Lodi City Council Changes Policy, But Keeps Prayer

After months of contentious debate, late Wednesday night the Lodi, California City Council voted unanimously to change its policy on invocations, but not to do away with prayer. According to yesterday's Lodi News-Sentinel, under the new policy the invocation will be delivered before the Council meeting is formally called to order. Leaders of all faiths, including ones whose places of worship are outside of the city, will be invited to deliver an uncensored invocation. Persons who are not religious can give a "Call to Civic Responsibility" instead of a prayer. Some 500 people attended the special Council meeting on Wednesday and the mayor had received 1,451 e-mails on the topic. (See prior related posting.)