CLEARLAKE, Calif. – At its Thursday night meeting the Clearlake City Council provided direction to staff to develop guidelines for beginning each meeting with an invocation, or prayer, seeking positive spiritual guidance.
Opportunities for participation are to be extended to all organizations of faith in the community and spiritual leaders will be invited for inclusion on a calendar schedule.
“I welcome any help I can get in positive spiritual guidance,” Mayor Denise Loustalot said following a public discussion that was essentially balanced in its opinions regarding public prayer before council meetings.
It has been the city's position since its incorporation in 1980 not to have public prayer during its council meetings.
“Cities in California have taken a variety of positions on public prayer. Many do as Clearlake and have taken the position of not having them altogether,” City Attorney Ryan Jones said, recommending the city continue the practice.
Jones said some cities do permit public prayer with procedures that vary from city to city.
“Of the cities that allow prayer, some take the position of permitting nondenominational prayer offered by a member of the council or staff,” he said. “Other cities reach out to the community and permit local clergy to come to the council meeting and offer a sectarian prayer that is reflective of the clergy member's faith.”
Jones cited a May ruling by the United States Supreme Court concerning the town of Greece, New York, wherein members of the public may open city council meetings with expressly religious prayer if, over time, all faiths are welcome to participate.
He said most prayers can be from one religious faith provided a nondenominational policy is place.
“However, prayers must not proselytize, or disparage, any particular faith,” he said.
According to Jones, the town of Greece was not without its trouble in relation to the practice prior to the ruling this spring.
He said the town informally sought out prayer givers from local congregations. Findings noted, “at no point (the town) excluded or denied an opportunity to a would-be prayer giver. Its leaders maintained that a minister or layperson of any persuasion, including an atheist, could give the invocation. But nearly all the congregations in town were Christian; and from 1999 to 2007, all of the participating ministers were too.”
Two residents sued the town over the practice, alleging “that the town violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause by preferring Christians over other prayer givers and by sponsoring sectarian prayers, such as those given 'in Jesus' name. They did not seek an end to the prayer practice, but rather requested an injunction that would limit the town to 'inclusive and ecumenical' prayers that referred only to a 'generic God' and would not associate the government with any one faith or belief.”
Jones said the court decision ruled that opening city council meeting with prayer – even sectarian or openly religious prayer – is not a violation of the Establishment Clause if certain procedures are followed.
Pastor Jim Lujan of Calvary Baptist Church said prayers before the meetings would seek to provide wisdom, bravery and changes in heart.
“I believe we have to have prayer here. It is important because we love the city,” Lujan said.
Pastor Larry Fanning cited an absence of prayer over the past 30 years. “We want to be a positive element in the community,” he said. “We would not be here to make conversions.”
Resident Jim Honegger said to be “preached to” in the environment of the city council would be wrong.
“If they want to pray for you, they can do so. They could have done it in the morning or (outside of the building),” Honegger said.
Chuck Leonard, a former member of the council, advised against creating dissent in the community.
“If they want to pray for you, no one is going to stop that from happening. They can pray for you before the meeting or they can pray for you now,” he said. “But if we start offending people and excluding others, there will be problems. (The courts) make mistakes. Don't help them along.”
Resident Beth Kaimen suggested an alternating schedule inclusive of all religions in the community be developed should the council allow prayer.
“And don't forget the Wiccans,” she said. “You have to open it up to all religions.”
Concerns addressing inclusion of “minority” religious leaders, such as Wiccans and Satanists, were discussed.
Lujan said policy language of some municipalities limit the invitation to “ordained” religious leaders only, thereby restricting those qualified to participate.
However, no specific direction regarding an ordination requirement was provided to staff in drafting the city's policy.
The policy goal is to establish a one-minute time limit for prayer or positive invocation at the start of meetings.
Additionally, if a religious representative is not present at any given meeting, a minute of silence may be observed.
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Clearlake City Council votes to support opening meetings with prayer
- Denise Rockenstein
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