No one seems to have a concrete answer. The Mississippi Conference, however, is seeking a way to deal with gambling. In response to a resolution passed at annual conference in June, Bishop Jack Meadors has appointed a task force to examine how the United Methodist church in Mississippi will address gambling. The task force, chaired by Dr. Lamar Weems of Jackson, plans to issue a report before the state legislature convenes in January. Along the Mississippi River, the situation is different.
Casinos operate in Tunica County, Greenville, Vicksburg and Natchez.
The gambling in Vicksburg, Greenville and Natchez is on a much smaller scale than the Gulf Coast or Tunica County. The cities combine for only about six or seven casinos. However, several are located at Robinsonville in Tunica County, less than an hour from Memphis and its metropolitan population of more than 1 million. The Rev. Doug Hardin, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Tunica, is hard pressed to find many glaring negatives about the casinos that operate in his county. In fact, Shelly speculated that the demand for social services in Tunica County has probably dropped since casinos opened.