HR1181 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1181 LRB097 22169 MST 70900 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Pilgrim Baptist Church on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, The history of Pilgrim Baptist Church began in May of 1917; there was no black Baptist church in Rockford, so Meissieurs Grant Madison, Louis Branch, Walter Brooks, and a gentleman named Banks organized a Sunday school and prayer meeting; the Reverend J.C. China was elected as the Superintendent of the Sunday school; the church was organized on August 6, 1917, at the home of Brother Grant Madison at 812 West Street and was subsequently named Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Twenty-two charter members took place at that first meeting, including Reverend J.C. China and Reverend Holden, Brothers Grant Madison, T.P. McGee, Thomas Cochran, Louis Branch, Robert Goza, E.P. Jones, Albert Earney, Ford Smith, and James Davis, Brother Banks and Brother Cook, Sisters M.A. Madison, Sarah Branch, Lillian Goza, Martha Rook, Mary Dulin, Delia Cochran, Rachel Jackson Flood and A. Smith, and Sister Johnson; and

WHEREAS, The church called its first pastor, Reverend Mr. T.P. McGee in October 1917; under his leadership the property at 846 Montague Street was purchased; the entire congregation marched to their new location on the third Sunday in June 1918; in February of 1919, under the tutelage of Reverend G.W. Dudley, a new location was acquired on 812 West Street and occupied in July of that year and was considered the first "real" church building by its congregants; and

WHEREAS, In 1944, the Pilgrim Builders Club was formed to pay off the mortgage and plans were laid for remodeling the church; the word "Rest" was removed from the church name in 1947, and a year later work began on beautifying the church; in 1951, volunteers helped obtain pledges from members for the Building Fund drive; by 1954, serious consideration was being given to enlarging the building to give Pilgrim members a church home they could be proud of; and

WHEREAS, 1958 was a memorable year for the Pilgrim members; the Building Fund continued to grow, and in the fall the church came into possession of 3.7 acres of land on which to erect the new building; on the second Sunday in September, a dedication of service of thanksgiving for the new property was held at the site; and

WHEREAS, December of 1959 saw the church presented with completed drawings for the new building; it was announced on March 30, 1960, that ground breaking would begin in April; the church moved into the new building on the 12th of March 1961; additions to the physical edifice have been many, including a mosaic completed in 1972; the mortgage for the new church was burned in April 1973; and

WHEREAS, The physical manifestations of this structure of hope will be for Pilgrim Baptist Church to have a nursing home for the elderly, a children's home for homeless youth, a center for preschoolers, a credit union, and a center for religious education; all of these will serve to realize Pilgrim's greatest dream, that the community and the church be one, a communion; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Pilgrim Baptist Church on their founding, their history, and wish them well with their future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the members of the Pilgrim Baptist Church on the occasion of the celebration of their 95th anniversary.