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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
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learn of the death of Jurisdictional Bishop W.L. Porter of 
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Memphis, Tennessee, who passed away on April 11, 2009; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Bishop Porter is the founder of the Greater 
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Community Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Memphis, 
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which he began 37 years ago; in 1981, he organized the Central 
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Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Tennessee Jurisdiction Church 
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Of God In Christ; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Central has grown to be the largest COGIC 
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Jurisdiction in the state of Tennessee; the geographic reach of 
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churches in this fellowship spans from Memphis to Chattanooga 
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with Jurisdictional Headquarters located in Jackson, 
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Tennessee; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Bishop W. L. Porter had been a tremendous force 
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throughout COGIC and had served in several capacities; he 
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worked very closely with Bishop C. H. Mason, Founder of the 
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Church Of God In Christ, and other national leaders; he brought 
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meaningful structure to the organization and significant 
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innovation to COGIC operations over the past fifty years; and 
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he coordinated COGIC's largest convention, The Holy 
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Convocation for over 30 years; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Bishop Porter was responsible for transitioning 
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The Holy Convention from Mason Temple to the Mid-South 
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Coliseum, then to The Cook Convention Center and The Pyramid in 
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Memphis; he also served as Director of COGIC Housing for over 
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30 years; and he created and organized COGIC Courtesy Cars; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake and The General 
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Board announced that Superintendent Brandon B. Porter will 
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succeed his father as Jurisdictional Bishop of Central 
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Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Tennessee at an installation 
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service to be held during the Holy Convocation of the Church Of 
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God In Christ in November of 2009; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 
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his family, friends, and church family, the passing of Bishop 
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W. L. Porter; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Bishop W.L. Porter as a symbol of 
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our sincere sympathy.