grateful for whatever gifts God’s people have provided, be they time, talent, or treasure. We will need this support going forward as we seek to use all the avenues Jesus gives us to share his Word with people who need and want to learn from it.

 

 

 

Three ways to support WELS Prison Ministry – Spring 2025

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Pray – As God’s redeemed children, our prayers are powerful and effective. Current prayer requests: for guidance in the best use of new technology and opportunities; for success in integrating WELS Prison Ministry efforts with those of Institutional Ministries.

Serve –All our ministry efforts are driven by volunteers motivated by Christ’s love. To volunteer as a test corrector or pen pal, please contact us at [email protected] or 507-354-3130. To explore jail visitation or post-release mentoring opportunities, call 414-256-3243 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Give – We thank our Lord and you for your helpful special offerings to Prison Ministry, which support our efforts to share Jesus with people impacted by incarceration!

To provide additional gifts for Christ’s work through Prison Ministry:
WELS, Attn. Gift Processing
N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI, 53188
(Make checks payable to WELS and list Prison Ministry in the memo line.)

Donate online at wels.net/donate-prison-ministry.

Give through your IRA charitable distribution, appreciated assets, or your will or estate plan. Contact WELS Ministry of Christian Giving at 800-827-5482 for assistance.

Direct your Thrivent Choice dollars (if you are a Thrivent member) to WELS Prison Ministry. Contact Thrivent Member Care Services at 800-847-4836 for assistance. Your 2024 designation is due by March 31, 2025.

 

 

 

 

Charitable remainder trust benefits WELS couple donating property

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Willi and Pam Schultz

When WELS members Willi and Pam Schultz were ready to sell a vacation rental condominium, they wanted to find a tax-wise way to do so that would not only benefit them financially but also allow them to support the ministries they care about.

When considering their options, a charitable remainder trust came to mind. “I had read about the charitable remainder trust strategy several times in WELS Foundation mailings over the years, and I had filed the idea away,” recalls Willi.

A charitable remainder trust turned out to be ideal for Willi and Pam’s situation. By donating their property into a charitable remainder trust instead of selling it, the Schultzes enjoyed a charitable income tax deduction and capital gains tax benefits. In addition, the retirement income they will receive from the charitable remainder trust will help offset the income they had been realizing from renting the condominium. And, once the trust ends, the ministries that Willi and Pam have chosen will benefit from their gift.

“It was a win-win-win,” Willi says. “The charitable remainder trust is a fantastic tax-saving and income planning tool!”

Pam liked how the charitable remainder trust fit perfectly into helping them support gospel ministry, like WELS Home Missions and training future pastors at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

“We have been so blessed that we decided to give back to the Lord since everything we have has come from him,” Pam says gratefully. “We know that our blessings will continue to support the work of WELS here on earth even after we have gone to heaven. Nothing is more important than sharing Jesus with others!”

The Schultzes appreciated the partnership with their WELS Christian giving counselors and WELS Foundation staff, who walked them through setting up their charitable remainder trust. “They did an excellent job of helping guide the process,” says Willi. “The greatest benefit was working with people who have a heart for the Lord.”

Learn more about charitable remainder trusts or contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at 800-827-5482 or [email protected] for assistance.

A charitable remainder trust funded with real estate

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Are you considering funding a charitable remainder trust with real estate to support a ministry close to your heart?

A charitable remainder trust funded with real estate might be ideal for you if you:

  • have appreciated real estate you’re considering selling
  • wish to avoid paying tax on the capital gains
  • would like to receive supplemental retirement income
  • want to financially support a ministry you love

How a charitable remainder trust works:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about charitable remainder trusts or contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at 800-827-5482 or [email protected] for assistance.

Options for donating property to support ministry

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Are you looking to donate property to support a ministry you love?

One beneficial tool for supporting WELS ministry while enjoying tax benefits is the donor-advised fund (DAF). A DAF involves making an irrevocable contribution to WELS Foundation, then at any time thereafter recommending distributions to various WELS ministries.

When you donate property to a DAF, you can claim a charitable deduction based on the fair market value of the asset and avoid capital gains taxes that would otherwise apply to the sale of the property. One of the unique advantages of a DAF is the flexibility it offers to recommend distributions to different WELS ministries over time. Contribute to your donor-advised fund this year and decide later which WELS ministries you want to support. Your donations can be anonymous if you prefer privacy in your charitable giving.

