Ministers Meet To Discuss Opposition To Alcohol Sales

About 25 church ministers met Tuesday to discuss future strategies to oppose the possibility of alcohol sales in Van Zandt County Precinct 1.

A petition drive during the past six weeks has taken place to call for a local option election in Precinct 1 in November. Proponents of alcohol sales are trying to get three separate measures on the ballot.

Wayne Livingston, pastor of First Baptist Church of Edgewood, said Tuesday’s meeting included church ministers throughout the precinct, including those with churches in Edgewood, Grand Saline, Fruitvale and Canton.

"We talked about different options on what we could do to oppose the measures," Livingston said.

He added that little could be organized or planned at this point until it is known whether there will be a local option election in the precinct. The deadline for the petition to be filed with at least 776 signatures of registered voters in the precinct is July 28.

However, Livingston said some ideas were discussed, including a possible series of prayer meetings in the area and a non-binding resolution to oppose alcohol sales "simply to show opposition to it," he noted.

Livingston added that he was pleased to see the turnout for the initial meeting.

"When you have this kind of election looming, it is always helpful to be organized…people networks are important," he said.

Livingston said there was no plan for another meeting until after county commissioners called for a local option election in the precinct. That would likely occur sometime in August.