Zed presents petition to restart invocations at City Council meetings

RAJAN ZED NEWS RELEASE

Religious leaders of northern Nevada belonging to various faith traditions met with Reno Mayor Robert Alan Cashell yesterday to urge him to restart the tradition of an invocation at the beginning of Reno City Council meetings.

Religious statesman Rajan Zed, who led this effort, presented Cashell with a petition containing 48 signatures and two emails of support from area religious and other leaders.

The petition included the support of Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Carmelite Nuns, Episcopal, Congregational, Unitarian Universalist, American Clergy Leadership Conference and International Community of Christ leaders.

It also included signatures of Sparks Mayor Geno R. Martini and Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno Most Reverend Randolph R. Calvo.

Zed, who is president of the Universal Society of Hinduism and director of Interfaith Relations of Nevada Clergy Association, says that many city/town councils in the country and Nevada open their meetings with an invocation, including Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Sparks, Carson City and Boulder City.

Cashell told the gathering that he would request the issue of invocation to be put on the agenda in a City Council meeting in the near future.