One WELS couple recently donated a condominium to WELS Foundation to fund a DAF. They shared: “We have decided as a family not to wait until we die and then have our large gifts given to charity; we’d prefer to give it now so we can see, revel, and have joy in doing God’s work. The best thing about giving appreciated assets is it allows us to increase our offerings. With real estate there’s a little bit of work involved and there are always little obstacles that come up, but [the Christian giving counselor and WELS Foundation staff] were really quick to respond and help resolve issues.”

Another option for donating property is to simply give it (without establishing a donor-advised fund). You will receive the charitable deduction and avoid capital gains taxes all while supporting the gospel ministry of Christ’s Church.

Learn more about donor-advised funds or contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at 800-827-5482 or [email protected] for assistance.

Consider giving appreciated assets at year-end

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Making a year-end donation to WELS using appreciated assets such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real estate provides you with several advantages.

The timing allows you to maximize tax benefits before the close of the year. You receive a charitable deduction and avoid capital gains taxes, which means more support for the ministry to which you are donating.

Find procedures for giving securities on the Helpful Giving Tools page of the WELS Foundation website or download the gifts of securities procedures document.

Please note: Stocks/mutual funds must be received by WELS by Dec. 31. The date of transfer is the date of the gift. This may take a few days, so the earlier the better. Please inform WELS of what you are donating by contacting WELS Foundation at [email protected] or 414-256-3213.

Need assistance? Contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at 800-827-5482 or [email protected].

Truly trusting God and his Word, Isaiah 55

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About 2,700 years ago Isaiah the prophet wrote many memorable words that are just as applicable and meaningful today. He has encouraging news for inmates, volunteers, and staff involved in prison ministry. Consider these words from chapter 55: Turn to the Lord before it’s too late. Call out to him while he’s still ready to help you. Let those who are evil stop doing evil things. And let them quit thinking evil thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord. The Lord will show them his tender love. Let them turn to our God. He is always ready to forgive- (v.6-7; NIrV). This is our ministry in a nutshell, sharing God’s love with those who need and want it. But we need to apply these words to ourselves first. When we experience God’s forgiveness, we are motivated to share it.

Then consider this reminder: “My thoughts are not like your thoughts. And your ways are not like my ways,” announces the Lord. “The heavens are higher than the earth. And my ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” (v.8-9). We live in an ever-changing world. Yet God reminds us that he is in control even when we can’t see or understand what he’s doing. So when more and more inmates have access to tablet devices (and use mail less often), we adjust our ministry to deliver God’s Word to our students accordingly, even when this adjustment requires big changes in some of our procedures.

Finally, look at this reminder about trusting God’s Word: The rain and the snow come down from the sky.
They do not return to it without watering the earth. They make plants come up and grow. The plants produce seeds for farmers. They also produce food for people to eat. The words I speak are like that. They will not return to me without producing results. They will accomplish what I want them to. They will do exactly what I sent them to do- (v.10-11). We need this reminder. Our sinful natures tempt us to think that sharing God’s Word is just our duty and often doesn’t really do any good. What little trust we have in the Word or the Spirit who works through that Word. Rather, let us redouble our efforts to share this powerful word that can and does change lives, starting with our own.

 

 

 

Working together bears fruit

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WELS Prison Ministry has been in partnership with Institutional Ministries (IM) for many years. We do many similar types of ministry, though IM has tended to focus on in-person ministry while WELS Prison Ministry has focused on correspondence courses. One effort that has provided both organizations with a great opportunity for teamwork has been assisting former inmates upon release. Here’s one story.

Early in 2024, in rural Wisconsin, three members of a congregation’s evangelism team decided to participate in the WELS Prison Ministry online training class “Mentoring a Returning Citizen.” The three participants included a former correctional officer as well as a current social worker/parole officer. Their decision to step out in faith yielded mixed results. Before the online class held its final session, God sent a returning citizen to their community. The social worker on the team connected the recently released inmate with Jim, the former correctional officer, who had agreed to be his mentor. But Jim was reminded that only God can change hearts when the former inmate stopped returning calls.

About this time, IM was putting together HelpReturning, a program to make former inmates and inmates nearing release aware of the many resources and assistance programs that can help them. It is intended to help returning citizens find housing, employment, transportation, and other basic needs. WELS Prison Ministry informed the evangelism team of this program and encouraged them to reach out to IM for further assistance in their mentoring efforts if needed.

