Jesus was mentioned in the invocation for Thursday's city council meeting in Longview and the prayer drew a hearty "amen" from people who told the council they have a legal right to a Christian invocation.

Mayor Don Jensen told the audience that until the council takes formal action to remove the invocation from meeting agendas, the prayer stays.

Jensen told The Daily News ( http://bit.ly/10QHWaL) the council expects to discuss the policy next week at a workshop.

Complaints prompted the mayor last month to ask the Kelso-Longview Ministerial Association to stop invoking Christ in invocations because it could expose the city to a lawsuit. Association members no longer provide invocations. A councilman invited Baptist Pastor Larry Pedigo to deliver Thursday's prayer.

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Information from: The Daily News, http://www.tdn.com