Prayers and faith blessings will remain part of city council meetings in Owen Sound.
But the onus is on the city’s faith community to ensure things stay that way.
Council on Monday night rejected its own plans to eliminate prayer from meetings and replace it with a moment of silent reflection.
Council voted 6-3 against that bylaw — only Mayor Deb Haswell and councillors Colleen Purdon and David Adair supported the proposed bylaw.
Supporters of prayer packed the council chamber, and council was presented with a petition with more than 600 signatures.
The names included three former mayors of Owen Sound — Ruth Lovell Stanners, Rick Beaney and Warren Lougheed.
A former councillor, Ann Kelly, also signed the petition and spoke at Monday’s meeting in favour of the tradition of prayer.
Council then accepted a plan to formally invite groups of all faiths — or even no faith — to attend council meetings and give blessings or speak other words of encouragement.
If no one attends to perform this service, though, the meetings will instead begin with silent reflection.
Some members of council say this has been a divisive issue. They urge the community to treat each other, and each other’s views, with tolerance and respect.
Haswell adds, though, that in her opinion council has much more important things to do than to keep rehashing the issue of prayer at its meetings.
