<IRONY> The end of the world is nigh!! </IRONY>
Pawlenty endorses Palau evangelism festivalPosted by robe0419 at August 5, 2004 4:20 PM
Martha Sawyer Allen, Star Tribune
August 5, 2004
Gov. Tim Pawlenty took a detour on his way to meet President Bush in Mankato on Wednesday to endorse this weekend's Twin Cities Christian evangelism festival of Luis Palau.The governor met him at a reception before a civic and business leaders' luncheon attended by 1,300 people in the Minneapolis Hilton.
To the crowd, Pawlenty said: "I'm proud to be associated with such an important faith event. Faith is an important glue that holds our state together." A member of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, he told the crowd that he had prayed "that God will bless this weekend and continue to bless this great state."
The two-day event on the State Capitol grounds will feature youth-oriented high-energy events, including Christian music, skateboarding and other extreme sports and lots of preaching. The climax each day will be Palau's talk at 7:15 p.m.
He and Pawlenty met a few months ago when Palau was in town meeting with organizers. They renewed their friendship Wednesday.
Palau said in an interview that it was "very motivating" to him to have someone such as the governor endorsing the festival. "Since I was a young man I've always wanted to reach the highest authority as well as the everyday person," he said.
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Although leaders still expect more than 200,000 people to attend the festival over the two days, they are dealing with some unknowns. For instance, it's August and it's Minnesota, which means that many people are "at the lake." Also some leaders said many people are on vacation, and one said many people had told him that they will be visiting colleges and universities with their teenage children.