<\/p>\n
[1] Through prison ministry, I have come to understand incarceration not merely as a legal issue but as a ministry that challenges me to practice accompaniment, advocate for justice, and recognize the image of God in people whom society often defines by their offenses.<\/p>\n
[2] When I was growing up, I was not told a lot about incarceration. My parent\u2019s explanation was pretty simple. Police and the courts were the good guys and people who broke the law were the bad guys. They went to jail. My family attended church and Sunday school, but there was little said about jail, prison, and different cultures. I was a bit \u201cAmericanized.\u201d Privately, my 1950s mother told me I could not say the word “hate” or use racist slurs. Additionally, she told me that homosexuality was just the way God made some people. These words became the seeds of the kind of Christian I am today, although those seeds were almost smothered by my ignorance of privilege. I did learn to look for the good in all people because of my mom\u2019s words.<\/p>\n
[3] The distinction between two Americas, one for those with privilege and one for those without, became clear to me after college. I was trained as a teacher in the early 1970s. I took a class in working with underprivileged, disadvantaged children. I rarely considered the privileged group to which I belonged.<\/p>\n
[4] My journey into prison ministry transformed not only my understanding of incarceration but also my understanding of Christian discipleship. Through accompaniment ministry, I came to see incarceration as an ethical issue deeply connected to poverty, racism, trauma and the church\u2019s call to reconciliation. This essay reflects on how prison ministry has challenged my assumptions about justice, privilege and redemption. Lutheran theology has provided me as a lay person a framework for accompanying the incarcerated, families of the incarcerated, and formerly incarcerated people. Christian accompaniment challenges me and others in society because of our tendency to define people by their offenses and sins and, also, because of our tendency to separate prayer from action.<\/p>\n
[5] Years before I began prison ministry, I worked as a teacher. I discovered how many of my students were traumatized by incarceration. It was especially eye-opening how many of my Black and Brown students and their families did not trust the police or the justice system. As a teacher of middle school American History I told my students that the law was on their side even though I knew that many hearts in America had not changed since its racist past.<\/p>\n
[6] I had to apologize to my students when I saw a police officer in Chicago shoot a fleeing Black man in the back. I found out more about how the justice system operated. Because of my students, I became aware of the shocking statistics of incarceration in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin. Currently, the Wisconsin Policy Forum calls racial disparities a \u201cclear and persistent trend across Wisconsin’s justice system, with a disproportionate number of Black Wisconsinites among crime victims, among people arrested and among people who are incarcerated or on supervision in the community.\u201d[i]<\/a><\/p>\n [7] The Greater Milwaukee Synod of the ELCA recognized the need to respond to the statistics cited by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. They established a very active anti-racism task force which taught me about systemic bias and my part in that bias. They were also very supportive of establishing a prison ministry.<\/p>\n [8] At the same time Milwaukee public schools were training teachers about bias and the trauma many Milwaukee students experienced. I talked about my training with my pastor, Gail Broderson-Heins. Noting my interest she invited me to a book study. The book we discussed was Strength for the Struggle<\/em> by Pastor Joe Ellwanger, a civil rights activist and retired pastor in the Greater Milwaukee Synod.<\/p>\n [9] Pastor Ellwanger labels working with the incarcerated as an \u201caccompaniment ministry.”\u00a0 \u201cIt means first of all, going to where the people are and offering to walk with them. As we look around our neighborhoods, we can see such groups of people whom we might accompany.