In municipalities around the state, something is missing from many meeting agendas -- an invocation.

Woodbury -- which has taken steps to be more inclusive and welcoming to all, especially the LGBTQ community -- is one of the latest municipalities to replace the traditional opening prayer with a silent moment of reflection. But not everyone's happy about it.

"Council meetings are open to the public to conduct city business," said Jessica Floyd, mayor of the Gloucester County city of 10,000. "To be clear, no one comes to council meetings for an invocation, they are coming to discuss the everyday affairs of the city."

The decision evolved after the formation of the city's Human Rights Commission, one of the first panels of its kind in the region.

The seven-member commission, which held its fist meeting in January, is charged with reviewing city practices "to eliminate discrimination and further the education of the public on issues of diversity and inclusion."

@AviRichler @RandiWoerner Beautiful and heartwarming invocation for the Woodbury Council meeting.So honored you could join us. — City of Woodbury (@CityWoodburyNJ) September 2, 2015

"Its intent is to bring the community together," said commission president, Tony Doran, of the change. The commission "believes the moment of quiet reflection does that and is intended to make everyone feel part of the process. The people who've historically felt uncomfortable or excluded because of the invocation can now participate in the process without those feelings. And those who would like to pray still have that moment of quiet reflection to do so."

According to Doran, the recommendation went to Council President Tracy Parker who sets the council agenda, and Parker approved the move.

Parker did not respond to an email request for additional comment, but did answer concerns expressed at the first meeting where the change was implemented in late February.

"I'm just trying to make us all get along, and for us all to feel comfortable and us all to feel we can all work together," Parker said.

"Invocations will no longer be scheduled during the meetings of the city council," the city's notice announcing the change in procedure read. "From this point forward the city council will hold a 'Moment of Reflection' at the beginning of the meeting for all persons present. During this time all persons shall rise. Individuals may use this time to quietly reflect upon any ideals, thoughts, or prayers they choose."

Nixing the invocation, which normally would include open recitation of a prayer or the presenter's request for God's guidance in council's actions, did not initially sit well with all.

The new format appeared to surprise some council members when the new moment of reflection was first observed at the group's Feb. 27 meeting, although city officials said everyone had been made aware of the move in advance.

Councilman Kenneth McIlvaine was one who responded at the meeting about the change to members of the public who questioned the move, one of whom called the action "reserve discrimination."

"I'm very spiritual, I'm very religious, however this is what council has decided on as policy and unfortunately I have to sit here, like you, and concur with the policy that has been made."

He said he believed the move should have been discussed "face to face" by the council.

"Knowing discontinuing the practice and tradition of invocations and open prayer would offend the believers, who just happen to be the vast majority, deserves a little more attention than a simple email," McIlvaine said later referring to how council members learned of the change in procedure.

"Our Human Rights Commission, designed for issues such as these, weighed in and offered their recommendation to have a moment of reflection in place of an (invocation) to protect our employees and professionals that are on the clock and guests in attendance," Floyd said.

"To continue something because 'that's how it's always been done' is short-sighted and displays complacency."

Both McIlvaine and Councilwoman Karlene O'Connor emphasized their support for the commission and its objectives.

Across New Jersey municipalities are shifting away from the invocations at meetings as are county freeholder groups, so Woodbury's action is far from a first.

A casual survey of towns around Gloucester County shows only a handful of them still opt for an invocation while others hold a moment of silence. County freeholders only have an invocation during the ceremonial reorganization gathering, not at regular meetings.

Other towns and school districts around the state follow the same trend, a check of their meeting agendas shows.

A spokesman for the New Jersey League of Municipalities says the organization does not track which towns still include invocations as part of their meetings.

Ed Barocas, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, said Woodbury's action is a positive step.

The moment of reflection is "much more appropriate than a prayer which is not inclusive of all the people in the community," he said.

"You shouldn't be made to feel like a political outsider because of your faith or lack of faith, especially when it involves gaining access to people in political power," Barocas said.

Along with creating the Human Rights Commission, Woodbury late last year adopted wide-ranging anti-discrimination laws and has made an effort to be especially welcoming to members of the LGBTQ community as part of its move to become more inclusive.

"Our society is changing - becoming more diverse - and Woodbury is thankfully not immune to that trend," Doran said. "Diversity makes us better. And if we don't evolve and welcome this new diverse population into the fold, we miss out on their contributions and are worse off for it."

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips