XPost: alt.california, rec.arts.tv   
   From: too_many_toojs@yahoo.com   
      
   LAKE FOREST – When it next convenes, the City Council here will   
   become the 26th in Orange County to include an invocation at its   
   meeting.   
      
   Under a new policy approved 4-1 on Tuesday night, council   
   members will have the option of giving an invocation without   
   mention of a specific religion's deity, offering words of   
   inspiration or presiding over a moment of silence. Councilman   
   Peter Herzog voted against the policy, saying faith should   
   remain a private matter.   
      
   Members will rotate the position; only those interested in   
   participating will do so.   
      
   Seven people spoke on the issue: four in favor, three opposed.   
      
   "I notice that you have In God We Trust over the city of Lake   
   Forest emblem, and I think that says right there how you feel   
   and where you stand," said Joette Koelsch of Capistrano Beach.   
   "If you can post In God We Trust over your emblem of your city   
   then I think that you can agree that it's OK to pray to that   
   same God that you trust in."   
      
   Pastor David Arnold, speaking on behalf of Saddleback Church,   
   agreed: "You have a particular faith that you want to express, a   
   particular God that you want to ask to help you make decisions   
   and as leaders I want you to have the ability to reflect your   
   faith as a leader."   
      
   Prayer is a "historical practice" in America, said Pastor   
   Clayton Robinson of Connection Church in Lake Forest, which   
   opened a little over a year ago. Previously a pastor in Laguna   
   Niguel for nearly 20 years, Robinson said that city had no   
   issues with invocations at meetings.   
      
   "For me, while I may believe in a Christian God, I would be   
   perfectly comfortable if an atheist were to come and to bring a   
   blessing of peace upon our community because we can always use   
   all the peace and blessing we can get," he said.   
      
   Lake Forest resident Kandice Hawes said prayer at meetings makes   
   her feel "uncomfortable." Another resident, Ted Perle, said   
   invocations could offend believers by focusing on a specific   
   religion or deity.   
      
   "Which God will be brought up? Which God will be praised?" Perle   
   said.   
      
   Councilman Dwight Robinson said he favored inviting community   
   members to give invocations, but agreed to rotate the duty among   
   council members to accommodate concerns by Mayor Pro Tem Kathryn   
   McCullough and Councilman Peter Herzog about using city   
   staffers' time to seek out speakers.   
      
   Allowing words of inspiration or a moment of silence convinced   
   Councilman Adam Nick to support the item, which he previously   
   opposed out of concern for separation of church and state.   
      
   Mayor Scott Voigts, who first brought the idea before this   
   council, said faith has been important to the nation since its   
   founding.   
      
   "I do not want to force my religion or push my religion on   
   anybody, but I do want to invoke God's blessings – and however   
   you want to take that – I want to invoke God's blessings upon   
   our citizens, our businesses, on those who protect us at night,"   
   he said.   
      
   http://www.ocregister.com/news/want-500577-council-city.html   
      
                
      
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