\u201d[ii]<\/a> There are biblical foundations for prison ministry that often gets lost in the story of the crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus\u2019s role model to us is the grace he extended to the thief on the cross next to him. This is the same forgiveness he modeled the entire time he walked here on earth. Thinking about the crucifixion taught me it is never too late for redemption. \u201cWhen Jesus in his dying hour, said to the thief on the cross, ‘Today you will be with me in paradise,’ he was making it clear that persons who have committed crimes are redeemable, valuable, and worthy of the time and energy and love of a congregation as its members carry out Christ\u2019s mission\u201d[iii]<\/a><\/p>\n [10] I was fortunate to meet Pastor Ellwanger at a reception for the book. After that my church partnered with another church to screen the movie 53206<\/em> after which several people involved in prison ministry, including Pastor Ellwanger, spoke.<\/p>\n [11] The movie 53026 <\/em>tied things together for me. The intersection of poverty, racism, mental health conditions, and drug abuse is filling our prisons. There was another analysis of the report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum by Wisconsin Public Radio. WPR reported, \u201cCompared to white Wisconsinites Black Wisconsinites were 2 times more likely to be locked up in state prisons in 2022. These trends are exacerbated by high rates of poverty in the city of Milwaukee, where over two-thirds of Black Wisconsinites reside.\u201d[iv]<\/a><\/p>\n [12] When we speak about incarceration, people tend to focus on the need for keeping the rest of us protected from unrepentant and unredeemable criminals. There are other criminals I call the Zaccheus offenders. It is funny to me that as a child I loved Zaccheus, and I still think of him as a wee little man. In actuality, he was a criminal at the time Jesus walked the earth. Zaccheus was part of a tax scheme cheating people out of money and was redeemed by Jesus’ message.\u00a0\u00a0 Zaccheus became bigger in my eyes when he made reparations for all he had stolen. His story gives us some guidance as to how important the possibility of redemption is to many of the incarcerated. In my work with returning citizens I have always seen how hard redemption and re-entry into society becomes because of the same societal issues that put them there in the first place.<\/p>\n [13] The needs of those who are incarcerated and those who are returning to the community afterwards are first and foremost in my prayers. But I believe that action and accompaniment must follow prayer. I am inspired by Pope Leo XIV who says prayer is not enough.\u00a0 His words were spoken on March 11 in St. Peter\u2019s Square. \u201cMay your prayers be accompanied by concrete acts of charity:\u00a0 helping others, reconciling, and building peace.\u201d\u00a0 The analysis of the pope’s speech uses Matthew 25, the very chapter the prison ministry Breaking the Chains uses as biblical support for its mission. The pope is not asking us to choose between prayer and action; he is asking us never to separate the two.[v]<\/a><\/p>\n [14] In 2018, I became a volunteer and church member with Breaking the Chains Church and a community participant in Project RETURN Circles of support. I took the training to worship inside two correctional centers in southeastern Wisconsin. I also participate in community circles of support in a third correctional facility.<\/p>\n [15] In our worship services that are held inside correctional facilities, two people and the pastor are allowed to worship in person; other approved volunteers may join on zoom. During the pandemic everyone had to worship on zoom and attendance was strong. Along with the satellite signal that moved through the air to bring us the services virtually; the Holy Spirit moved too.\u00a0 When one of our men was transferred to another correctional center, he talked to his captain about the lack of religious services. The captain called the pastor at Breaking the Chains, and we started worshipping at this facility via zoom. Eventually we worshipped in person.<\/p>\n [16] Pastor David Rebey was called to Breaking the Chains when the first pastor resigned. A newly ordained ELCA pastor, he was interested in prison ministry because of two nephews’ incarceration and the addiction that preceded incarceration. He is what we call in Project RETURN’s Circle of Support a person who is indirectly impacted by incarceration. He is part of the growing number of people in America who have an immediate or extended family member directly impacted by incarceration. Studies show that almost half of Americans have experienced an immediate family member\u2019s incarceration.[vi]<\/a> Can you imagine the numbers if the statistics included extended family members such as nephews?\u00a0 Erin Wood has written an informative article about the ever increasing number of persons whose family members are incarcerated and the generational effects on the family.