ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Evangel United Methodist Church gathered the community for an open forum Wednesday night with a panel of mental health professionals to provide information and resources to community members seeking mental health guidance.
The forum used the theme “Weathering the Storm” with an umbrella graphic to convey protection when the community comes together.
“There’s an umbrella after a storm has passed, and it conveys the image that there’s protection when we can come together to weather this storm of violence that is an unfortunate reality, but there’s hope,” Connections and Growth Director Jim Klepper said.
Klepper organized the event in response to recent public displays of violence, bringing together six panelists to present on specific areas of mental health and violence. The panelists included representatives of the Rochester Police Department, the Olmsted County Crisis Response Team, Zumbro Valley Health, Winona State University, Timeout Parental Behavior Coaching, and Mayo Clinic.
“We want to send the message of hope to our community, to our families, to those who are [and] all of us who are struggling with what to do with this,” Pastor David Werner said.
Zumbro Valley Health Mobile Crisis Supervisor Josh Jensen addressed what creates violent individuals during his presentation.
“They blame society for the rejection and harbor a strong desire for notoriety. They want to make their mark in the world, that they will elevate them to the status they believe they’re entitled to and deserve,” Jensen said.
Rochester Police Officer Jean Valere shared statistics about warning signs before violent acts occur. Valere noted around 64% of people close to attackers notice concerning behavior before the violent act was committed.
“So that means someone out there had a clue that something was going on with that person. It needs to be reported,” Valere said.
Although the intersectionality of violence and mental illness in communities can’t be solved only within the walls of Evangel United Methodist Church, Klepper said helping one family at a time is what matters most.
“It’s like the guy who was walking along the beach and there was a boy throwing starfish into the water and there are thousands of starfish. And the guy said, ‘why are you doing this? You can’t save all these starfish.’ And as the boy threw in one starfish, he said, ‘but I can save this one,’” Klepper said. “So we’re here to try to help people where they’re at, one family at a time.”
Klepper and the church plan to continue hosting mental health forums, with the next one scheduled for February 2026. Future forums at Evangel United Methodist Church will center around relatable topics and mental wellness.
Click here to remain updated on the church’s events and forums.
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