Openly gay Rabbi Joshua Lesser from Congregation Bet Haverim delivered the invocation at Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's State of the City speech this morning at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Gay politicos praised Lesser this morning after he delivered the invocation.

Joan Garner, a lesbian member of the Fulton County Commission, posted “Rabbi, what inspiring words this morning at the State of the City Breakfast. Thank you!” to Lesser's Facebook page earlier this morning.

Openly gay Atlanta City Councilmember Alex Wan sent out a Tweet during Lesser's invocation with a photo of the rabbi addressing the crowd. “Go Josh!” the Tweet read.

The mayor also called on Rabbi Lesser to help mediate a solution to the Occupy Atlanta protesters who refused to vacate the city's Woodruff Park. Lesser was one of more than two-dozen clergymen called on by the mayor.

Several members of Reed's clergy group met with Occupy Atlanta protesters to work out an arrangement for the group to leave the park. Lesser, however, was not among them. Occupy Atlanta protesters were removed one day later after the clergymembers were unable to resolve a meeting time and place.

Top photo: Rabbi Joshua Lesser (file)