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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Payne Chapel African 
4Methodist Episcopal  Church on the occasion of its 111th 
5anniversary; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Maria Thornton, a member of the Bethel AME Church 
7in Chicago, moved to Chicago Heights in the early 1900s and 
8envisioned establishing a house of worship in her new 
9community; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, On May 18, 1907, in the home of Hattie Brown, 
11Maria Thornton and Rev. Thesby founded the A.M.E. Church of 
12Chicago Heights; during the first months, the congregation had 
13no regular meeting place and held services from home to
home, 
14often in the home of Hattie Brown; the first actual church 
15building was erected in 1908-1909; the church moved into its 
16current location on Easter Sunday in 1925; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, The Payne Chapel AME Church was the first African 
18American church in the Chicago Heights community; it was built 
19and paid for by local families; and
  
 
  
20    WHEREAS, For 111 years, the Payne Chapel AME Church has 
21helped the Chicago Heights community through its food pantry, 
 
 
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1mission donations, clothing drive, and new community focus 
2initiative; therefore, be it
  
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
4HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
5congratulate the Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal  
6Church on its  111th anniversary, and we wish them many more 
7wonderful years; and be it further
  
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
9presented to the Payne Chapel AME Church as a symbol of our 
10respect and esteem.