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WASHINGTON — For the first time in 130 years, members of Congress gathered in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol for a church service.
About 300 members from both sides of the aisle gathered to worship just hours before the House of Representatives voted to pass health care reform.
Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., organized the service and delivered a message about trusting God.
“When we look at our Founding Fathers we don’t have to ask the question ‘I wonder what would have happened if they had trusted God?” Forbes said. “They did. Our question is ‘What would have happened had they not trusted God?’”
“And the question we left them with is 100 years from today, 30 years from today what will our children be asking?” he continued. “Will they have to ask the question,’I wonder what would have happened if they had trusted God?’ or will they be able to ask the same question that we get to ask: ‘I wonder what would have happened had they not trusted God?’”
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2010/March/Congress-Holds-First-Church-Service-in-130-Years/
The First Prayer in Congress
“O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they persist in their sanguinary purposes, of own unerring justice, sounding in their hearts, constrain them to drop the weapons of war from their unnerved hands in the day of battle! 
Be Thou present, O God of wisdom, and direct the councils of this honorable assembly; enable them to settle things on the best and surest foundation. That the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that order, harmony and peace may be effectually restored, and truth and justice, religion and piety, prevail and flourish amongst the people. Preserve the health of their bodies and vigor of their minds; shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world and crown them with everlasting glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.
Amen.”
Reverend Jacob Duché
Rector of Christ Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 7, 1774, 9 o’clock a.m.
http://forbes.house.gov/PrayerCaucus/PrayerInCongress.aspx
SPARTANBURG, S.C. The chairman of a South Carolina county council says the panel will follow a 2008 law on prayer at meetings, after a Christian prayer this month drew criticism.
A 2008 law says government bodies can have a prayer by a designated chaplain, that members pray on “an objective and rotating basis” or that local religious leaders pray.
A federal court ruled in 2004 that public bodies can not name the deity of a specific religion in a prayer.
Read More: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/26/1337976/sc-county-leaders-to-follow-2008.html
Kentucky could lose highway funds over ‘Hell is Real’ billboard
FRANKFORT — Kentucky risks losing $42 million a year in federal transportation funds if lawmakers approve a billboard deregulation bill aimed at saving a “Hell is real” sign along Interstate 65, according to federal officials. 
PHOENIX — House Bill 2496 would give churches the ability to locate wherever they choose, regardless of local zoning rules.It would also allow members to use the property for any purpose as long it “fulfills the person’s religious freedom.””It’s about creating a level playing field so that churches are not discriminated against,” said Deborah Sheasby, legal counsel for the Center For Arizona Policy.
The conservative family values organization is lobbying for the law.”It sets out clear standards so we don’t have to have a lawsuit every time there’s a dispute between a church and a city,” said Sheasby.She pointed out recent incidents where there were disputes, including whether a Phoenix church could feed the homeless on it property and a Gilbert bible study group that was ordered to stop disband.
Though they are culturally polar opposites, practitioners at the Phoenix Goddess Temple also support the bill.They worship the Eastern philosophy of Tantra, which includes using sexual touch in order to reach spiritual enlightenment.”Our sexuality is a gift and a gift from God,” said Magdalena Ananda, a Tantric educator at the temple. “We teach people practices to cultivate the love that they are.”The Temple was forced to move from Scottsdale to Phoenix last year after neighbors complained about their religious practices. Under HB 2496, the temple would have more protection against people who disagree with their practices.”As a basic need, we all need respect. If we’re not respected, we’re not happy,” Ananda said. “If somebody says whatever I’m doing this is my religion, this bill appears to give them extraordinary levels of protection,” said Ken Strobeck, the executive director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. He represents the state’s cities and towns.
They have united against HB 2496, say it gives local authorities no way to crack down when a church is causing a community issue.”That seems to be giving a special set of practices a special treatment rather than an equal treatment,” he said.The bill has passed the House of Representatives. It is awaiting a vote in the Rules Committee of the Senate.
http://www.kpho.com/politics/22949253/detail.html
Putting Your Faith in God at the BMV: Indiana’s License Plate Controversy
Michael W. Nowak, 35 J. Legis. 17 (2009)
(An excerpt is below. To view the full text, please use Westlaw, Lexis, a law library or alternative source.)
Indiana has long boasted the honor of being the ‘Crossroads of America.’ But if one finds themselves traveling the roads of Indiana recently, they are likely to notice another slogan. In 2006, the Indiana Legislature passed a resolution regarding the issuance of new license plates in the state. These new plates proudly proclaim, ‘In God We Trust.’ The new license plates and their religious slogan have ignited a controversy within the state. It is not only the message that has come under fire, but also the way that a driver in Indiana acquires such plates. This Note will attempt to add some clarity to this ongoing debate. Specifically, it asks if the state of Indiana’s practice of selling license plates with the motto ‘In God We Trust’ without an additional fee for specialty plates violates Constitutional protections.
