Ministry in Action
On Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, Breaking the Chains Church celebrated its 10th anniversary at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. The event included a fundraising dinner to support the long-term sustainability of our ministry with men who are incarcerated and those reentering our communities.
Our planning committee was encouraged and grateful to sell all 24 tables, welcoming more than 140 guests. Attendees included Bishop Paul Erickson of the Greater Milwaukee Synod, representatives from partner congregations, current and prospective supporters, and 13 alumni—men who were once part of our community while incarcerated and are now thriving in the community.
Through table sales, a silent auction, a raffle, and generous individual donations, the event raised $10,306 in net proceeds!
Although Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry of the ELCA was unable to attend in person due to a family commitment, he provided a recorded invocation to open the evening. In his message, Bishop Curry eloquently reflected on our mission of “walking in mutual ministry with men who are incarcerated and together being transformed by the power of the Gospel,” emphasizing the shared and reciprocal nature of transformation experienced by both participants and volunteers. His invocation can be viewed below:
We were also honored to hear powerful testimonies from four alumni—Milton, Earnest, Brandon, and Kyle—who shared how Breaking the Chains has shaped their faith, restored hope, and supported their lives after incarceration. Kyle was unable to attend in person due to his internship in Odessa, Texas, as he prepares for a call to ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church in Mission to Christ. His testimony is available here:
The evening concluded with a special recognition of the founders of Breaking the Chains, Rev. Joe Ellwanger and his wife, Joyce, honoring their lifelong commitment to social justice and advocacy for the marginalized. Click here to read a poem Pam Gustafson, a member of Breaking the Chains' steering commitee, wrote to honor Joyce.
A video highlighting their contributions, accompanied by a song written by our ministry partner, Pastor Chris Manke, with the assistance of AI, can be viewed below:
Photo gallery
Christmas gift bags for all
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, 20225, members of the BTCC ministry team and volunteers from St. Luke's and Trinity Lutheran South Milwaukee packed Christmas gift bags at St. Luke's, which were distributed at our annual Christmas caroling event on Saturday, Dec. 20 at FCCC. Every man incarcerated, regardless of whether or not they join us for worship and Bible studies, received a gift bag.
This year, our gift bags included: body wash, deodorant, beef sticks, peanut butter and crackers, crackers and cheese, protein bars, chips, candy, a Christmas card signed by our ministry team, and two blank cards to share with a friend or loved ones. For the first time this year, we were also able to include instant coffee, two toothbrushes, and toothpaste due to generous new donors.
This work of sharing the love shown to us by Jesus with men in prison would not be possible without the generosity of the following churches, organizations, and individuals:
Martin Luther Church, Milwaukee
Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa
Trinity Lutheran Church, West Bend
Trinity Lutheran, South Milwaukee
Reformation Lutheran, Milwaukee
Hephatha Lutheran, Milwaukee
First Lutheran, West Allis
Ascension Lutheran, Milwaukee
Holy Cross Lutheran, Menomonee Falls
St. Bartholomew's Church, Pewaukee
Marquette University Dental School and several local dentists
Thrivent Action Team Grants provided by Outreach for Hope and Vicki Kuharske
Several other anonymous donors
Landscaping at Felmers and beyond
Thanks to generous donations, our volunteers plant flowers at Felmers Chaney Correctional Center and perform landscaping at various community service sites.
Growing, distributing produce
Our volunteers and our incarcerated brothers grow produce in the garden at the prison, and the excess is distributed to local food pantries and Tricklebee Cafe, a pay-what-you-can community cafe.
Remembering Jon Kamppainen
On Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, a memorial was held at Hephatha Lutheran Church, where we mourned the loss of our brother, Jon Kamppainen. Jon, who became a member of the Breaking the Chains Church family while incarcerated at Felmers Chaney Correctional Center, was a master electrician who shared his skills and expertise by completing projects at Hephatha.
Our steering committee members team up with our incarcerated brothers to help rebuild our community partners' spaces. Pictured is the stripped and cleaned space at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church.