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El Mirage council declines proposal to reintroduce prayer at meetings, keeps moment of silence
Summary
After hearing legal guidance and a wide-ranging council debate March 4, the El Mirage Common Council agreed not to adopt a formal invocation practice at council meetings and to retain a moment of silence; several members suggested exploring an interfaith council for community engagement.
The El Mirage Common Council discussed a resident proposal to reintroduce prayer or invocations at council meetings during its March 4 work session and reached a consensus not to adopt a formal prayer practice in the council chambers.
Vice Mayor Parsons introduced the item, saying several residents had asked why council meetings did not open with prayer and citing examples from other Arizona cities. She said Surprise and Glendale had implemented invocations with little controversy and proposed guidelines such as a one-minute limit and outreach to local churches.
City attorney Alan Quist told the council there is a constitutional pathway to structure invocations that can meet legal requirements, and he cited U.S. Supreme Court precedent (Town of Greece v. Galloway) while emphasizing the need for an inclusive policy that does not coerce participation or disparage other faiths. Quist advised that a "pretty robust policy" and clear guidelines would be necessary to reduce legal risk.
Council reactions split along concerns about inclusivity and legal exposure. Councilmember Winston said: "Church and state need to stay separate," and added he did not support introducing prayer at the dais. Councilmember Dorsey argued for retaining the current practice, saying a moment of silence "avoids that altogether" and is inclusive where "people can make of it what they want." Several council members said they support faith practices personally but prefer to avoid opening the city to potential litigation or making anyone feel excluded.
Vice Mayor Parsons proposed finding a path forward that used rotating religious leaders or a short invocation and suggested a fallback of a moment of silence if no volunteer was available, but the council ultimately signaled a consensus not to change the current practice. Several council members expressed interest in pursuing an interfaith council or other community engagement that would bring faith organizations together outside of the council dais.
The item concluded with the mayor stating there was a consensus not to move forward with prayer in council meetings. The council did not take a formal vote; the decision was recorded as a consensus to retain the moment of silence and to explore interfaith engagement outside of the formal meeting opening.
