Collin County Commissioners Court to hold public meeting at Melissa church

by Bill Baumbach of The Collin County Observer

Is Thomas Jefferson's famous "wall of separation between Church & State" relevant in Collin County?

I wonder.

Tonight (September 21), the Collin County Commissioners Court will meet in special session to hold a budget hearing and conduct other business.

They are not meeting in their brand new Jack Hatchell Administration Building. Instead, they're going to church.

The meeting will be held at the First Baptist Church in Melissa. I find that troubling.

I find the choice of meeting place troubling because it is in a church when there are many other suitable government buildings in northern Collin County. I find it especially troubling because it is being held at First Baptist in Melissa.

Since 2002, the pastor of First Baptist is the Rev. Trey Graham. Graham, an unabashed social conservative who broadcasts a radio talk show on a Christian talk radio station that co-mingles political and spiritual themes. For example, last week's program was a discussion of President Obama's health care plan and the upcoming race for Texas governor.

His blog, Faith Talk, often interviews government officials, sends questionnaires to candidates for local office, and campaigns in local option elections. During the last presidential election, Graham wrote several articles praising Sarah Palin and criticizing Barrack Obama.

In 2006, Graham wrote in his blog that, "As a pastor, my calling is to help others find God and find a place of service in God’s kingdom. My desire is to persuade followers of Jesus Christ to live for the Savior outside the walls of the church, letting their faith guide their politics. I believe our county, state, and nation would be well served by having faithful Christian believers in positions of political influence."

Last year, the commissioners court appointed Graham their county "chaplain." They also paid him to moderate workshops designed to formulate new mission statements.

You don't have to be a "knee jerk ACLU'er" to be concerned that the choice of meeting at FBM is disturbing. This is a church led by a pastor who is a political activist, and who has worked hard to influence policy on local, state, and national issues.

The Reverend Graham is welcome to his political views, he has a right to them, but the county government represents ALL the citizens in Collin County and ought, no must, keep its affairs at arm's length to that of any church.