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Remember the 2010 Enfield graduations battle, when FIC scored a victory for the principle that the First Amendment requires churches be treated equal to other organizations in the public square, only to see the Board of Education goof up their own case?

In a July 20, 2012 email alert to our members FIC noted what we thought was the end of that battle:

Freedom also took a hit in Enfield this week, where the ACLU has bullied the school board into accepting an unfavorable settlement in the lawsuit over holding high school graduations at First Cathedral. “I don’t agree that this is a settlement,” Board of Education member Kevin Fealy told the media. “Deep pockets with nothing to lose have the opportunity to push us into a corner.”

But it turns out that may only be the end of the Enfield phase of the battle.

In our July 1, 2013 email alert, FIC noted:

In 2010, we helped the town of Enfield stand up to the ACLU over their right to hold a graduation in a Baptist church. (The principle we fought for in Enfield may still be upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in a nearly identical case [Doe v. Elmbrook].)

The Court has not yet decided whether to hear Elmbrook. However, there is another case currently before the Supreme Court on public prayer, Greece vs. Galloway. Some experts believe the Court may issue a broad pro-religious freedom ruling in Greece vs. Galloway that would cover the Elmbrook graduation case (therefore vindicating the principle FIC fought for in Enfield).

And this is why our friends at the National Day of Prayer Task Force is issuing a National Prayer Call for tomorrow, Wednesday, November 6th, and asking for your participation in a 1 pm conference call on that day:

Urgent Call to Prayer

Join Shirley Dobson and a panel of special guests as we pray for legislative prayer in America. Asking for God’s blessing on public meetings is a cherished American tradition that began more than 225 years ago. And yet on November 6, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a pivotal case regarding the long-standing constitutional right to have legislative bodies open with a voluntary prayer. The outcome of this case could substantially impact our freedom to pray in this nation.

WHAT’S AT STAKE:

  1. The continuation of the public prayer tradition that began with our founding fathers.
  2. The freedom of community volunteers to pray according to their faith in a public setting without censorship.
  3. The preservation of freedom of speech in the face of one “offended” person’s demands for censorship.
  4. The foundational American principle of freedom of religion.

Alliance Defending Freedom and its allies are defending public prayer before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 6. In support, the National Day of Prayer Task Force is issuing a clarion call to prayer and asking you to join with us on this National Prayer Call for the future of America. As part of the prayer call, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom will share more about what this case means for our nation and what we can expect.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 6
TIME: 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern Time Zone
HOW: Call 712-432-0075 (enter PIN: 4961322#)

Go here to learn more about Town of Greece v. Galloway.

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