DUI attorney matthews bark of Oveido | Oviedo policy allows only council, staff to offer invocations

Source  :   Orlando sentinel
By        : Bethany Rodgers, Martin E. Comas
Category  : DUI Attorney Matthews Bark of Oveido, Attorney Matthews Bark of Orlando

Oviedo has become the latest Central Florida city to pass an invocation policy, but its approach to the hot-button issue has set it apart from neighboring cities.

While many cities are looking to broaden community participation in the ceremonial practice, Oviedo's invocations will be limited to a handful of individuals: council members and city employees.

The policy, which passed Monday night, would simply formalize and continue the city's existing custom: Oviedo has long started its city council meetings with an invocation by either its Fire Chief Lars White or City Manager Bryan Cobb.

The city has tried to reach out to religious leaders in the community to do the invocation, but no one would offer to do it, according to Cobb.

After the city recently received letters from the Central Florida Freethought Community and other non-religious groups questioning the city's invocation policy, City Attorney Lonnie Groot said Oviedo needed to establish a written policy stating that the prayer is a ceremonial event that occurs before the actual start of the meeting's "public business."

Oviedo's policy states that the City Council respects religious diversity, but Joseph Richardson, member of the Freethought Community, argues limiting invocations to public officials is anything but inclusive.

"What are they really going to do to truly reflect the religious diversity that's in Oviedo? Are they going to have employees pretend to be Muslim to offer a Muslim prayer?" Richardson asked.

Oviedo Mayor Dominic Persampiere said he doesn't view the city's invocation practice as controversial."This is extremely innocuous. It's not a homily that we're having at the beginning of the meeting," he said. "It's just a nice way to quietly reflect and give thanks for everything that we have in our community."

Cobb said the prayer is strictly voluntary and that members of the public, city staff or council members do not have to stand or take part in it.

The cities of Maitland and Apopka have recently adopted policies inviting members of the community to give the invocation. Believers and non-believers alike would be allowed to solemnize public meetings.

Attorney Cliff Shepard, who advises both cities, said legal issues intensify where government officials have a greater involvement in prayer at public meetings.

"The more you imbue the opening ceremony with the authority of government … the more problematic it potentially becomes," he said.

Holding the invocation before the meeting's official start could furnish some legal protection, but this theory has not been tested in court, Shepard added.

Richardson, whose organization pushes for the separation of church and state, said he's disappointed by Oviedo's decision to adopt the new policy. His group has scolded other cities where elected leaders pray before meetings, arguing the practice signals a religious preference.

He said he can't imagine Oviedo's new policy will remain in place for long. Members of the Freethought Community will be discussing their response to it, he said.

(Read More : orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole/os-oviedo-invocation-policy-20151208-story.html)