Fast Feedback: "Strive To Serve God"

OTTAWA COUNTY (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The City of Hudsonville is getting some heat for its mission statement. The mission statement reads: “The City Commission and Administration of the City of Hudsonville strive to serve God through the strengthening of family and community life and are committed to excellence in providing quality municipal services."

The words, "Strive to serve God," have drawn the attention of a group called Freedom From Religion.

Back in 1995 the people who sat in the city commission seats made a decision about the mission statement for Hudsonville including the words "Strive to serve God" but now 13 years later this letter might change all that.

It's placed in the corner of Hudsonville's City website.

“It's something you put on for a church website,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor of Freedom From Religion Foundation.

It's on the wall of Mayor Don Van Doeselaar's office too.

“We don't live in a theocracy,” said Gaylor.

Hudsonville's Mission Statement part of it reads: "The City Commission and Administration of the City of Hudsonville strive to serve God through the strengthening of family and community life."

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“This is a community with a lot of churches and of course culturally very conservative,” said Mayor Van Doeselaar.

Which is why when this letter arrived complaining of a first amendment violation. It came as a surprise and since it's made the news in Hudsonville, most of the reaction's been support not outrage

“I'm totally accepting of other religions but I do think it's what our community values,” said Colleen Johnson of Hudsonville.

“We're getting calls of support from within the community and outside the community to leave the statement the way it is,” said Mayor Van Doeselaar.

But to those opposed the fate of this three word phrase is not a popularity contest.

“It doesn't after if 99 percent of citizens in Hudsonville wanted to have that statement it's still a violation of the constitution,” said Gaylor.

The mayor still needs to discuss the letter with the rest of the commission and the city attorney which he plans to do that this week. A decision could come down as early as next week.

We want to know your opinion. Do you think a city government should include god in its mission statement?