A Minnesota church is standing firm in its commitment to worship despite a disruptive protest during a service, emphasizing religious liberty and calling on government officials to protect freedom of assembly.



The Minnesota church that saw its worship service disrupted by protesters Sunday says in a new statement it will continue preaching the gospel in the face of intimidation and is urging government officials to protect the freedom of worship.

Cities Church of St. Paul, Minn., saw its service interrupted when a group of anti-ICE demonstrators entered the sanctuary mid-worship, marched toward the pulpit, and began chanting slogans as they confronted congregants and created a scene that frightened families and children. The demonstrators said they were protesting a pastor's connection to federal immigration enforcement.

“Jesus is real. When we gather on Sunday mornings to worship him, we are gladly giving ourselves to what is most central and sacred in our life together,” a statement posted Tuesday on the church’s website reads. It was authored by pastor Jonathan Parnell.

The demonstrators’ actions, the statement asserted, crossed a line from protest into unlawfulness and an attack on religious liberty.

“‘We worship Jesus’ stretches as the main banner of our church, alongside two other pursuits that flow from it: loving one another and seeking the good of the Twin Cities,” it read. “On Sunday, January 18, a group of agitators jarringly disrupted our worship gathering. They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat. Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated. Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus – or any other act of worship – is protected by neither the Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation.”

The church said it welcomes “respectful dialogue about present issues” and “about how the realness of Jesus, as revealed in the Bible, provides the only final answers to the world’s most complex and intractable problems.”

The statement concluded by calling on government leaders to defend the right of churches to worship without interference.

“Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, lived, died, and rose again for the rescue of all who put their faith in him,” the church said. “He offers a love that transcends cultures, borders, policies, and politics. As those who have been loved and rescued by him, we will not shrink from worshiping Jesus, nor will we stop ‘teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah’ (Acts 5:42).

“Church buildings are meant to be places of peace and solace, where worshipers can hear and live out this message. We therefore call on local, state, and national leaders to protect this fundamental right. We are evaluating next steps with our legal counsel.”

The office of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz distanced himself from the demonstrators, saying in a statement to Fox News that "the Governor has repeatedly and unequivocally urged protesters to do so peacefully. While people have a right to speak out, he in no way supports interrupting a place of worship.”

The U.S. Department of Justice said it is investigating the demonstrators and will pursue charges.

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