Friday, December 14, 2007

Sectarian Prayer At Ohio County Board Becomes An Issue

Opening prayers at meetings of the Delaware (Ohio) County Board of Commissioners are the latest to come under fire. This Week Community Newspapers and today's Columbus Dispatch both report on a letter sent to the Commissioners by Americans United urging the them to eliminate "all future prayers in order to make all feel equally welcome at meetings." This year's Board president, Glenn Evans, has opened each meeting with the pledge of allegiance and a prayer, instead of with the moment of silence that previous Board president Jim Ward used. Evans typically concludes his opening prayer with: "In your son's name, we ask these things."