Warren, USA - For those who have fallen victim to job loss, medical or financial problems and aren't sure where to turn, a religious group behind a spiritual booth at City Hall is recommending faith as an option.
"Our goal would be that we would saturate our city and Metro Detroit with prayer in a very visible way," said the Rev. Darius Walden, the senior pastor for The Tabernacle, a Church of God congregation. "It is a misconception that the church is a building. The church is people."
The offer has been well-received by the 400 or so folks who have stopped by, but it's a concern to an atheist-agnostic group that's blasting Warren for allowing evangelists to set up shop inside a government building.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation said resident concerns over the booth -- located in the lobby of city offices and adorned with a banner that simply reads "Prayer Station" -- prompted the nonprofit to file a request for copies of city policy, its rental agreement with the church and verification it is being charged to use the space. The group is also criticizing the city's failure to disassociate itself from the religious message of the church.
"This is ridiculous. Prayer should be private," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Wisconsin-based nonprofit. "A government is supposed to be neutral when it comes to religion."
Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said the city rents the space to any group that complies with policies and fills out the proper paperwork. The church is leasing the space free of charge, because it's a nonprofit.
"Anybody who would be upset about this, it's much ado about nothing," he said. "There is no aggressiveness on the part of the prayer station. They are there for people who seek them out."
Organizers say the movement began last summer, when leaders of The Tabernacle started setting up prayer stations in nonchurch settings. By February, about 25 volunteers from various churches began taking turns, staffing a station inside Warren City Hall on Van Dyke. More are expected in August on sidewalks, a Warren convenience store, gas station and possibly at the community center on Arden.
Robert Sedler, a constitutional law professor at Wayne State University, said because Warren offers the City Hall space to all groups, it does not appear to be violating the constitutional separation of church and state.
"The government doesn't have to rent space in public buildings at all. If it does so, it has to have objective, definite and neutral standards. ... It can't discriminate against any group or message," Sedler said. "It would be against the First Amendment to exclude a group because it's religious."
But the city's failure to visibly separate itself from the church could be a problem, he added. Sedler suggested the city put up a sign that says the booth is sponsored by the church.
"Because this is a religious group, the city must make it clear it's not endorsing religion," Sedler said. "They have to be careful not to give the appearance of promoting it."
Warren officials argue if there was a disclaimer for the booth, there would have to be one for all the groups or clubs that use city parks or buildings.
"We are only endorsing the idea that anybody that is a taxpayer in Warren has a right to equal access," Fouts said.
Walden isn't disheartened by critics.
"If they don't want us to lift up the city in prayer, we won't," he said. "Historically, when religious people are persecuted the only thing to do is move out of the way. It won't hinder us."
Interest in the prayer booth concept is growing. New Gospel Temple of God in Christ in Detroit and Grayling Valley Tabernacle in Grayling, Mich., are also planning to set up stations.
The Rev. Gerald A. Echols Jr., senior pastor of New Gospel, said his church hopes to "follow suit" next month by establishing several stations a few times a week in key areas of Detroit -- possibly even inside a city building.
The concept may seem unusual to some, but it's not new.
Urban Harvest Ministries introduced the prayer station to Detroit in 2005 during a prayer outreach week. The Detroit booths have been at Clark Park, Campus Martius and near City Hall during those weeks. The group began setting up booths in New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It operates New York City stations -- without objection -- several days a week, mainly in the spring and summer, near Union Square, 34th Street, Columbia University and Wall Street, said Detroit native Tom Grassano of Urban Harvest Ministries.
"The prayer station helps people see, whether it's 9/11 or Chrysler or GM about to go into bankruptcy, we always share a need for God, not just for the crisis at the moment," he said. "The station becomes a vehicle toward life change, not just offering a prayer."
Nancy and Joe Sniesak aren't members of The Tabernacle, but the 30-year residents of Warren volunteer at the prayer station.
"So many people are having issues and don't know where to turn. They come here (City Hall) and are drawn to it (the booth)," said Joe Sniesak, who said he and his wife belong to Rockpointe Community Church in Sterling Heights. "We do this because we care about people."
Volunteers record the first name and request of each visitor and ask the visitor to call or e-mail the church once their prayers are answered.
The booth was a surprise to 19-year-old Jayme Bowman.
She chatted with volunteers, but declined to join them in prayer. Even so, the church added the teen to its prayer chain.
Bowman said the experience touched her.
"It's not a coincidence they talked to me," she said. "It's pretty cool. Usually a church just stays at church."