A group of protesters interrupted Sunday morning services at a St. Paul church because one of the pastors works with a federal immigration agency, according to police.

At approximately 10:40 a.m., officers were called to the Cities Church in the 1500 block of Summit Avenue after receiving reports that some 30 to 40 protesters had interrupted services, according to police spokesperson Nikki Muehlhausen.

By the time officers arrived, the group had left and was walking down the alley, she said.

In a Facebook post, protesters said they went to the church to ask for justice for Renee Good because they had identified a church pastor as the acting director for the St. Paul field office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The church’s website lists David Easterwood as a pastor. Easterwood is listed as a defendant in a Jan. 12 lawsuit filed by the state of Minnesota to halt the federal immigration crackdown that led to the fatal Jan. 7 confrontation between Good and an ICE agent.

Later Sunday, Trump administration officials condemned the protest at the St. Paul church, which is is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, a conservative Protestant denomination headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) catches a touchdown pass against Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

In Mike Vrabel’s first season as coach, the Patriots will take on the Broncos in Denver next Sunday, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots will make their 16th conference championship game appearance and first since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. New England has won its last nine divisional round games.

Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two in cold conditions in which snow and rain fell throughout the game. One of Maye’s fumbles set up Houston’s first touchdown.

Carlton Davis III had two interceptions for New England. Craig Woodson added an interception and fumble recovery.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

The eight combined turnovers — Woody Marks also lost a fumble for Houston — were the most in a playoff game since 2015 when the Cardinals and Panthers combined for eight in the NFC championship game.

The Texans have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans. The franchise is now 0-7 all-time in this round.

Stroud finished 20 of 47 with a TD pass. All of his interceptions came in the first half as he became the first player with five or more INTs and five or more fumbles in a single postseason. Will Anderson forced two fumbles for the Texans.

C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans reacts after a run against the New England Patriots during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Leading 21-16 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots stretched their lead to 27-16 when Kayshon Boutte got behind Derek Stingley Jr. and pulled in a diving, one-hand catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

The Texans had the ball with 5:48 to play, but punted on fourth-and-18 at their own 21 with 4:18 remaining.

New England’s next drive took the clock under two minutes. But the Texans turned it over on downs when Stroud’s fourth-down pass to Xavier Hutchinson was batted down by Robert Spillane.

Early action

With the Patriots leading 7-3 early, a series of miscues produced the next two scores.

Maye was strip-sacked by Danielle Hunter deep in Patriots territory, but left tackle Will Campbell fell on the ball and the Patriots punted.

The Texans gave it right back when Stroud’s deep pass along the sideline was intercepted by Davis III.

Maye fumbled again when he attempted to run on a busted play and had the ball stripped by Tommy Togiai and recovered by Azeez Al-Shaair. Six plays later, Stroud linked up with Christian Kirk on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

But on Houston’s next drive, Stroud was rushed up the middle by K’Lavon Chaisson and he lofted a pass that was intercepted by Jones and returned for the score to put New England back in front.

Later in the quarter, the Patriots’ lead increased to 21-10 when they capped a five-play, 56-yard drive with a 7-yard TD pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs.

Mr. Pick-6

Jones scored on an interception return for the second time this season. It was the first of his career in the playoffs and first for New England in the postseason since Asante Samuel had one vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 21, 2007, in the AFC championship game.

Injuries

Texans: TE Dalton Schultz (calf) left in the first quarter and didn’t return. … LG Tytus Howard limped off and RB Woody Marks exited with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. … TE Cade Stover left in the fourth with a knee injury and didn’t return.

Patriots: LB Robert Spillane left in the first quarter with a thumb injury, but returned. … RB TreVeyon Henderson was shaken up after a second quarter run before jogging off. … S Craig Woodson exited after his INT with a head injury, but returned. … RB Rhamondre Stevenson left in the second quarter with an eye issue. … Davis left in the fourth quarter with a head injury.

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During a surprise performance at a New Jersey benefit concert Saturday night, Bruce Springsteen dedicated a song to the late Renee Good and said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents should “get the f— out of Minneapolis.”

In his lengthy introduction to “The Promised Land” — which he called “probably one of my greatest songs” and “an ode to American possibility” — Springsteen said we are living through incredibly critical times and that the country’s ideals and values of the past 250 years are being tested like never before.

He asked the crowd if they believe democracy, liberty and truth are worth speaking out and fighting for and that “if you believe you don’t deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president. And as the mayor of that city has said, ICE should get the f— out of Minneapolis. So this one is for you, and the memory of the mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.”

The 37-year-old Good was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Later that day, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s description of the incident as an “act of domestic terrorism,” saying it was “garbage” and “bull—-” before telling ICE to “get the f— out of Minneapolis.”

