Modesto City Council invocations: Whom they’re for, who gives them and why it matters

Over the last five years, almost all invocations before Modesto City Council meetings have been given by Christian faith leaders, but it’s unclear when the practice began or how it might impact civic participation.

Every regular council meeting starts the same. The city clerk calls the roll. Once a quorum is met, the mayor asks those present to stand for the pledge of allegiance, followed by the invocation.

While the invocation is given, audience members remain standing, often bowing their heads as a member of a rotating list — made up almost entirely of Christians — says a public prayer to the council.

Former Congregation Beth Shalom rabbi Shalom Bochner is the only non-Christian to have given the invocations. “I’m aware of the very delicate line between setting an emotional or spiritual tone and preaching, which I was careful not to come close to,” Bochner said.

His invocations centered around setting a spiritual intention. He thanked other faith communities and offered a prayer to the “beyond name oneness.”

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