HR1401

LRB095 21707 KXB 51917 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to honor the pastor and 
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congregation of Riverside Baptist Church in Decatur as they 
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celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Riverside Baptist Church began as a 
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non-denominational Sunday school on the third Sunday of March 
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in 1906; and

 
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    WHEREAS, On June 23, 1908, members of the Riverside Chapel 
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officially became a Baptist congregation with 44 charter 
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members and its first pastor, Reverend James Lively, a Millikin 
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University student; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Ground was broken for a new building in 1917; 
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however, because of World War I the building's completion was 
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delayed until June 28, 1925, at which time the cornerstone was 
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laid; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1935, Riverside Baptist Church joined the 
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General Association of Regular Baptist Churches; in 1937 church 
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member Ethel Spitzer began a home missionary program which was 
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responsible for the founding of Baptist Bible Church in Decatur 
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in the late 1950s; Riverside sent out its first foreign 
 


 






HR1401
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LRB095 21707 KXB 51917 r




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missionary family, Earl and Kay Hamilton, in 1944; and in 1969 
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the church helped to establish Fellowship Baptist Church in Mt. 
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Zion; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1955, Riverside Baptist Church began the AWANA 
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Club children's program, now celebrating 53 years of teaching 
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and leading children in the community; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1980, Riverside Baptist Church moved to its 
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current location at 1250 West Mound Road and is now partially 
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supporting over 25 missionary families around the world under 
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the leadership of Pastor John Norris; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Pastor John Norris and the congregation of 
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Riverside Baptist Church on their 100th anniversary; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the congregation of Riverside Baptist Church as a 
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symbol of our respect.