As was first reported by NJArts.net, a nonprofit media outlet in the Garden State, Springsteen performed an unannounced but not entirely unexpected 75-minute set at the Light of Day festival, which benefits research for Parkinson’s disease. He was backed by his friend Joe Grushecky’s Houserockers during an evening that also included guest turns from Gary U.S. Bonds, Willie Nile, Goo Goo Dolls’ Johnny Rzeznik and Low Cut Connie’s Adam Weiner.

Springsteen had previously appeared at 13 Light of Day festivals in the organization’s 26-year history.

While his lyrics have often touched on political themes, Springsteen took a more public stance when he performed during the Vote for Change tour in 2004. Presented by moveon.org, the tour was held in swing states and was designed to encourage people to register and vote. Springsteen performed at the former Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul as well as at tour stops in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando, Fla., East Rutherford, N.J., and Washington, D.C.

In 2008, Springsteen endorsed Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and appeared at several rallies. He’s also been a vocal critic of Donald Trump. In 2016, he told Rolling Stone that “the republic is under siege by a moron, basically. The whole thing is tragic. Without overstating it, it’s a tragedy for our democracy. … The ideas he’s moving to the mainstream are all very dangerous ideas — white nationalism and the alt-right movement.”

During a May 2025 concert in England, Springsteen called Trump’s administration “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous.” That prompted the president to respond, via social media, that “this dried out prune of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back in the Country.”

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With federal immigration agents swarming Minnesota, ICE raids, protests, counterprotests, shootings and other horrors in recent weeks, a moment of calm took place at the Cathedral of St. Paul, during a Saturday concert featuring Sir John Rutter with VocalEssence.

The English choral music legend joined the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, along with a chamber orchestra and soloists Audrey Lane-Getaz and G. Phillip Shoultz III, for an afternoon of reverberating voices inside the cathedral’s stone walls. The sold-out performance followed a sing-along event the previous day with the British composer/conductor at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis.

Rutter declared “new light” as the theme for the concert. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” he said, quoting the Gospel of John, before adding, “The darkness cannot overcome it.” While not specifically referencing the recent crisis in the Twin Cities and beyond, his words certainly offered a hopeful message amid recent strife.

SMALL FILE — MAX. WIDTH FOR PRINT: 6.8 INCHES — Composer John Rutter will conduct the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers and chamber orchestra during a performance on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. (Courtesy of VocalEssence)

The composer also offered an anecdote about meeting Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, after they heard the music, noting the former royal’s noncommittal but perhaps positive response and the latter’s less enthusiastic one.

“Philip was not known for his attention span,” Rutter said.

Rutter is especially known for his original Christmas music as well as his choral arrangements of Christmas carols, and the program included some of that repertoire. He noted that, technically, the Christmas season doesn’t officially end until Candlemas on Feb. 2.

Rutter’s arrangement of “Here We Come A-Wassailing” featured a jaunty snare drum performed by percussionist Will Kemperman. Rebecca Arons handled a lovely cello solo at the beginning of Rutter’s original Christmas tune, “Carol of the Magi.” And Rutter’s “New Year,” with its resonant vowel sounds that lingered in the nave, and a warm horn part played by Allison Akins, emerged as a highlight.

Besides the seasonal music, the program spotlighted the wonder of creation, awe in nature and gratitude for music itself.

“When Music Sounds,” which VocalEssence commissioned in 2018, began with female voices of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers as well as artistic director Philip Brunelle at the piano. As harmonies later incorporated male vocal parts, the music made for a lovely tribute to the beauty of voices singing together. Rutter’s 1988 tune, “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” based on Cecil Frances Alexander’s poem, had an enticing pulse.

Rounding out the concert was the U.S. premiere of Rutter’s “I’ll Make a World,” set to a poem by James Weldon Johnson, known for writing the lyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” In his remarks, Rutter said his music was the first time Johnson’s “I’ll Make a World” had been set to music.

Lane-Getaz, an alto in the Ensemble Singers, and associate artistic director Shoutz performed the two solo parts, with Lane-Getaz acting as narrator and Shoutz standing in as the voice of God. With elements of jazz, gospel and spirituals incorporated into the music, the song was a British homage to Black American music traditions.

Responding to Rutter’s return to the Twin Cities, the packed cathedral gave Rutter enthusiastic applause both on first appearance and at the end of the concert. With its robust choral music community, the Twin Cities relished in the afternoon of healing music.

VocalEssence next performs for its “Witness” program during Black History Month.

VocalEssence

What: The group’s next concert is “Witness: Symphony of Spirituals.”

When: 4 p.m. Feb. 22

Where: Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis

Tickets and accessibility: Go to vocalessence.org and northrop.umn.edu/accessibility for accessibility.

Capsule: VocalEssence’s talented singers paid tribute to guest composer Sir John Rutter of Britain. For their next concert, the VocalEssence choirs will recall the civil rights movement through anthems, spirituals and more.