Wilmington City Council may bring back prayer

There is an effort to bring prayer back to Wilmington City Council meetings, a month after members voted to stop the decades-old practice.

Several dozen city residents attended a public meeting to address the issue on Monday at the Police Athletic League of Wilmington. Attendees spoke about the power of prayer in their lives, and the audience responded with nods and Amens.

"Prayer has brought me a long way," said State Representative Charles Potter, Jr., who promised to introduce legislation this year to bring prayer back to Delaware schools. "We've got to fight for the right thing. God is good, all the time, on to victory."

Bishop Aretha Morton said politicians often visit churches during election time and ask: "Pray for me."

"We pray, God hears and they get elected," she said. If City Council doesn't reinstate prayer, she said, "don't come back."

Guy announced online that he plans to sponsor a resolution on Thursday to bring prayer back "because that helps keep the devil out."

The councilman said the effort will be co-sponsored by council members Bob Williams, Vash Turner, Michelle Harlee, Rysheema Dixon and Yolanda McCoy. The move would be an about-face for Harlee, Dixon and McCoy, who voted for the resolution that included the change.

Council President Hanifa Shabazz, who sponsored the new council rules, said last month that replacing the Christian prayer with a silent reflection would be an appropriate way to separate church and state and allow people of all faiths to gather themselves.

"If people want to pray, they can," said Shabazz, who is Muslim. "If they want to take a deep breath, they can."

Guy declined to comment for this article.

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The prayer, addressed to "Our heavenly Father," had been used as an invocation to start meetings for decades. The prayer was missing from the "order of business" section of new council rules introduced on Jan. 3. The 16-page resolution, which outlined council procedures and duties, did not make note of the removal of prayer but listed "silent reflection" in its place after the pledge of allegiance.

The resolution was adopted with 10 yes votes and three nays, from Guy, Williams and Turner.

Williams said he suspects some council members voted for the rules without fully realizing what they were agreeing to.

"You had seven brand new council members who were not in tune with past practice," he said. "I don't think they were looking for how council opens its session."

Williams said while he understands Shabazz's intention for more inclusiveness he said prayer is a way of asking for an "open mind and an open heart."

"It's not indicative of any one religion," he said. "We’re just asking that a higher power look down on council and allow us to make the proper decisions."

In 2014, the Supreme Court upheld the practice of prayer in government meetings, even if the prayers are Christian and citizens are encouraged to participate, USA Today reported at the time.

The Wilmington City Council prayer, according to the city clerk, was as follows: "Our heavenly Father, as we gather together to make laws affecting the citizens of Wilmington, we ask your guidance so that our intentions and actions are in accordance with thy will and according to your word! Amen."

Williams said the majority of city residents who have approached him about the topic have asked that prayer be reinstated.

POLL: Do you think prayer has a place in city council meetings?

City Councilwoman At-Large Loretta Walsh, a Roman Catholic, said last month that she supported the removal of recited prayer.

"By having a moment of reflection, since we have most religion groups represented on this floor, it gives us a chance to say our own private prayer."

Monday's meeting ended with a prayer.

"We won't let nothing separate us from your love," Morton said. "We're asking that our voices be heard and let the next meeting in City Council be led with prayer. In Jesus name... we pray. Amen."

Contact Christina Jedra at (302) 324-2837, on Twitter @ChristinaJedra or cjedra@delawareonline.com.