FFRF and its members in Michigan have persuaded a county board to reverse its prayer policy and halt governmental prayer.
After multiple concerned area residents reported the Leelanau County Board was starting to implement prayers to open its meetings, FFRF contacted the board in September, urging it to honor the constitutional principle of separation between religion and government.
“Prayer at government meetings is unnecessary, inappropriate, and divisive,” FFRF Staff Attorney Chris Line wrote Leelanau County Board of Commission Chair William J. Bunek.
Although FFRF received an initially discouraging response from the county, local activists attended meetings to voice their objections and changed the board’s mind. On Jan 18, the county board voted 5 to 2 to change the prayer to a moment of silence.
