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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
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State of Illinois are pleased to congratulate Thomas Memorial 
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A.M.E. Church of Zion on the occasion of its 20th anniversary; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thomas Memorial A.M.E. Church held its first 
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service on June 17, 1984, at the Zion Leisure Center in Zion, 
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under the pastorship of Brother John Hurst; there were 7 people 
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in attendance; regular Bible study was held in the home of 
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Sister Ruth Cecil on Thursday evenings, and the average 
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attendance was 6 people; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thomas Memorial A.M.E. Church is named in honor of 
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Reverend Garfield Thomas, one of the founders of Coleman Chapel 
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in Kenosha, Wisconsin; in April of 1932, Garfield Thomas became 
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a local preacher in the Kenosha area; in 1938, he was ordained 
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a deacon, and later, he was ordained an elder; he served as an 
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associate minister at Coleman Chapel; he passed away in October 
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of 1963; and

 
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    WHEREAS, On September 30, 1984, Brother John Hurst was 
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appointed pastor of Thomas Memorial A.M.E. Church by Bishop 
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S.S. Morris at the Chicago Annual Conference; in March of 1986, 
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land was purchased for the future home of the church, made 
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possible by Mr. Charles Chatman and Mrs. Mildred Chatman 
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signing for the loan; the total cost of the land was $15,488; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, In May of 1987, blueprints and building plans were 
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purchased; on January 31, 1988, Pastor Hurst and the 
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congregation celebrated the reality of a dream at their 
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groundbreaking ceremony; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 2 years, the land for the church was paid for 
 


 






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in full; in August of 1988, construction began;  the first 
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service in the new church was held on May 16, 1989, and the 
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church was dedicated on May 28, 1989 by Bishop Frank Madison 
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Reid, Jr.; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thomas Memorial A.M.E. Church sponsors many 
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ministries, including Meals on Wheels for Zion Township, a 
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prison ministry, monthly visits to several nursing homes in the 
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area, and donation of items and clothes to the Stable House of 
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Waukegan; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Thomas Memorial A.M.E. Church of Zion on the 
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occasion of its 20th anniversary; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Thomas Memorial A.M.E. Church as an expression of 
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our respect and esteem.