HR0692 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0692 LRB096 15086 GRL 30105 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the congregation of the Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church on the occasion of the church's 200th anniversary in 2009; and

WHEREAS, The rich history of the Flat Creek Baptist Church began in 1809, when a small community of Christian families in the area came together to hold services; the church's early worship services were held near a brush harbor, which also served as a baptismal pool; some time later, services were held in the home of a Brother Arnold under the leadership of Father Fredrick Lunce; and

WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Father Lunce, a log cabin church was built for the congregation's worship services; due to its location at Flat Creek Bottom, the people in the area began referring to the church as Flat Creek Baptist Church, although the church's official name was "The Missionary Baptist Church of East Carondelet"; on November 13, 1873, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson and Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell made a trade with Father Lunce for a parcel of land, which was issued to Flat Creek Baptist Church on February 17, 1874; that same year, the congregation began to build a large frame church; and

WHEREAS, The Flat Creek Baptist Church grew steadily during the early decades of the 20th century; from late 1949 to 1957, the church's congregation was led by Rev. William Pirtle; in the seven years of his leadership, the Church took a great leap of faith by demolishing the old church building with plans to rebuild a new facility; faced with scarce resources, many members participated in keeping the Church going by volunteering time and personal labor in making this a reality; thanks to the tireless efforts of the congregation, the newly-constructed building was ready to use within 3 months; and

WHEREAS, During the 1960s, under the leadership of Rev. McKinley Logan, the Flat Creek Baptist Church's membership continued to grow; major improvements were made to the Church building, advancing from a one-room chapel with an old pot-bellied stove and outdoor plumbing to a modern day sanctuary with indoor plumbing and heating facilities, Pastor's Study, office, and choir room; in July of 1963, the church was notified by the Antioch District Sunday School and Training Union Congress of St. Louis, Mo. (ADSTUC) that Flat Creek was the oldest church in the area at 154 years old; the ADSTUC presented Flat Creek with a Certificate of Award commemorating this momentous occasion at its 15th Annual Session on July 29-30, 1963; and

WHEREAS, On July 16, 1989, the Rev. Clyde L. Williams accepted the call to serve as Pastor of Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church, where he served until 1997; under the leadership of Rev. Williams and his wife, First Lady Annette E. Williams, the church expanded its worship services to participate with other churches; and

WHEREAS, The Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church continued to grow and prosper throughout the 1990s into the new millennium; the church's current pastor, S. Gene Rhoden, has served at Flat Creek since November of 2003; under his leadership, Flat Creek has seen great growth; in November of 2008, Flat Creek celebrated the completion of the church's baptismal pool and new fellowship hall, which includes offices and a kitchen; and

WHEREAS, The Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church and its congregation serve as shining examples of faith, integrity, and compassion for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the congregation of the Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church on the occasion of the church's 200th anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the congregation of the Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church as a symbol of our esteem and respect.