GRAND HAVEN, Mich — A reverend in Grand Haven has filed a lawsuit against Ottawa County, the county Board of Commissioners, and Chairperson Joe Moss for religious discrimination and violating the First Amendment. He claims the commission, led by Moss, wouldn't let him lead the prayer before commission meetings because he disagrees with the reverend's beliefs.
"I wanted as a priest, as a pastor, to offer the willingness, that I'm happy to continue to come and offer the invocation on occasion," said Rev. Jared Cramer, Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Grand Haven, who says that leading the invocation at county commission meetings was an annual event for him.
According to the lawsuit, commissioners used to alternate inviting religious leaders to lead the invocation, but after Joe Moss became chair of the board, Moss now solely selects the pastors who lead the prayer.
"I thought, well, I'm gonna reach out to the chairman. I don't think probably Chairman Moss agrees my religious beliefs or political beliefs, but I want to at least ask him," said Cramer.
The lawsuit goes on to say that his both email and letter requests to continue to come and lead the invocation were ignored.
"At that point it became clear that what was going on was that only those who support what Ottawa impact is doing, only those clergy are allowed to give the invocation, and the other clergy who may have different views on what's currently happening in the county are being shut out," explained Cramer.
He says that his church’s embrace of the LGBTQ+ community is the reason Ottawa Impact is not welcoming him and others, with the lawsuit also stating that pastors who have recently been leading the invocation have been praising Joe Moss and Ottawa Impact.
"It's saying that every person who is a faith leader in Ottawa County, should have equal access to the time to pray to God in their own understanding of God, and to ask for God's involvement in what's going on in our county, particularly in the county governance level," said Cramer.
County Administrator John Gibbs was not available for comment and Moss’s office has not returned requests for comment as well. Rev. Cramer says that the beliefs of Ottawa Impact do not represent all of Christianity.
"I've developed a network of 22 pastors who signed a statement," said Cramer. "We've got 12 churches that have signed on, over 200 individuals in our county have signed on it, so I know that there's an alternative Christian voice in our county that is currently, actively being suppressed by the board."
Cramer said his church has received pushback from other community members and that the safety of his congregation is always in mind, however, he said that the safety of the LGBTQ+ community in Ottawa County is his greatest concern right now.
"There are actual violence and threats happening in our country with that community, and so if that means that our church has to stand up and say no to that, and take on some level of risk, that we'll do that to stand up for others who who need a voice and an ally," Cramer said.
He ultimately wants community members and Christians in the county who disagree with Ottawa Impact to be represented.
"I believe Jesus came in the incarnation of God's love to preach a message of love to all people, that all people can have a place that is theirs to be safe, a place where they can grow and flourish. That's the Jesus I follow. And my hope is that by this one small act, we are able to articulate a different voice so that people in our county who are maybe thinking, 'and this is why I'm done with the church,' will know that there are other Christians in our county who believe differently, and who value and want to support them," Cramer said with emotion.
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