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Michigan City To Consider New Invocation Guidelines

By Howard Friedman

City Council in Port Huron, Michigan today plans to consider a written policy that would permit the invocation at its meetings to be led only by a minister from a recognized church in the community. Sunday's Port Huron Times Herald reported that the proposal was initiated after Khalil "Casey" Chaudry, an atheist, was refused permission to lead the invocation on the grounds that he wanted to use the time for a protest. Chaudry then used public speaking time to suggest that Council's unwritten policies be formalized. The proposed new policy will also limit any individual minister to three invocations per year, and will call for inviting ministers from all churches in the yellow pages to deliver the opening prayer. Also the invocation will be removed from the formal agenda and will instead be offered before the meeting is called to order. Finallly the mayor will no longer tell those wishing to participate to stand and bow their heads. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 25, 2008 (boomark / email).