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A small group describing themselves as concerned citizens on Friday gathered at New Denmark Park to have an informal prayer meeting inspired by the “No King But Jesus” movement. This comes as a response to the “No King” protests set to occur at the same location — and other locations across the country — on Saturday.

The purpose of the meeting was to pray for protection of law enforcement during the Saturday protest, according to the event’s Facebook post.

The meeting was meant to be informal, and was not sponsored or affiliated with any specific organization, said event organizer Matt Benda.

“We just decided this would be a good opportunity,” Benda said. “A spontaneous event just to take a moment of prayer.”

Among those in attendance were pastors and spiritual leaders from the Albert Lea community as well as Rep. Peggy Bennett and Albert Lea Mayor Rich Murray.

Albert Lea resident Wendey Barnett, another attendee, said she saw the Facebook post from a friend who works at Youth for Christ’s The Rock.

“I reposted it, and then I thought, ‘You know, I’m going to go to that’ because I enjoy things like this,” Barnett said. “I think Christ calls me to be here.”

Benda opened the meeting and explained his reasoning behind holding the event.

“Tomorrow, in this very spot, there will be a gathering they have called “No Kings mass protest,” Benda said. He went on to say that the community deserves community rather than division, law enforcement workers should be respected rather than attacked, and prayer for change is preferred over violence for change.

“In St. Paul, the event scheduled for tomorrow is now being called ‘No Kings Day of Defiance,’” said Benda. “The main speakers at this ‘defiance’ event are the governor and attorney general of Minnesota. Their leadership and words matter now more than ever. Many of their recent comments and actions suggest that we are about to witness the beginning of what I call ‘government-sponsored civil unrest.’”

John Holt, a retired Lutheran pastor, led the prayer, and anyone who wanted to say something was invited to join in.

Following prayer time, George and Jill Marin, pastors at Grace Christian Church in Albert Lea, led those present in singing “Amazing Grace.”