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County commissioners add prayer to meetings Something different -- an invocation -- was added Wednesday at the weekly business meeting of the Jackson County Commission. Chairman Jack Walker, who last week proposed the addition, offered the invocation himself. He asked for divine wisdom to help guide the decisions of county officials. Acting County Administrator Susan Slack quoted an inspirational poem from a Christmas card. "This is the start of a new millennium, and I see a tendency toward bringing religion and government back together," Walker said later. "Every level of government, until you get to local government, includes an invocation. "I asked the other board members if they felt comfortable including it with our regular meetings, and they agreed enthusiastically." Commissioners Ric Holt and Sue Kupillas said Walker proposed the addition during a one-day retreat last week in Jacksonville. Kupillas said Walker opened with an invocation before the commissioners and other county staff members began their annual review of goals for county government and relationships among officials. Two weeks ago, the commissioners began live broadcasts of their weekly business meetings on Rogue Valley Community Television, the cable access channel that reaches the valley portion of Jackson County. Daily sessions of both houses of Congress and the Oregon Legislature usually begin with an invocation, or if no one is available to deliver one, a moment of silence. During the 12 years Jerry Lausmann was mayor, the Medford City Council also began its formal sessions with prayers. Kupillas said her only concerns were that the weekly invocation be kept nondenominational and noncontroversial. Walker said he agrees. Walker said unlike Congress or the Legislature, the commissioners have no lineup yet for invocations. He said they are open to anyone who wants to deliver one. "We want to make sure that it is not something in which we are promoting one religion over another," he said. "Even the atheists can come if they want." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA