Employees of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department in Texas will not invite pastors to give religious motivational speeches at future mandatory meetings. Division Manager Jeff Jefferson invited his pastor, William Lindsey, to a June 26 employee meeting. Lindsey’s speech contained religious content, including Lindsey promoting his church. Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler wrote the department a letter of complaint: “Religious messages at government-sponsored events are unnecessary, inappropriate and divisive.” Parks and Recreation Director Joe Turner replied July 15 that Lindsey was not invited to speak on religious matters, and said FFRF’s letter had been reviewed with Jefferson, who is now aware of basic separation of church and state principles in the workplace.
July 15, 2015