[vii]<\/a><\/p>\n [17] There are four retired pastors on the steering committee of Breaking the Chains who believe in our ministry so much they often are available and donate their time when our called pastor needs to be somewhere else. This allows Pastor Rebey to preach at other congregations to spread the word about our ministry and to solicit financial and volunteer support, as many of our worshippers have very little income.<\/p>\n [18] The attendance at our services ebbs and flows. Some men attend because they are bored and need contact with the outside world. Some men attend because they were raised in the church and remembered their faith as a child. Others attend because they are reading the Bible and want to discuss what they are learning.\u00a0 Whatever their reason for attending I look at it as planting and nurturing the seeds of faith in their lives and for a different life after incarceration.<\/p>\n [19] As in all worshipping communities, disagreements about theology happen. There have been times when a few attendees have offended others by their rhetoric against gay marriage and support for male dominance in society. As much as I have wanted to \u201cdebate\u201d their interpretation of God and the Bible I have forced myself to listen instead. In the process I have learned and have ended up with a deeper understanding of what love really is. A sign in my yard says \u201cHate has no home here,\u201d and I had to apply this to the big divide around religion and politics in my neighborhood including my neighbors in prison. Unfortunately, some of the other men stopped attending our services because of the dominance of some more conservative attendees. Working through these issues and helping everyone have a voice is no less difficult in a prison community than any other church community. Indeed, debates about prison ministry itself often are divisive in our churches.<\/p>\n [20] Breaking the Chains is founded on Matthew 25: 35-36 \u201cFor I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus continues in verse 40 \u201cTruly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.\u201d Truly, anyone of us has the potential to be one of the least of these at some point of our lives. Life circumstances change and needs change. Yet, encounters with Christians who interpreted scripture differently than I do has challenged me to think more carefully about the scope of Christian responsibility.<\/p>\n [21] My specific challenge is how to interpret the phrase \u201cthe least of these.\u201d\u00a0 Some Christians interpret this verse to mean Jesus is only talking about those little ones in the Christian community; they say this verse does not refer to everyone in the world. But John 3:16 says \u201cFor God So loved the world\u201d It does not say \u201cFor God so loved Christians.\u201d After all, Jesus was Jewish, and the term Christianity was an unknown term at the time. Jesus tells us to love our neighbor but does not qualify who is our neighbor. When asked, in Luke 10, Jesus describes a Samaritan going out of his way to help a crime victim, while Jewish priests passed him by. In the process Jesus instructs the disciples what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. This powerful story has showed me that the accompaniment I am called to provide is not defined by who is in our established group or who is labeled as the least of these within it.<\/p>\n [22] Our worship is designed to help those of us involved to see each other and learn from each other. Our worship is different from traditional church services. It is designed to empower the imprisoned and to make them feel they are not \u201cthe least of these.\u201d The gospel is read and the pastor gives a short reflection. This is followed by two or three questions for discussion. The men on the inside are encouraged to share their thoughts first. Then people who are not incarcerated are able to add their reflections. The discussion is open and rich, and I have learned a lot. The Department of Corrections has allowed us to extend our services from an hour to an hour and a half, increasing the time for more discussion, making the ministry an accompaniment ministry.<\/p>\n [23] The men also pick the music, and we have been exposed to a variety of songs. These songs are sung “Karaoke style\u201d with words and lyrics on the shared screen within zoom.\u00a0 I have learned to appreciate Lauren Daigle, Matt Redman, and others. Most of the time I find the lyrics quite meaningful, giving me insight into the spiritual lives of the incarcerated.<\/p>\n [24] As the ministry has evolved, ways to accompany persons who are incarcerated have evolved too. Each year, Breaking the Chains assembles close to 300 Christmas bags for the staff and men at two correctional facilities.