Then a second returning citizen, Wayne, came to town. Andy, another member of Jim’s congregation, worked with Wayne to find housing and employment, while sharing his faith along the way. Fast forward about six months. God blessed the efforts of Jim’s congregation. Jim and Wayne became friends (see photograph) and worship together. In fact, Wayne recently became a member. When the congregation hosted another local session of “Mentoring a Returning Citizen,” Jim attended with Wayne. The congregation also held an awareness Sunday of the assistance offered by Institutional Ministries. Because Jim is enthusiastic about the value of mentoring, he now joins in new training sessions to share his experience and insight. Both he and Wayne aspire to take the gospel into facilities as well.

WELS Prison Ministries is thankful for our partnership with Institutional Ministries. We recognize the value each organization brings to this ministry and look forward to working more closely together in the future.

 

 

 

Edovo update

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As most of you know, in March of this year WELS Prison Ministry began offering three of our Bible study courses on a digital learning management system created for inmates. This system, titled Edovo, is now available in about 1,000 correctional facilities housing about 1 million inmates total. (Note that not all inmates in these facilities have easy access to the tablet devices that have the Edovo app.) While 1,000 represents about 20 percent of all facilities, 1 million inmates is about 40 percent of the total population nationwide. To date, we have received Edovo tests back from more than 800 of those 1000 facilities. Our reach is significantly higher than the 400 facilities and 125,000 inmates that had access when we started in March.

As we mentioned in our previous newsletter, the response has been significant. We are receiving over 200 tests per week from just 3 courses on Edovo’s system. We continue to receive about 100 tests per week through the mail as well.

We still need additional test correctors. We are trying to rebuild our stable of active correctors back to 200 or more so that we can turnaround corrected tests in a timely manner. If you have interest in participating in this type of ministry, which can be done from your home anonymously to the inmates, contact our New Ulm office for more information (507-354-3130; [email protected]). We have made progress on our highly anticipated portal or website that will allow correctors to do their work online. We expect that system to be ready soon and pray that it further reduces turnaround time for tests.

We have been evaluating various strategies for releasing the remaining 23 of the current 26 Level 1 Bible study courses on Edovo. We have decided initially to create courses that do not require human correction, that is, the program will indicate to the inmates whether their answers on the final test are correct or not as they submit their answers. This will allow much more content to be available without overwhelming our correction system. However, our intent is slowly to convert studies back to human correction as the capability of our correction procedures and stable of correctors allows growth. Many inmates have expressed thanks for the volunteer efforts of the correctors over the years. We believe there is great blessing both to the inmate and to the corrector in this personal, if anonymous, interaction. We’d like to incorporate this interaction in our dealings with as many inmates as possible.

So thank God with us for as we learn how best to use the opportunities he provides, and pray diligently that he guides us so that we reach every soul behind bars that he has elected to be part of his kingdom.

 

 

 

Corrector’s corner – Fall 2024

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As indicated in the Edovo Update, lots of things are happening in the world of test correcting. Some are still works-in-progress. Here’s a short summary:

  • Thanks to the impact of electronic delivery, we could still use new correctors. Please contact us if you’re interested in exploring the role of test corrector (507-354-3130; [email protected]).
  • We are in the testing phase of our new “online portal” where test correctors will have the ability to correct any number of tests at any time. Correctors would no longer be limited to correcting tests they receive by mail, but could correct as many tests as their volunteer time allows. We pray we can make this method available to correctors very soon and will notify all correctors when it is available.
  • We continue to receive tests by mail and through electronic delivery that we send to correctors, also by mail, to be corrected using pen and paper. Anyone who prefers this method of correcting will be able to continue to do so.

 

 

 

 

Three ways to support WELS Prison Ministry – Fall 2024

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Pray – As God’s redeemed children, our prayers are powerful and effective. Current prayer requests: for more test correctors, for success in completing an online test correction system, for success in adding all Level 1 studies to Edovo, for ways to reach inmates outside the Edovo system.

Serve – All our ministry efforts are driven by volunteers motivated by Christ’s love. To volunteer as a test corrector or pen pal, please contact us at [email protected] or 507-354-3130. To explore jail visitation or post-release mentoring opportunities, call 414-256-3243 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Give – We thank our Lord and you for your helpful special offerings to Prison Ministry, which support our efforts to share Jesus with people impacted by incarceration!

