HR0985

LRB094 19780 HSS 56942 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Reverend William H. Copeland, Jr., will be honored 
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at a celebration of his 34 years of service to Morning Star 
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Missionary Baptist Church in Kankakee during the weekend of 
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Friday, March 10-12, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Reverend  Copeland was born in Winn Parish, 
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Louisiana, to Georgia Ann and William H. Copeland, Sr.; he 
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completed high school in Louisiana and then earned a Bachelor 
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of Science degree from Missouri Western University in St. 
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Joseph, Missouri; he also attended National College in Kansas 
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City, Missouri, and the University of Missouri at Kansas City; 
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he received theological training from Western Baptist Bible 
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College, Kansas City National College, and William Jewel 
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College; he holds an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree from 
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Morris College and McKinley Theological Seminary; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was called to pastor Morning Star Missionary 
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Baptist Church in 1971, and since then he has consistently 
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shown his concern for the souls and spiritual well-being of 
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mankind and for the social conditions that people face daily; 
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he has been a leader in the fight against racism and injustice 
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and has battled for the right of every child to have equal 
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access to a quality education; he has organized marches against 
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gangs and violence and helped to create the Martin Luther King 
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Jr. Foundation; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Under his leadership, the church erected a 
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half-million dollar edifice in 1976 with the mortgage being 
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fully satisfied in 1986; the church purchased and renovated 
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what now serves as the Morning Star Community Center; 
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additionally, the ministries of Morning Star have grown 
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tremendously, and the church  is currently recognized as a 
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positive, influential social and political icon in the 
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Kankakeeland community; and

 
 


 






HR0985
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LRB094 19780 HSS 56942 r




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    WHEREAS, He is active in many civic and community 
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organizations and has served as president of the NAACP and the 
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Northeastside Ministerial Alliance; he has also served as 
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coordinator of the Kankakee County chapter of the Rainbow PUSH 
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Coalition and was one of six pastors to receive the Founder's 
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Award from PUSH, one of the organizations highest awards; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Reverend Copeland has been the recipient of 
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numerous awards, including the Ebony Esteem Award for "Man of 
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the Year" and "Most Outstanding Man in Religion" for Kankakee 
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County; he was named "Minister of the Year" by the Midwestern 
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Illinois Laymen's Fellowship and has received many other 
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recognitions, and on February 26, 2006, he received "The 
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African American Heritage Honoree Award" from the Victory 
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Christian International Ministries; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Reverend Copeland is married to the former Leola 
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Coley; they are the parents of Reverend Kenneth Edward Copeland 
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(Starla) and Monica Rochelle (Reverend John W. Fountain) and 
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the grandparents of William Jibri, Imani Monique, Abeni 
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Jamilah, Titus Omari, and Malik Jamal; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we congratulate Reverend William H. Copeland, Jr., on the 
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occasion of the celebration of 34 years of service to Morning 
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Star Missionary Baptist Church in Kankakee; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Reverend Copeland as an expression of our esteem.