Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home City Council decided not to begin opening its meetings with prayer during its regular meeting on March 13.
Resident Nancy Patton had suggested that the council start meetings with prayer, and both she and city officials have been researching the topic since she raised the idea in January.
Where she comes from in California, most councils open in prayer, said Patton, who lived in Hemet before moving here.
After raising the idea, she sent a letter to the Christian Law Association to find out more about legal issues related to prayer. She also requested information from cities in Oregon and discovered that only two actually open with prayer.
During the city’s research, the council discovered that some Oregon cities don’t even open with the Pledge of Allegiance, Mayor Craig Fentiman said.
There may be some sound legal grounds for adding prayer to the beginning of the council meeting, Councilor Rich Rowley said. “I don’t know that we have a problem to be resolved right now. Because of religious diversity, it’s possible we may be inviting an issue for contention in the city when we need to be building common ground rather than not.”
“I was thinking along the same lines,” Fentiman said.
The council chose to make a statement about opening in prayer by consensus, with councilors Bob McIntire, Eric Markell, Jim Gourley, Fentiman, Rowley and Jim Bean agreeing not to add prayer to the agenda. Scott McKee Jr. was absent from the meeting.
Patton was unable to attend the meeting. The issue was not on the agenda.
In a letter to the council, dated March 1, she stated: “My question is what could prayer hurt? The Christian Law Association says very clearly … that they will give you legal assistance. After much thought and consideration, I have come to the decision I would like you to take action on this. Several of your councilmen are Christians and would probably open in prayer if asked. I am here to help, and we do have a ministerial association now that would probably give you assistance in this area.”
It’s OK for city councils to open with prayer, Patton told The New Era.
“I’m disappointed. I would hope our city would step up to the plate. What could it hurt?
“I like to see all aspects of our community working together, the churches, the businesses.”
She understands that adding prayer means it may open the council to allowing prayer for other religions.
“We have to be able to allow everybody to have prayer,” she said, whether it’s to Allah or the Great Spirit or to Jesus.
“If a totally different religion stood up and prayed, that’s okay,” she said. “Because I’m not praying to (that religion’s god).”
Patton said when she talked to other cities, asking about prayer, she heard from a lot of people “we didn’t know you could do that,” she said.
The State Legislature and Congress both open their sessions with prayer, Patton said. If they’re praying, “what can we say?”
People who do not want to participate could excuse themselves during the prayer, she said.