\u00a0 The men who attend the services are asked what they need. Many of the items requested are for hygiene items: body wash, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes. None of these items are on my regular Christmas list. Several congregations in the Greater Milwaukee Synod contribute these items along, with the candy, beef sticks, chips, packs of crackers and two stamped Christmas cards so that the men can send them to their families.<\/p>\n [25] Right before Christmas we are allowed by the Department of Corrections to bring in more than two people; we have a Christmas carol sing. Sometimes we are allowed to pass out the gifts to the men. Last year at our sing\/gift distribution a regular attender at our services was scheduled to go home three days later. That evening he said goodbye with teary eyes, \u201cI feel like I am saying goodbye to my family.\u201d We replied, \u201cYes, we are your church family, and we hope you stay in touch with us.\u201d This has showed me that accompaniment has the potential to create a genuine Christian community.<\/p>\n [26] During my seven years in prison ministry I learned that even after incarceration many people let their past define them. This is easy to do as many landlords and employers reject the formerly incarcerated because of their record. They do not automatically experience forgiveness because of the stigma society puts on the formerly incarcerated. The system and society are especially hard on sex offenders.\u00a0 Some of them lack family as their families either cannot forgive them or they have been in prison so long their family members have passed. When returning, they are defined by their sins and some people do not look hard enough to see the saint that is also there. Luther\u2019s understanding that every person is simultaneously saint and sinner challenged me to see incarcerated people not simply through the lens of their offenses but through God\u2019s work of redemption.<\/p>\n [27] Accompanying family members indirectly impacted by incarceration has evolved through our work with congregations. We have become a safe and confidential source for parents coping with the incarceration of their children. A person from a congregation where we were promoting Breaking the Chains shared with me that her son was sentenced to the county correctional center’s work release program. He had had a business that failed. Some of the actions taken while trying to save the business were illegal and it ended with incarceration.\u00a0 She also indicated that her son, a political conservative, was now listening to the other men and his views on incarceration had started changing. Another ELCA member from a congregation in the Greater Milwaukee Synod asked us to accompany her at her son\u2019s sentencing hearing.<\/p>\n [28] Importantly, another form of accompaniment is advocacy. Two years ago, the Department of Corrections wanted to demolish one of the correctional centers and build a\u00a0 youth center to replace another youth center in a different part of Wisconsin where there had been allegations of abuse. A youth facility in Milwaukee made a lot of sense because most of the youth were from Milwaukee. The other center was difficult for families to visit. Yet too, the correctional center where we worship housed men who were originally from the Milwaukee area. These men also had families who wanted to visit. Both needs were supported by Breaking the Chains Church and the Greater Milwaukee Synod. We were part of a task force and successfully convinced the governor and Department of Corrections to keep the prison and to house a youth center in another area of Milwaukee.<\/p>\n [29] Because I administrate the Breaking the Chains Facebook page I was able to get the word out about saving the Center and inform others about issues around incarceration. Pastor Rebey and Pastor Ellwanger were actively involved on the task force that saved the center. We also joined forces with MICAH (Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope) an advocacy organization. Three steering committee members Pastor Joe Ellwanger, his wife Joyce Ellwanger, and Pastor Marilyn Miller are leaders in this organization.<\/p>\n [30] Many people think of accompaniment as a one-way street but Pastor Mary Martha Kanass, an original steering committee member, looks at it differently. Some of the incarcerated men are allowed to attend Hephatha Lutheran Church, an ELCA church of the Greater Milwaukee Synod located in the 53206<\/em> zip code. This is a tradition started by Pastor Ellwanger as he was developing the prison congregation that became Breaking the Chains. Pastor Mary Martha pointed out to me and others, at a partnership celebration of this ministry at Hephatha Lutheran, that some of the had volunteered to help rewire parts of Hephatha. Hephatha had received donations of new kitchen appliances but could not use them because of the age of the church\u2019s electrical system. One of the men in the prison ministry was a master electrician and took a look at the old system. He knew how to do the upgrade. He led a team of other volunteers from the correctional facility to rewire the kitchen and other areas of the church.