Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis pastors promote depolarization as an act of faith
At Mercy Vineyard Church, a crowd has gathered for plates of pasta and a crash course in becoming peacemakers in politically polarized times.
Pastor Gary Dawkins kicks the event off with some scripture. He says the Bible is a good blueprint for navigating today’s divided environment.
“Jesus is quoted here by saying, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God,’” he said, reading from the Book of Matthew. “Jesus is saying, ‘I don’t want you to be a peace faker. I want you to be a peacemaker.’”
Dawkins is among religious leaders asking what role faith can play in bridging political divides in a particularly polarized election year.
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Pastor Steph O’Brien, the lead pastor at Mill City Church, talks about the nature of contemporary polarization during a workshop on how to be a peacemaker in the image of Jesus during a polarizing time at Mercy Vineyard Church in Minneapolis on Oct. 8.
Tim Evans for MPR News
Through a series of workshops, Dawkins and another local pastor, Stephanie O’Brien of Mill City Church, have been teaching congregants how to listen better, how to bust through their media echo chambers and how to use their faith to empathize with people on the other side.
Dawkins said that reducing polarization is exactly what Jesus would want his followers to do, even if it means loving someone who sees politics differently.
“One of the false conversations that we have around us, is that in order for me to be at peace with someone, I have to be on their team, or they have to agree with everything I agree with,” he said. “But that’s not peace. That’s just conformity.”
Pastor Gary Dawkins, the lead pastor at Mercy Vineyard Church, explains the details of an exercise during a workshop on how to be a peacemaker in the image of Jesus during a polarizing time in Minneapolis on Oct. 8.
Tim Evans for MPR News
Talking to someone on the other side of politics is hard, which is why O’Brien came up with the idea for these workshops.
Since the pandemic, her parishioners tell her they’ve lost relationships.
“This is a form of deep loss and grief, and I have had people say to me, ‘It feels as though this person in my life has died, and I know they’re still alive. I even sometimes see them, but the person and that relationship is gone. It’s gone.’” she said. “I don’t believe that it has to be the end of the story.”
People raise their hands for an impromptu poll during a workshop on how to be a peacemaker in the image of Jesus during a polarizing time at Mercy Vineyard Church in Minneapolis on Oct. 8.
Tim Evans for MPR News
Old habits die hard
A recent workshop began with a little introspection.
Participant Tim Fynskov took a quiz that revealed his stereotypes about people who vote differently than he does.
“I found disdain is my natural inclination, or pity that you know they’re not hearing the truth,” he said.
And for him it’s personal. He said he doesn’t talk politics with some members of his family.
“Because I really want to resist thinking less of them. I know them for the people that they are, and I don’t want to find myself disparaging them or thinking of them with disdain,” he said.
People read a presentation slide on the attributes of Jesus during a workshop on how to be a peacemaker in the image of Jesus during a polarizing time at Mercy Vineyard Church in Minneapolis on Oct. 8.
Tim Evans for MPR News
Self-reflection was a consistent theme during the two-hour session.
At one point, co-facilitator Ramón Pastrano asked participants to evaluate their media consumption habits. Many participants said they tend to go back to the same sources of information over and over.
Pastrano said algorithms are designed to reinforce our biases.
“When we’re doing a Google search, we’re chasing our tail. We’re looking at our past search history to search for something that we think is going to give us some truth,” he said. “When actually what we’re doing is walking this path where we already have been, and we’re making decisions based on that.”
Seeking to understand, not change minds
Dismantling these old habits can be challenging, said participant Lizzie Dresselhaus. For years, she’s tried to change people’s minds about politics.
“Maybe changing somebody’s mind is not going to be super effective,” she said.
Now, she wants to change her approach to those conversations.
”How can I see somebody’s story, how did [they] get to the values that [they] have now, being a whole person and not just a representation of a viewpoint that I disagree with,” she said.
Co-moderator Dr. Ramón Pastrano explains the role of self-awareness in interpersonal dynamics during a workshop on how to be a peacemaker in the image of Jesus during a polarizing time at Mercy Vineyard Church in Minneapolis on Oct. 8.
Tim Evans for MPR News
Minneapolis, MN
Man convicted of murdering Mariah Samuels set for sentencing Monday after skipping previous court date
A Minneapolis man convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend is set to learn his fate Monday after he skipped his original sentencing date on Friday.
A jury found 51-year-old David Wright guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, first- and second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm last week. The premeditation conviction automatically triggers a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Wright was scheduled to be sentenced Friday afternoon, but did not show up to court. The judge asked Wright’s attorney if he was ill or refusing to show up, but the attorney declined to answer on grounds of attorney-client privilege.
Monday’s sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Wright killed 34-year-old Mariah Samuels in September outside her home in the Willard-Hay neighborhood of Minneapolis, minutes after she posted about his abuse on social media. Family members said Samuels had broken up with him after a few months of dating. She had a restraining order against him.
Samuels’ sister Simone Hunter called Wright “a dangerous person” who “should never see the light of day again” after his conviction.
