Churches rally against Charles Sturt Council bid to remove prayer from opening pledge Charles Sturt Council chambers. Picture: Neale Winter Source: adelaidenow TELL US BELOW: Do you think councillors should include a prayer in their opening pledges at meetings? TWO local church groups are rallying against a Charles Sturt proposal to abandon the prayer at the start of council meetings. Parishioners of the Flinders Park, Hindmarsh and Findon Catholic Parish and the Uniting Church at Seaton have sent petitions in to the council. Signed by 64 people, the petitions call upon elected members to scrap a proposal to remove the prayer to God from councillors' opening pledge. Flinders Park, Hindmarsh and Findon Catholic Parish Father Bill Brady said the prayer was an important Christian tradition. "It would be a big disappointment (if the prayer was removed)," Father Brady said. But he said he would not be opposed to a review of the prayer. "It could be written in such a way to include people of all faiths and good will," he said. As previously reported by adelaidenow, Cr Doriana Coppola initiated the change in December, in a bid to make the pledge more relevant to the area's diverse community. At the time, she said referring to a deity was out of touch with the make-up of the Australian population. About 64 per cent of Charles Sturt Council residents identified as being Christian at the 2011 Census, while 21.2 per cent said they did not identify with a religion. Cr Coppola this week said the move was not "about religion." "It was always intended to be about including all of society," she said. The council is expected to receive a report on the issue on Monday, May 13 before making a decision. Public consultation on the pledge ends today (March 15). To have your say, visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au.