Read More: http://www.alliancealert.org/wordpress/2010/03/24/law-review-putting-your-faith-in-god-at-the-bmv-indianas-license-plate-controversy/
NY Christian suddenly arrested, jailed in park prayer case
ELMIRA, N.Y. — A man who had been arrested after praying in 2007 at a public park was suddenly arrested again last week by Elmira police while his case is still on appeal. The arrest of Julian Raven came suddenly on March 15 while he was at his office. According to his wife, police escorted him out of a court hearing Tuesday in handcuffs in front of his crying children to begin serving his 9-day jail sentence.
“Christians shouldn’t be punished for expressing their religious beliefs. It’s ridiculous to consider the act of peacefully exercising one’s faith in a public park to be ‘disorderly conduct’ worthy of a jail sentence,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster. “We are surprised at how eager the city was to arrest Mr. Raven again in light of his appeal. Now he will serve time in jail; however, we will continue to aggressively pursue his appeal in court.”
Raven’s original arrest in the case People of the State of New York v. Raven is currently on appeal to the New York Court of Appeals. In 2007, Raven and other Christians entered Wisner Park in Elmira with their heads bowed to pray for the participants of a “gay pride” event. Materials advertising the event stated that it was open to the public and that all were invited.
The group made their way to an area in front of the stage and began to pray silently while lying prostrate in the grass. A police sergeant had earlier informed Julian Raven that he could not enter the public park, walk through the park, or talk to anyone in the park about his religion. After the group began to pray silently on their faces, all were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Since then, the charges have been dismissed against everyone but Raven.
Ironically, the city recently settled with ADF attorneys in a separate federal civil suit involving Raven and two other men. In that case, Elmira police threatened the men with arrest while they attempted to share their faith in June 2008 at a public park during another “gay pride” event open to the public. The men were wearing shirts with the message “Liberated by the blood of Jesus,” handing out Christian literature, holding up signs on a public sidewalk surrounding the event, and speaking with event attendees about their faith.
ADF attorneys filed suit against the city in August 2008 and then filed a voluntary dismissal of the suit, Barnes v. City of Elmira, in February of this year when the city agreed to settle in favor of the three men. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York subsequently issued a judgment in the men’s favor, and final details were wrapped up this month.
Read More: http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/3907
ANNISTON, Ala. (AP) — About a dozen Alexandria High School students went to the Calhoun County School Board office to deliver a message that they want weekly prayer and daily Bible reading resumed over their school’s public address system.
The students went to superintendent Judy Stiefel’s office on Monday. They organized after one of their classmates said the activity was unconstitutional.
They were told that they will be able to share their opinions later this week at the board’s regular meeting.
Courtney Vannest, a senior at the school, and three others prepared statements they now plan to read at the meeting.
Stiefel said students are welcome to speak, but prayer will not be permitted over the intercom system because of U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-al–schoolprayer,0,7472309.story
This morning Congressman Randy Forbes (R-VA) and the bipartisan Congressional Prayer Caucus held a prayer service in Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol. In 1800, Congress approved the Capitol as a place of worship and it was the largest church in Washington in 1867, with 2,000 weekly attendees for Sunday services.
At the service today, a prayer was once again read that was read on the floor of the Senate on March 21, 1947, 63 years ago to this day:
O Lord our God, in the midst of the troubles that surround us, when compromises come home to roost and expediencies return to plague us, keep us from adding to the mistakes of the past. Save us from accepting a little of what we know to be wrong in order to get a little of what we imagine to be right. Help us to stand up for the inalienable rights of mankind and the principles of democratic government consistently and with courage, knowing that Thy power and Thy blessing will be upon us only when we are in the right. May we so speak, and vote, and live, as to merit Thy blessing. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Here is a short video clip from the Prayer Service on Sunday.
Read More: http://townhall.com/blog/g/c8ecc255-3b6a-4d1c-9f4b-b8de129f2377
The North Miami Beach council may issue proclamations recognizing religious holidays — but only to those who practice “legal” religions.
In specifying which religions deserve recognition by the city, North Miami Beach could leave itself vulnerable to accusations of favoritism, according to a constitutional law expert.
Thomas Pinder, chairman of the city’s multicultural committee — which presented its report recommending the proclamation policy to councilmembers on Tuesday — said committee members were trying to be inclusive.
According to the proposal, the city council would recognize one main holiday for every religion in the form of an official proclamation.
That means the Jewish community would get Hanukkah or Rosh Hashana — but not both.
Christians would get Christmas — but not Easter.
“Some religions have more holidays than others, we have to be fair,” Pinder said after the meeting.