Friends and family say Wright acted out throughout the trial, including missing previous court dates and removing himself from the stand.
Both Samuels’ family and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty criticized the court for not doing more to ensure Wright showed up at the sentencing.
“This is why people think they can murder people in front of their dad’s house and get away with it. There’s no repercussions for these things, they don’t care about these women who are dying on a daily basis. And the least that they could have done is demanded that he come over here in shackles like the monster that he is,” Hunter said Friday. “I’m astounded.”
Samuels’ family has also accused the Minneapolis Police Department of not doing enough to keep her safe. Chief Brian O’Hara last year ordered her case to be reviewed and officers to be retrained on domestic violence.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A 21-year-old man was killed after a motorcycle crash early Friday morning in Minneapolis, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Fatal motorcycle crash
The backstory:
The State Patrol responded to the crash at about 1:20 a.m. on April 17 on northbound I-35W at Johnson Street in Minneapolis.
Authorities say a man operating a Suzuki motorcycle was heading northbound on I-35W when it made contact with the left side median guard rail before it continued to head north. It traveled for about another quarter mile before coming to rest on the right side guard rail.
Authorities located the motorcycle’s operator on the left side shoulder. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crash under investigation
Crash victim ID’d:
The State Patrol identified the motorcyclist as 21-year-old Andrew James Neuberger of Minneapolis. According to a GoFundMe set up for the family, Neuberger is the oldest of seven children.
What led up to the crash remains under investigation.
Minneapolis, MN
Between Minneapolis And Lake Superior Is The ‘Agate Capital Of The World’ With Cozy Charm And A State Park – Islands
For anyone eager to see Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior agate, there’s one destination in central Minnesota not to miss. Moose Lake is a great stop on a road trip up north on Interstate 35 from the Twin Cities to Lake Superior, the cleanest lake in America. The city is also known for its agates, outdoor fun, and water activities at Moose Lake State Park, a hub for outdoor recreation, as well as friendly independent businesses that lend it a relaxed, small-town charm.
Agates are a colorful type of microcrystalline chalcedony quartz, and according to Explore Minnesota Tourism, Moose Lake is known as the Agate Capital of the World. The city is home to the largest Lake Superior agate, located at First National Bank — it weighs 108 pounds. You can view geological displays at the Moose Lake State Park Visitor Center, or even try your luck picking agates at the Soo Line Pit. A permit is required, and it’s best to go after rainfall. Visit in July for Agate Days, an annual festival with a gem and mineral show featuring over 100 vendors, as well as an agate “stampede,” where you may find your own treasure in the gravel.
What to do at Moose Lake State Park
Just a few minutes from town, iMoose Lake State Park was established in 1971 and is a top spot for outdoor recreation in the area. After exploring the rock and mineral exhibits at the visitor center, head outside to enjoy fun activities around the park. You may see wildlife such as white-tailed deer, otters, and butterflies, or birds like loons, waterfowl, bluebirds, and swallows. The park is centered around the peaceful Echo Lake, where you can get out on the water for a paddle. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available if you don’t have your own gear. You can also go for a dip at the lake’s beach or cast a line from the accessible fishing pier, where you may reel in northerns, panfish, largemouth bass, or walleyes.
Hiking is also popular, with about 5 miles of hiking trails through woodland, ponds, hills, and fields. The 1.5-mile Rolling Hills Trail is a great pick for spotting wildlife, while the 0.9-mile West Echo Loop offers beautiful lake views. Keep an eye out for trumpeter swans and other birds on the 1.2-mile Wildlife Pond Trail. Although there are no groomed trails in winter, you can still snowshoe and backcountry ski here.
If you’d like to spend a night under the stars, stay at Moose Lake State Park campground. There are 33 drive-in sites, including 20 electric sites, 2 walk-in sites, and a group campground that can sleep up to 45 campers. Showers and flush toilets are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while vault toilets are available year-round. All campsites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
Discover Moose Lake’s small-town charm
One of Moose Lake’s highlights is its welcoming atmosphere and relaxed pace of life. See a movie at the Historic Lake Theater, a friendly, family-owned movie theater that has operated at its current location since 1937. Lazy Moose Grill and Gifts serves breakfast favorites and tasty dishes like burgers, sandwiches, and wild rice meatloaf, earning it a 4.4-star rating on Google with over 1,400 reviews. Kick back and relax with a beer at Moose Lake Brewing Company, where the paio overlooks the lake. The swimming beach at Moosehead Lake is a great way to spend more time outdoors — the beach is sandy and shallow, making it a good option for families with kids.
Moose Lake is located about two-thirds of the way between Minneapolis and the outdoor lake town of Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior. Duluth International Airport is the closest major airport, while Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the best airport in North America for passenger satisfaction, is about a 2-hour drive away and offers the most flight options. Having a car is the easiest way to explore the area, though Jefferson Lines buses stop in Moose Lake along the route between the Twin Cities and Duluth.
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