In Bay City, commission meetings open with a prayer. It’s always been that way, and maybe it always will. It’s a gesture so embedded in routine that it became nearly invisible.

“Almighty God, send down upon those who hold office in this city, the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice; that they may faithfully serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people. Amen.”

But this week, Commissioner Alex Dewitt of the 6th Ward asked a simple question . Should we stop?

What followed wasn’t a debate so much as a reveal. People were upset. A prayer, to them, wasn’t just a habit. It was a reminder that they belonged, and that their beliefs were stitched into the city’s public fabric.

“You don’t have to participate,” some rebuke, probably trying to defuse the situation.

But the m

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