ICC Note: During a recent town hall meeting in Gaylord, Michigan, a group of activists shouted over the invocation by repeatedly yelling, “Separation of Church and State.” Despite the disruption, the pastor continued with his prayer and was met with applause by some of the attendees, seemingly in support of his decision to ignore the protesters. As previously reported, a similar incident took place in Louisiana earlier this year when protesters shouted over a chaplain-led prayer at a town hall meeting.

By Heather Clark

04/25/2017 United States (Christian News Network) – A number of liberal activists wearing pink hats like those donned at the Washington Women’s March recently shouted down a prayer delivered at a town hall gathering in Michigan, chanting repeatedly, “Separation of Church and State!”

The incident occurred last Thursday in Gaylord during a meeting held by Republican Rep. Jack Bergman. Derek Hagland of Grace Baptist Church approached the podium to deliver the invocation, but some attendees rose to their feet and began chanting.

“Separation of Church and State! Separation of Church and State!” they called out over and over, while others stood or sat quietly, or bowed their head in respect.

Hagland moved forward with his prayer, appearing to ignore those being disruptive.

“This guy was giving [an] invocation,” Bergman Communication Director Farahn Morgan told Breitbart News. “He was not necessarily party affiliated in any way. That kind of reaction to him? It was the most aggressive that the crowd got during the entire event which was, quite honestly, shocking.”

The chanting lasted the duration of the prayer as an attendee swept the crowd with their camera, capturing those heckling the invocation.

At the end of the prayer, as Hagland said “amen,” some present clapped and cheered as if in support of the pastor.

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