By Joey Chenoweth | Coolidge Examiner
Ignoring legal counsel and concerns about a possible lawsuit, a majority of the Coolidge City Council voted Monday to amend a resolution that would allow prayers before council meetings, including a stipulation that they be Christian.
Council members Steve Hudson, Rob Hudelson, Gary Lewis and Tatiana Murrieta all voted in favor of the Christian-only stipulation to the resolution, which was originally written to include ministers from any faith represented within the city limits. Mayor Jon Thompson and Councilman Gilbert Lopez voted against the amended resolution, with Vice Mayor Jacque Henry absent.
Byron Sanders, the pastor at Fairhaven Baptist Church and the city’s public safety chaplain, presented the original ordinance, which reflected court rulings on the subject of prayer. That resolution called for sending out letters to ministers of all faiths around the city and would have allowed a rotating cast of prayer leaders at the beginning of each council meeting.
