BREAKFAST ENDORSING FAITH? MAYOR'S EVENT PUT ON BY GROUP OF CHRISTIAN BUSINESSMEN.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - A ``Mayor's Prayer Breakfast'' scheduled for Thursday in Valencia and hosted by a conservative men's Christian group has drawn ire from critics who say it is possibly an exclusive endorsement of a religious denomination.

The event is hosted by The Dunamis Group, a local Christian businessmen's organization formed a year ago in Valencia. Mayor Cameron Smyth, 5th District Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and television journalist Larry Carroll are featured speakers.

According to a mission statement posted on its Web site, the group intends to ``glorify God,'' develop professionals to preach Christianity, teach ``basic biblical business principles'' and provide a venue for community service to ``promote the love of Christ.''

Despite the evangelical bent, the prayer breakfast is a forum open to people of all faiths, said Joe Messina, Dunamis' president.

``Obviously, the people running it are Christian, but we're not going to proselytize the Christian faith there,'' he said Monday. ``It's about Christians and others supporting the legislators - their elected officials - in ways we're comfortable with, and inviting others to join us.

``In the case of this particular group, that would be prayer.''

But some believe the event's name implies clear endorsement of the mayor and the city for the activities of a group whose membership comprises only Christian men who are business owners or managers.

``If it was the pope's prayer breakfast, you'd think the Vatican's cooking the eggs,'' said the Rev. Lynn Jay of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Valencia.

``If the mayor wants to have a prayer breakfast, that's fine. ... If the mayor is supportive of The Dunamis Group and all that they stand for, that's great. Having a Christian men's group that support each other, that's great. I just don't think it should be called a 'Mayor's Prayer Breakfast.'

``The mayor is the mayor of all the people,'' Jay said. ``That seems to me it's a city endorsement. ... To endorse it in such a way for a very narrow group of people - it seems divisive to me.''

Public prayer breakfast events can be traced back to 1953, when President Eisenhower held the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Last week, some 1,200 people prayed at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds during the 14th annual Lancaster Mayor's Prayer Breakfast organized by local Christian businessmen.

Smyth said his participation doesn't represent an exclusive endorsement of Dunamis or its ideas.

``This was not the first time we've had a Mayor's Prayer Breakfast in Santa Clarita, and I would not have participated had it not been inclusive to people of all faiths,'' he said. ``It's not an endorsement. I'm not a member of The Dunamis Group. They chose to sponsor this event.

``I agree 100 percent with our Founding Fathers that there should be no state-sponsored religion, and that people have the right to worship in the manner that they choose.''

While endorsement by the Mayor's Office could be read from the event's title, that doesn't automatically equate city support, City Attorney Carl Newton said. No public money is being spent on the event.

``It just identifies the fact that he is in favor of this gathering and is participating in it,'' he said. ``It's open to all. They're just getting together to talk about things. I don't see any great city involvement.''

There was no intention to exclude, Messina said. Some 200 people have registered for the gathering at the Hyatt Valencia, and invitations were extended to churches and other religious groups throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. The event's fliers do not mention The Dunamis Group's mission.

``He's the closest legislator-elected official that has to do with Santa Clarita,'' he said. ``We just can't be so sensitive to stuff. ... There's nothing that's aimed or directed at anybody.

``Some people may be uncomfortable, but you know what, I go to Jewish events, I go to other events from other groups. I learn about what they do. ... It's simply a prayer breakfast for the mayor. If he doesn't show up, we would still pray for him.''

Still, Jay believes a more inclusive prayer event could be organized.

``If it's intended to be inclusive, then it would be prudent to contact the (city) Interfaith Council and secure their involvement,'' she said.

Neither the council nor St. Stephen's church has sponsored prayer breakfast events, but Jay admitted ``they probably should.''

``You can't have too much prayer. It's pretty basic. It's pretty fundamental to most people of faith.''

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com