Tag Archive for: Prison Ministry Spring 2025

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. Weā€™ll see many things. Here are a few (all passages New International Readerā€™s Version).

No matter how great or small our sin is in the worldā€™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 didnā€™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 Godā€™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)

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

May this yearā€™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 Spiritā€™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. Weā€™re striving to make sure administrative tasks donā€™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 PMā€™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 canā€™t make the integration happen without Godā€™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 ā€œthe least of theseā€ 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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Weā€™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: ā€œOnline 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!!ā€ or ā€œIā€™m having a great time correcting online!! This is wonderful!! ā€¦ Itā€™s kind of like popcorn, you canā€™t correct just one.ā€ or ā€œI just tried out the new portal and corrected three tests relatively quickly and without any issues. A great addition to speeding up the process!ā€

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 Jesusā€™ love and the many different blessings he gives his people. We are deeply grateful for whatever gifts Godā€™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 ā€“ As Godā€™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 ā€“All our ministry efforts are driven by volunteers motivated by Christā€™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 ā€“ 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 Christā€™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.