|
|
|
|
HR0620 |
|
LRB096 14611 GRL 29449 r |
|
|
| 1 |
| HOUSE RESOLUTION
|
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
| 3 |
| Representatives are pleased to congratulate Rev. Dr. Napoleon |
| 4 |
| Davis on the occasion of celebrating his Golden Jubilee |
| 5 |
| Pastoral Anniversary on October 11, 2009; and
|
| 6 |
| WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis attended the Greene County |
| 7 |
| Training School in Boligee, Alabama; he then graduated from |
| 8 |
| Selma University in Selma, Alabama, where he earned his |
| 9 |
| honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1979; he also studied at |
| 10 |
| the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and Northwestern |
| 11 |
| University; and
|
| 12 |
| WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis has had a long and |
| 13 |
| distinguished career in the ministry; he was called to preach |
| 14 |
| in August of 1953 and became licensed and ordained shortly |
| 15 |
| after; after serving in pastorate positions at Mount Carmel |
| 16 |
| Baptist Church in Eutaw, Alabama and Infant Baptist Church in |
| 17 |
| Carrollton, Alabama, he moved to Chicago in 1958 and served as |
| 18 |
| assistant pastor of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church under the |
| 19 |
| pastorate of Rev. Joseph Wells; and
|
| 20 |
| WHEREAS, In 1959, Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis was called to the |
| 21 |
| pastorate of the Second Baptist Church in Harvey, where he |
| 22 |
| served faithfully for 23 years; in 1982, he founded the Christ |
|
|
|
HR0620 |
- 2 - |
LRB096 14611 GRL 29449 r |
|
|
| 1 |
| First Baptist Church in Harvey with 250 charter members; during |
| 2 |
| his 27 years of leadership at Christ First, he has been |
| 3 |
| instrumental in the creation of numerous ministries, including |
| 4 |
| the Weekly Radio Broadcast Ministry, the AWANA Youth Ministry, |
| 5 |
| and the Tutorial Program and Support Ministry; and
|
| 6 |
| WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis has traveled extensively |
| 7 |
| throughout the United States, performing various preaching, |
| 8 |
| teaching, and revival services; he has also licensed and/or |
| 9 |
| ordained 23 men into the Gospel Ministry under his leadership; |
| 10 |
| and
|
| 11 |
| WHEREAS, In October of 2002, Loomis Avenue in Harvey from |
| 12 |
| 142nd Street to 147th Street was renamed to "Rev. Dr. Napoleon |
| 13 |
| Davis Drive" in honor of his many accomplishments; he was also |
| 14 |
| the recipient of the "Doctor William J. Shaw Pastoral Ministry |
| 15 |
| Award for Fifty Years of Pastoral Service" in September of 2008 |
| 16 |
| during the Annual Session of the National Baptist Convention |
| 17 |
| USA, Inc.; and
|
| 18 |
| WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis has been affiliated with |
| 19 |
| numerous civic and ministerial organizations, including the |
| 20 |
| Greater New Era Baptist District Association, the Baptist |
| 21 |
| General State Convention of Illinois, the National Baptist |
| 22 |
| Convention USA, Inc., the NAACP, the Harvey Human Relations |
| 23 |
| Commission, and the Harvey Ministerial Alliance; and
|
|
|
|
HR0620 |
- 3 - |
LRB096 14611 GRL 29449 r |
|
|
| 1 |
| WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis and his beloved wife, |
| 2 |
| Sister Estelle Davis, along with his 4 children and 8 |
| 3 |
| grandchildren, will celebrate his 50 years of dedicated service |
| 4 |
| during a special event in their honor at the Christ First |
| 5 |
| Baptist Church in Harvey on October 11, 2009; therefore, be it
|
| 6 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
| 7 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we |
| 8 |
| congratulate Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis on the occasion of |
| 9 |
| celebrating his Golden Jubilee Pastoral Anniversary and wish |
| 10 |
| him continued success and happiness in the future; and be it |
| 11 |
| further
|
| 12 |
| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
| 13 |
| presented to Rev. Dr. Napoleon Davis as a symbol of our esteem |
| 14 |
| and respect.
|