To provide additional gifts for Christ’s work through Prison Ministry:
WELS, Attn. Gift Processing
N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI, 53188
(Make checks payable to WELS and list Prison Ministry in the memo line.)

Donate online at wels.net/donate-prison-ministry.

Give through your IRA charitable distribution, appreciated assets, or your will or estate plan. Contact WELS Ministry of Christian Giving at 800-827-5482 for assistance.

Direct your Thrivent Choice dollars (if you are a Thrivent member) to WELS Prison Ministry. Contact Thrivent Member Care Services at 800-847-4836 for assistance. Your 2023 designation is due by March 31, 2024.

 

 

 

 

Make the most out of the opportunity

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“His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21 NIV)

During the last week of his earthly life, Jesus tells the story in Matthew 25 of three servants who are each given responsibility to manage a varying amount of wealth. Two of the servants manage their master’s funds well and double his investment. They are commended by the master, “Well done.” The third servant is condemned with the words, “You wicked, lazy servant!” for doing nothing and wasting his opportunity out of fear.

Your WELS Prison Ministry has been given a critical opportunity by our gracious God. After years of searching for a way to distribute our Bible studies digitally, we finally identified Edovo, an organization with which we contracted to put our studies on their learning management system. This opportunity has tremendous blessings and challenges as described in “Bringing the digital age to prison ministry.” The system is available to approximately 150,000 inmates using computer tablets in over 400 correctional facilities (out of 5,000+ total nationwide). Edovo plans to be available to 250,000 inmates by the end of the year.

We need your help to be as diligent and faithful in making the most of the Lord’s blessings. The help we covet most is your prayers. Pray that God gives us all the insight, energy, and people we need to take full advantage of this new endeavor. We are having to develop new ways of carrying out our ministry while maintaining many of the methods we have used for decades. The extra effort is taxing our resources, including paid staff and volunteers.

The second form of help we crave is hours of volunteer effort. Currently, we have a significant need for test correcting volunteers. But we also need to maintain or grow other forms of serving, namely writing pen pal letters, visiting inmates in jail or prison, or mentoring them after release. We equip followers of Jesus to find and fulfill these opportunities, especially at correctional facilities in communities near their congregation. If you would like to explore options for serving, contact me at [email protected].

A third form of help we need is financial support. Our faithful donors provide the means necessary to be faithful to Jesus’ call and make the most of this golden opportunity. If you’d like to support what we do, here are some ways to do that. Through your prayers, time and effort, or donations, we can look forward to Jesus’ praise, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” knowing all we give already belongs to him.

Dave Hochmuth, WELS Prison Ministry administrator

 

 

 

Bringing the digital age to prison ministry

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We’ve got some exciting (and perhaps somewhat daunting) news. After years of declining ministry opportunities, the Holy Spirit has breathed new life into the Bible study correspondence courses from WELS Prison Ministry. On March 15, we launched the first phase of a new effort to distribute our courses digitally. In this first phase, three of our courses were converted to online courses using a system run by Edovo.com as mentioned in the lead article.

The response has been significant. Since the three courses were made available to inmates, we have been receiving about 240 tests per week on Edovo’s system. We continue to receive about 100 tests per week through the mail as well. The combined total is higher than our historical peak usage of about 300 tests per week via the mail 10 to 15 years ago. We thank God that we are reaching so many inmates again.

But this surge has its challenges, the first being a need for test correctors. We are trying to rebuild our team of active correctors back to 200 or more so that we can turn around corrected tests in a timely manner. If you have interest in participating in this type of ministry, which can be done from your home anonymously to the inmates, contact our New Ulm office for more information (507-354-3130; [email protected]). In conjunction with this recruitment effort, we are developing a new system for online test correcting for those correctors who would find that more convenient. We expect that system to be ready by this fall and pray that it further reduces turnaround time for tests.

Secondly, this surge in activity has been generated by only three studies. We would like to make the rest of our studies available to inmates on Edovo as soon as we can, but that could potentially generate thousands of tests per week, which is far more than our current and planned systems and procedures can handle. We are evaluating various strategies for this situation and pray we have a plan to report by the next newsletter in October.

A third challenge is that Edovo currently serves between five and ten percent of correctional facilities nationwide. While we expect that percentage to grow, we need to find or maintain other ways to reach the millions of inmates who don’t have access to Edovo. (For example, only five Wisconsin and two Minnesota facilities have access to Edovo. These are all county jails.) With so many of our resources devoted to responding to the Edovo surge, this seems daunting.

Thank God with us for these new opportunities, and pray diligently that he guides us so that we reach every soul behind bars that they might be part of his kingdom.

 

 

 

Receivers become givers

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WELS Prison Ministry received an encouraging letter and gift from an unexpected source. Chaplain C. Tracy Bennett from Tyger River Correctional Institution in South Carolina sent us the following note along with a $100 gift:

Dear Friends in Christ,

Please find enclosed a donation for your ministry. Inmates made donations and asked for me to send it to you. We appreciate the Bible studies and are very pleased with the response we are getting from inmates who are completing them.

Prayers are being lifted for your ministry as it aids in building God’s Kingdom!

Blessings and Peace for the Journey,

C. Traci Bennett, Senior Chaplain

What a great encouragement it is to see the Holy Spirit is not only working faith in the lives of people through God’s Word, but is also motivating those hearers of the Word to want to help pass it along to others. God is good.

 

 

 

New Bible study going to press

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WELS Prison Ministry is pleased to announce our 26th booklet, Who Is The True God?, is going to press. This new study helps students see that everyone has a god, whatever they love and trust the most. In our culture it is often self or material wealth. But only the Bible shows us the true God in Jesus, who lived and died as our substitute to win our eternal victory. We trust only in him.

 

 

 

Pen pal pipeline – Summer 2024

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Excitement for the opportunity to send our booklets to inmates through electronic means has stirred up the hope that we may be able to connect pen pals to inmates digitally. Unfortunately, providing our booklets electronically and writing person-to-person through our pen pal program are two very different processes. Pen pal writing via e-mail poses unique challenges. The process and programs used in each facility can vary. Also, these programs do not allow pen names, which removes the safety of anonymity. As we continue to seek solutions, we still regularly receive inmate requests for pen pals. We continually need willing writers, who for now will write via pen and paper. With the busyness of the booklet ministry boom, processing pen pal requests is taking longer than normal. We ask that if you are interested in writing to an inmate as a pen pal, please contact Amy at [email protected]. She will give you the program details and assign you a pen pal as soon as she is able.

Please continue to pray for our pen pal volunteers as they share the gospel with the incarcerated through their letters.

 

 

 

Three ways to support WELS Prison Ministry – Summer 2024

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Pray – As God’s redeemed children, our prayers are powerful and effective. Current prayer requests: for more test correctors, for success in developing an online test correction system, for ways to reach inmates outside the Edovo system.

Serve – All our ministry efforts are driven by volunteers motivated by Christ’s love. To volunteer as a pen pal, please contact us at [email protected] or 507-354-3130. To explore jail visitation or post-release mentoring opportunities, call 414-256-3243 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Give – We thank our Lord and you for your helpful special offerings to Prison Ministry, which support our efforts to share Jesus with people impacted by incarceration!

To provide additional gifts for Christ’s work through Prison Ministry:
WELS, Attn. Gift Processing
N16W23377 Stone Ridge Drive
Waukesha, WI, 53188
(Make checks payable to WELS and list Prison Ministry in the memo line.)

Donate online at wels.net/donate-prison-ministry.

Give through your IRA charitable distribution, appreciated assets, or your will or estate plan. Contact WELS Ministry of Christian Giving at 800-827-5482 for assistance.

Direct your Thrivent Choice dollars (if you are a Thrivent member) to WELS Prison Ministry. Contact Thrivent Member Care Services at 800-847-4836 for assistance. Your 2023 designation is due by March 31, 2024.

 

 

 

 

Planned giving program bears fruit

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Pictured above: Members of St. Peter participate in an Everyone Outreach evangelism workshop

More than 20 years ago, the members of St. Peter, Schofield, Wis., realized their congrega­tion would benefit from forming a planned giving committee. One of the goals of the com­mittee was to actively promote to members what a blessing planned giving could be in supporting the gospel work of the congregation.

Member Bob Stasney has been part of the con­gregation’s planned giving committee since its inception. He recalls that the new committee ben­efited from the support of a WELS Christian giving counselor, who supplied startup resources and advice. “[The resources] were key in guiding us to establish policies that are very important to refer to over the years,” remembers Stasney.

Since that time, St. Peter’s planned giving commit­tee has been encouraging members in their giving by providing regular communication in the bulletin or newsletter about gifting tools. The committee also assists members who have questions about making planned gifts, directing them to their local WELS Christian giving counselor as needed.

