(SALISBURY) -- A Rowan County commissioner opened the board's public meeting this week with a Christian prayer, despite a warning from the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union that to do so would violate the law and potentially trigger a lawsuit. Commissioner Jon Barber said this as has long been the board's practice.

Barber ended the prayer with the following words: "...the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ."

ACLU spokesman Mike Meno said prohibiting sectarian prayer to start a public meeting is not a violation of the commissioners' right to free speech. "If they want to meet five minutes before the meeting and hold a private prayer session or have a moment of silence for everybody, that's absolutely fine, but what they can't do is start a government meeting that is meant to be open and welcoming for all citizens with a sectarian prayer," said Meno.

The ACLU won their case against another North Carolina county.  Meno said the court ruling in their favor against Forsyth County is very clear and if Rowan County takes the case to court, it would only cost Rowan County taxpayers money. Meno contends that the ACLU would win just like they did in the Forsyth case.

(Thanks to: WSJS)