Lewiston Council Explores Adding Prayer to Meeting Agenda

The Lewiston City Council is considering the addition of a prayer to the beginning of its meetings. During a work session on October 16, 2023, council members discussed this proposal, which was presented by Councilor Jessica Klein. The council decided to gather more information without reaching a formal vote, with plans to revisit the matter in a future session.

Klein expressed that starting meetings with a prayer could provide “additional guidance” for council members. She highlighted that this practice is common in the U.S. Congress, where both the Senate and House of Representatives begin their sessions with a prayer. A report included in the council packet, prepared by Dan Chambers, pastor of Klein’s church, Tammany View Baptist Church, suggested appointing a Lewiston police chaplain to deliver the invocation. Although Lewiston currently lacks a police chaplain, Klein mentioned the possibility of adopting a lottery system similar to that used in Coeur d’Alene to select individuals to offer prayers.

With 36 meetings scheduled annually, the council noted that Lewiston is home to approximately 40 churches. Klein indicated that the invocation could also take the form of a moment of silence or be offered by a council member. Implementing this change would require the council to pass a resolution that amends city policy to include invocation in the “opening exercises” of council meetings as detailed in city code. According to Lewiston City Attorney Jennifer Tengono, the current list of “opening exercises” includes a call to order, the pledge of allegiance, and public comments.

Opinions among council members varied regarding the proposal. Councilor John Spickelmire expressed conditional support, stating that he could back the idea if it did not impose additional duties on staff and contributed to better decision-making. Councilor Matthew Wright noted that inviting a church pastor or priest to offer prayer at meetings could potentially increase community participation.

Conversely, Council President Jim Kleeburg voiced strong opposition to the proposal. He cautioned that adding prayer could complicate the council’s role in setting policy and open the door to various religious groups seeking to participate. Kleeburg referenced declining participation in organized religion across the United States, questioning whether the council should pursue such an initiative. He stated, “We’re spending a lot of time on something I just don’t think we need to be dipping our toes into.”

Klein acknowledged the importance of maintaining inclusive practices, indicating that while the council cannot discriminate in selecting who provides the prayers, there would be guidelines to ensure no promotion of new membership occurs. She also noted that other cities have developed protocols to mitigate the risk of legal challenges associated with prayers at public meetings.

Despite the potential for offense, Klein emphasized that participation in prayer would not be obligatory. “As an adult, you have the ability to participate or not participate in prayer,” she said, reinforcing the voluntary nature of the practice. Councilor Kassee Forsmann supported further research into the implications of opening meetings with prayer, suggesting a review of how similar practices have been implemented in other municipalities.

The Lewiston City Council is expected to continue deliberating on this matter in upcoming sessions, weighing community sentiment and legal considerations before making a decision.