Prayer at City Council Meetings

The question has been addressed at the Baker City Council meetings whether or not an invocation should be allowed when the participant prays "in the name of Jesus." I plan on speaking to the Baker City Councilors this evening, and this is what I plan on saying:
*********************************************

Prayer in the City Council

Prayer is important at every level of life, not just within religious institutions, or religious circles, but in every aspect of human activity. That certainly includes the human activity of government.

Prayer has always been important to the government of the United States of America, not just as some sort of ritual, calling on some kind of generic god or imaginary power beyond, but as a sacred opportunity to call upon the Creator and God of the Holy Bible. Government is sanctioned by the Bible, and we are instructed there that God establishes all governments. He is in control of all governments, but He honors and blesses only those governments that look to Him for guidance and protection.

This country was established on the prayers of men and women as we relied upon the strength and power that only God can give. This country has continued to be one of the most blessed countries in the world (if not THE most blessed) because we look to the God of the Bible, as He has appeared to mankind in the man, Jesus Christ, as our guide and shield.

From the very beginning of this nation the congress established the official position of chaplain for the Congress and the Senate of the United States of America. The first Senate, meeting in New York City on April 25, 1789, elected the Reverend Samuel Provost, the Episcopal Bishop of New York, as its first Chaplain. During the past two hundred and seven years, to this very day, all sessions of the Congress and Senate are opened with prayer, strongly affirming our faith in God as the Sovereign Lord of our Nation.

I appeal to the city council today as you address the question of praying to open your city council meetings, to consider the words of Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, when he said, “In the beginning of the contest (the Revolutionary War) with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered… do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?”

I ask you to answer that question posed by Ben Franklin so many years ago, “Do you imagine for one moment that we no longer need the guidance and assistance of God Almighty as we conduct and oversee the affairs of mankind, even in our own little corner of the world called Baker City, OR? I believe we do need his instruction and guidance. I believe we do need the wisdom that can only come from God our Creator. That is why I call on Him, and why I believe those who are believers in Jehovah God, and His Son Jesus Christ call on Him. Intelligent people who are given the responsibility to lead and direct others look to God for His wisdom and guidance.

Finally, regarding prayer “in Jesus Name.” When you invite someone to pray here in this meeting hall you are inviting them to pray according to their conscience. If you invite a believer in Jesus Christ, he/she will pray in the name of Jesus. If you invite a Muslim they will pray in the name of Allah, if you invite a Buddhist to pray, I don’t really know for sure, but I would suspect they will pray in a way according to the teachings of Buddha.

I would not feel excluded if you invite people of other faiths to pray at this meeting. That is what makes America great: tolerance of different religious beliefs, not exclusion or suppression, but equal opportunity and freedom of expression. So my prayer is that you will not do away with your invocation to start each meeting, rather you will look for ways to give equal representation to the religious community that actually resides here in Baker City, and, in the name of freedom, allow people to come and pray according to the teachings of their faith, according to their conscience.

Gratefully Yours, and His,
Roger Scovil,
Pastor of Baker City Christian Church