GREEN BAY, WI – (WGBW) – The Green Bay Common Council will continue to have an invocation or a prayer before its meeting for the foreseeable future. Alderman Craig Stevens asked staff to place the discussion on whether or not to continue to have invocations or prayers on the agenda. Stevens was not at the meeting Tuesday night.
Alder Alyssa Proffitt started the meeting Tuesday with an invocation. She said she was uncomfortable offering a prayer due to a traumatic, religious upbringing.
“To be tasked with an invocation with the precedence set of a prayer, for me personally, was a daunting task,” said Proffitt before she read the definition of “invocation” as an act or process of petitioning for help or support.
“Therefore tonight, I’m petitioning for the help of not only the residents of District 7 but for all of us to take into account each and every voice of all of our neighbors within the city as we contemplate and vote on the items before us tonight,” said Proffitt.
Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich said he believes the tradition has merit and should continue.
“I firmly believe in the principals of pluralism, in religious, cultural, and social pluralism,” said Genrich. “This (Proffitt’s invocation) was a great example of why this is so meaningful. It offers all of our alders the opportunity to center us before we begin important deliberations on behalf of the city.”
When Jim Schmitt was mayor of Green Bay he led the Common Council meeting invocation each month. When Genrich was elected he opted to have the alderpersons deliver the invocations on a rotating basis.
In the past that has resulted in recordings of a Donald Trump infused National Anthem and a minute long recording of animal sounds.
Two members of the community spoke on the subject asking that the invocations and prayers remain.
Eric Drzewiecki said the invocation can be a powerful healer in the community.
“I have seen great moments in Council where opponents of the Mayor have prayed for him. And I’ve seen occasions where the Mayor has given prayer or invocation on behalf of people who would be consider as his political opponents,” Drzewiecki said. “And I think that, truly, in our city, there are fewer great things than to see people actually lifting up those they could be considered politically opposed to in prayer.”
Proffitt said prayer at governmental meetings has taken people by surprise.
“But I just want us to be mindful, that this is a really hard topic for a lot people. Especially when they’re here to talk to housing developments. They’re here to speak to the issues on they hear about on the news. They’re not here to get, as some said, blindsided by a prayer,” Proffitt said.
Joey Prestley offered the invocation at the last Common Council meeting with the simple direction to let the meeting begin. He said an invocation is not necessary.
“I didn’t deliver an invocation last week. We didn’t seemed harmed by it. We still have freedom of religion. You can pray before meetings. You can pray in your own time in your head,” Prestley said.
The council directed Mayor Genrich to work with a committee in drawing up guidelines for invocations and prayers to avoid disruptive or divisive invocations that have occurred in the past.
