St. Paul Faith Leaders Turn To Prayer To End Violence

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- The start of a new week in St. Paul marks the end of a deadly one. Three people died last week on the east side of the city.

That makes the 10th murder of the year in St. Paul.

Sunday morning Mayor Chris Coleman told WCCO they need help.

"We need to start working with our faith communities, working with our schools to try and change the direction for these young men so they are not resorting to this kind of violence," Coleman said.

To end his Sunday morning service, Larry Willmen, pastor of Payne Avenue Evangelical Free Church spoke.

"In spite of what's going on in our neighborhood, despite what's going on in our world, God is powerful enough he is seeking to do something," Willmen said.

The service was extra heavy, the pastor said.

"It's personal, yeah," he said.

Several of the pastor's parishioners live within the five block area where three people were killed last week.

Othalee McDonald attends the church and lives in the east side.

"Somebody preying on the innocent, it's just crazy," McDonald said.

So now, they're praying too.

"We pray that God will be a comfort to the people who've lost, it's hugely traumatic," Willmen said.

McDonald says church doors are open and he wants to welcome people who are in troubled times, he thinks that could help the violence.

"I pray that God use our door as a floodgate for people to come through," McDonald said.

In the meantime, clergy are uniting with officers who say they are increasing patrols.

Willmen met with others in the area on Thursday trying to find a way to end chaos with calm.

"So we pray, we pray for comfort, we pray for protection for the community we pray for the people who committed these things," Willmen said.

Several east side church leaders meet every Tuesday to pray for the area - a tradition they've shared for decades.