ALEXANDRIA — The Christian influence at Alexandria High School is visible, but as of this week it’s a little less overt.
There, brightly colo
red flyers printed with Bible verses hang on the walls, weekly Bible studies are held before class begins and, until recently, prayers were spoken over the school’s intercom system. But that regular practice stopped this week when a student questioned the legality of the practice.
“Every day in the morning we would have student-led prayer over the PA system and I looked this up. It’s illegal,” the student said. “It wasn’t just me; there were a bunch of other students who wanted it stopped.”
He said he demanded it stop in a voicemail sent to Superintendent Judy Stiefel. He also contacted the American Civil Liberties Union by e-mail and by hand-written letter to complain about the issue.
The student requested he not be named in this story because he expected his classmates would not react well to his actions.
In response to the complaint Stiefel sent out an e-mail earlier this week to every school in the system. She said Wednesday the e-mail “reminded them of the law.” The morning prayers at Alexandria High stopped Tuesday.
Alexandria Principal Ronald Chambless declined to comment for this story.
Supreme Court decisions have set precedents prohibiting school-sponsored religious activity, based on the First Amendment, which states Congress may make no law “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
“The U.S. Supreme Court has made it pretty clear that school officials cannot sponsor prayers,” said Bryan Fair, a University of Alabama law professor. “They control the PA system; the student doesn’t control the PA system. That is going to be considered government speech rather than private speech.”
However, the law does not prohibit all prayer. Private prayer and voluntary student prayer is permissible by the law and is allowed at Calhoun County Schools, according to school board attorney Robin Andrews.
“Each student is free to pray individually or with other students during non-instructional time, during lunch, before or after school; even during class, providing it’s private and doesn’t interfere with instruction,” Andrews said.
Allison Neal, legal director of the Alabama chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said these issues are common in the state and that they usually are resolved without taking any legal action. Neal said that her group normally handles such complaints by talking with school superintendents, but Stiefel said Wednesday the ACLU had not contacted her about the issue.
“I have only had one student to comment about this,” Stiefel said. “It has not been a major problem.”
The student said he was motivated to take action because he didn’t think it was fair for the student body, which he described as overwhelmingly “fundamentally Christian” to subject all students to Christian prayers and Bible verses.
http://www.annistonstar.com/view/full_story/6753350/article-Alexandria-HS-stops-morning-prayers-after-student-complains?instance=home_news
Lord, open the eyes of the nation as to the need for You in every aspect of society.
LAKE TWP.: The Lake Local Board of Education will continue to leave ”belief in God” out of the district’s mission statement, much to the disappointment of a group of Lake Township residents who crowded into the board’s meeting Monday night.
At its meeting Dec. 14, the board decided to temporarily remove the statement from the mission statement after the Freedom from Religion Foundation of Wisconsin threatened to sue the board to have the statement removed.
Although the issue was not on Monday’s agenda, people used the public speaking portion of the meeting to voice their disapproval over changing the mission statement.
Anita Troyer told the board its decision ”does not reflect the heartbeat of the community.”
The Rev. Jack Coontz asked the board to ”stand up for our beliefs.”
”The world today tries to take God out of everything,” he said.
Many audience members said they resented being bullied by the group from Wisconsin and asked board members to take a stand.
Nancy Dollard of North Canton was the only person who spoke in favor of removing God from all school statements.
”I am an atheist, and am raising my children to also be atheists,” Dollard said. She also requested that God not be mentioned in school announcements.
Superintendent Jeff Wendorf had issued a statement Friday saying the ”board will not be taking further action on this matter,” meaning the Dec. 14 decision would continue.
LAKE TWP.: The Lake Local Board of Education will continue to leave ”belief in God” out of the district’s mission statement, much to the disappointment of a group of Lake Township residents who crowded into the board’s meeting Monday night.
At its meeting Dec. 14, the board decided to temporarily remove the statement from the mission statement after the Freedom from Religion Foundation of Wisconsin threatened to sue the board to have the statement removed.
Although the issue was not on Monday’s agenda, people used the public speaking portion of the meeting to voice their disapproval over changing the mission statement.
Anita Troyer told the board its decision ”does not reflect the heartbeat of the community.”
The Rev. Jack Coontz asked the board to ”stand up for our beliefs.”
”The world today tries to take God out of everything,” he said.
Many audience members said they resented being bullied by the group from Wisconsin and asked board members to take a stand.
Nancy Dollard of North Canton was the only person who spoke in favor of removing God from all school statements.
”I am an atheist, and am raising my children to also be atheists,” Dollard said. She also requested that God not be mentioned in school announcements.
Superintendent Jeff Wendorf had issued a statement Friday saying the ”board will not be taking further action on this matter,” meaning the Dec. 14 decision would continue.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/87805397.html
