HR0602 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0602 LRB096 14474 GRL 29300 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor Reverend Gregory Dell of Chicago on the occasion of his many years of dedicated ministerial service; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell was born on December 28, 1945; he attended Bremen Community High School in Midlothian, earning his diploma in 1963; he then attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1967, and the Divinity School at Duke University, where he earned his master's of divinity degree in 1970; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell has had a long and distinguished career in the ministry; he began his career as an associate pastor at the Community United Methodist Church in Naperville from 1970 to 1973; he then served at the Minooka United Methodist Church in Minooka from 1973 to 1978; he served at the Wheadon United Methodist Church in Evanston from 1978 to 1985; he then moved to the Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church in Oak Park, serving there from 1985 to 1995; he served at the Broadway United Methodist Church in Chicago; in 1995, he began serving the congregation at Broadway United Methodist Church in Chicago, serving from 1995 to 1999 and from 2000 until he stepped down from the position in 2007; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell served as an Adjunct Staff and Seminar Leader at the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary from 1994 to 1999; he also served as director of the "In All Things Charity" from July of 1999 until June of 2000 and as an Adjunct Professor at the Pacific School of Religion from 2004 to 2005; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell has been a member of numerous community and spiritual organizations, including the Chicago Theological Seminary and its LGBTQ Religious Studies Center, Equal Partners in Faith, the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies, Church Within a Church, "In All Things Charity", the Jewish-United Methodist Dialogue Project of the American Jewish Committee, the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, the National Racial Justice Connection, the Oak Park-River Forest Community of Churches, the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Congregation/Community Organizing Project of Chicago, Shalom Education, the Methodist Federation for Social Action, and the National United Methodist "Coalition for The Whole Gospel"; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell has served his community through his many volunteer efforts with organizations such as Bonaventure House, the Lakeview Action Coalition, the Lakeview Clergy Association, Protestants for the Common Good, the 23rd Police District Clergy/Police Liaison Group, the Oak Park Citizens Police Oversight Committee, the Tri-Village PADS Homeless Shelter Project, AT&T, West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, and the Adult Community Outreach Network, among many others; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors from various theological and social organizations for his work in promoting equality and tolerance; on September 26, 2009, he will receive the Gilbert H. Caldwell Justice Ministry Award from the Church Within A Church Movement in recognition of his 40 years of ministry and his willingness to help the downtrodden; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Gregory Dell and his wife of 41 years, Jade, are the proud parents of Jason (Tonya) Delborne and the loving grandparents of Olivia and Ramona; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor Reverend Gregory Dell on the occasion of his many years of service and wish him continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Reverend Gregory Dell as a symbol of our esteem and respect.