<\/p>\n [31] As we accompany men and take them out to volunteer in the community, we accompany each other. Other congregations in the Greater Milwaukee Synod and an Episcopal Church in Pewaukee have benefited as men from the facilities upgraded and cleaned their properties. In addition, men from a second correctional facility were accompanied by several steering committee members to clean the Racine Vocational Ministry Center. They spent 14 days on this project. After the cleaning, a former Breaking the Chains congregant was paid to apply a new coat of paint.<\/p>\n [32] Another prison facility has a huge and quite prolific garden. Some of the produce would go to waste, so Breaking the Chains was asked to take it and distribute it. The produce was distributed to Cross Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa Cares Food pantry, and Tricklebee Cafe.<\/p>\n [33] Of course, we have to navigate the rules and policies of the Department of Corrections. The road has been at times bumpy.\u00a0 Fraternization is a major issue and was hard to navigate when men were released. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections defines fraternization as what happens when a volunteer continues to relate with an incarcerated person after they are released. While we wanted to continue our accompaniment if men needed support, it was forbidden for a long time to accompany the men from our congregation when they returned to the community.<\/p>\n [34] This ministry has been a journey. The first pastor called to the ministry began in 2016, but this was only after four years of discussion and planning. Karen Klatt, a former ELCA congregant and now a retired Methodist minister had connections to Prison Congregations of America and was instrumental in starting Breaking the Chains church. With her guidance and help of a small committed group of ELCA Lutherans the first prison congregation in Wisconsin formed. Our current pastor David Rebey continues as a member of Prison Congregations of America\u2019s national board.<\/p>\n [35] On February 1, 2026 we celebrated 10 years of ministry. We gathered together with the congregations and individuals who have supported us through the years and listened to the testimonies of the men who are still walking with us.\u00a0 Kyle McGinnis, an alumnus of our church,\u00a0 gave a video testimony from Texas where he is now a Lutheran seminary intern.\u00a0 We showed Kyle\u2019s video to the men inside the week before the event. One of our congregants who plans on being a pastor, exclaimed, \u201cNext year I will be at that Anniversary\u201d<\/p>\n [36] In the tradition of Lutheran faith I hope Breaking the Chains has challenged both society\u2019s tendency to define people by their offenses alone and the tendency to separate prayer from action. We are grateful to the Greater Milwaukee Synod who has always supported our ministry and for the many congregations who supported us with prayer and money. Our future as a church is bright and we will continue to accompany the men and women ensuring their future is bright too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [i]<\/a> Andrew Kennard. \u201cReport \u2018cross-examines\u2019 Wisconsin Criminal Justice system,\u201d Wisconsin Examiner. <\/em>April 21, 2026. https:\/\/wisconsinexaminer.com\/2026\/04\/21\/report-cross-examines-wisconsin-criminal-justice-system\/<\/p>\n [ii]<\/a> Joseph W. Ellwanger, Strength for the Struggle<\/em>, (Oconomowoc: Maven Mark Books, 2014), 7.<\/p>\n [iii]<\/a> Ellwanger, 221.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n [iv]<\/a> Sarah Lehr, \u201cReport: Racial disparities in Wisconsin prisons among the nation\u2019s highest,\u201d Wisconsin Public Radio, April 22, 2026. https:\/\/www.wpr.org\/news\/racial-dispaAprrities-wisconsin-prisons-among-nations-highest<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n [v]<\/a> \u201cPrayer is Not Enough: Leo XIV calls us to transform our faith into action,\u201d Via Bible, <\/em>\u00a0March 12 2026. https:\/\/www.via.bible\/en\/prayer-is-not-enough-leo-xiv-calls-us-to-transform-our-faith-into-action<\/a><\/p>\n [vi]<\/a> Erin Wood, \u201cA Family Member in Prison? You are not alone.\u201d Kiplinger<\/em>, February 4, 2022. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/www.kiplinger.com\/personal-finance\/604154\/a-family-member-in-prison-you-are-not-alone<\/a><\/p>\n