Through God’s blessing, this targeted, support­ive approach has resulted in members setting up gifts to benefit the church through a variety of methods, like gifts of appreciated stock or gifts through a will or estate plan. Last year the con­gregation received several large gifts, including $220,000 to create an endowment and another $400,000 to further God’s ministry in multiple areas. Another $20,000 gift went to tuition assistance (the church’s scholarship program has distributed over $130,000 to families since its inception). St. Peter’s planned giving committee also oversees the congregation’s endowment funds and invests with WELS Investment Funds.

Stasney encourages other congregations to consider setting up a planned giving commit­tee, utilizing the resources and planned giving program manual available through WELS: “The current manual seems quite comprehensive and is a must-go-to for anyone starting from scratch.”

Stasney gives all credit to God for his blessings on St. Peter. “The Holy Spirit has worked miracles at St. Peter over and over again, and our members have historically been cheerful givers,” he says. “To God be all the glory.”

Learn more about starting a congregational planned giving program at wels.net/plannedgivingprogram or contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor at 800-827-5482 or [email protected] for assistance.

Starting a congregational planned giving program

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Christians seeking to honor the Lord with their offerings will want to know about the tax-wise opportunities available when plan­ning for the transition of accumu­lated wealth (their “estate”) to loved ones and the Lord’s work at life’s end. There are also ways to support the Lord’s work now while at the same time receiving tax benefits. WELS has produced a manual to help church leaders start a planned giving program to share these opportunities with fellow members.

If your congregation is inter­ested in starting a planned giv­ing program, visit wels.net/plannedgivingprogram to order free manuals. The manual starts with the basics of how to communicate planned giving oppor­tunities to members and then provides options for building on that foundation. For example, a con­gregation can also organize a planned giving committee and start an endowment fund. Your local WELS Christian giving coun­selor can walk your congregation through the manual and answer any questions.

Investment options for congregations

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Congregations receiving larger gifts from members have long-term and short-term investment options through WELS. For long-term investing, WELS Investment Funds provides cost-effective, professionally managed investment portfolios exclusively for WELS and affiliated organizations. These funds are designed especially for endowment and scholarship funds.

Currently 255 WELS organizations have entrusted more than $300 million to WELS Investment Funds. Investors benefit from lower investment costs, oversight by a national board of directors made up of WELS members with relevant experience, the expertise of professional institutional investment consultants, and ease of use as investors work directly with professional WELS staff to set up and manage accounts. Explore your options at wels.net/welsfunds or by contacting [email protected] or 877-888-8953.

WELS Church Extension Fund (WELS CEF) provides short-term investing to congregations through one-year savings certificates and 6- to 60-month investment certificates. In addition to receiving competitive investment rates, congregations can appreciate that WELS CEF uses the investments to provide financing to mission congregations and mission-minded self-supporting WELS congregations and schools for land and facility projects. For more information visit wels.net/cef or contact [email protected] or 866-511-7793.

Rate increase good news for donors

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The charitable gift annuity is a favorite planned giving tool for donors who are 60 or older. Not only can you support a WELS ministry after you go to heaven, but meanwhile you can receive regular, guaranteed payments for life. To top things off, the rates on those payments increased in 2024 by an average of 0.4 percent (depending on your age)!

In brief, you can set up a charitable gift annuity (CGA) with WELS Foundation for a minimum of $10,000 in cash or securities or through a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA. You will receive a charitable gift deduction (not applicable to a CGA funded by a QCD) and then quarterly payments based on a rate according to your age. These pay­ments continue until you are taken to heaven, at which point the remainder goes to your designated ministry (or ministries). If you are interested in setting up a CGA, contact your local WELS Christian giving counselor.

Learn more about charitable gift annuities and view the latest rates table

Watch WELS Foundation Executive Director Jim Holm interview WELS Christian Giving Counselor Jon Kehren about the advantages of CGAs.

 

Increased maximums for qualified charitable distributions

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The maximum amount of qualified charitable distribu­tions (QCDs) you can direct to ministry from your IRA has increased in 2024 to $105,000 (previously $100,000), and the maximum you can distribute to WELS Foundation to set up a charitable gift annuity is now $53,000 (previously $50,000). This is because under SECURE Act 2.0 there is a yearly increase, indexed for inflation, in the annual limit of QCDs starting in 2024.

Learn more about qualified charitable distributions at wels.net/qcd.