Invocation and Pledge

Invocation and Pledge

Delivering the invocation

The invocation is a prayer or inspirational thought delivered at the beginning of the meeting.  It is followed by the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Because Toastmasters is a worldwide organization that includes people from many different religious groups, a non-sectarian approach is required, and the speaker should be sensitive to the diversity of cultures and religions in the audience.

If you are new to Toastmasters and you are nervous about the thought of speaking in front of people, you can use this role to build confidence while serving a small but essential function for the club.


Before the Meeting

Prepare a brief invocation, no more than one minute in length. In your invocation, do not refer to a particular religious philosophy; make your reference universal. Treat it as you would any other speech. Craft it carefully, memorize it and practice delivering it before the meeting.


During the Meeting

When called upon by the Toastmaster, stand up, ask everyone to rise and deliver your invocation to the group.

After the invocation, ask everyone to face the flag and join you in the pledge. Begin the pledge and let everyone join you.