HR0584 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0584 LRB098 14195 MST 48790 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Saint Matthew Lutheran Church & School in Hawthorn Woods on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, In 1863, a group of individuals, wishing to form their own church and congregation, turned to Pastor H. Schmidt to aid in forming the church; the constitution of the congregation was accepted on October 11, 1963, and organized under the name "The Evangelical Lutheran St. Matthew Congregation, of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, at Russels Grove, Lake County, Illinois"; the physical site of the campus of St. Matthew has never relocated, but the jurisdiction encompassing the church has changed several times; it has been located in Russels Grove, Fairfield, Lake Zurich, and in 2003 it became part of Hawthorn Woods; and

WHEREAS, The first officers of Saint Matthew Lutheran congregation were Chairman Wilhelm Ohlendorf, Secretary Wilhelm Fischer, Treasurer Georg Wilkens, Heinrich Hapke, August Knigge, and Konrad Krueger; and

WHEREAS, On June 22, 1864, Edward Julius Friedrich was installed as the first full-time pastor of the congregation succeeding Pastor Schmidt who had cultivated the start of the congregation; on the very same day, the cornerstone for the new church building was laid; it was dedicated on December 10, 1864; and

WHEREAS, Both the number of members associated with Saint Matthew Lutheran congregation and the physical size of its campus grew substantially over the years; in 1986, a building committee was formed to start the plans that would shape the current church, school, and chapel campus; a "site dedication" service was held in 1989 for the newly proposed church building; construction commenced in May 1991, with completion and dedication in November 1992; and

WHEREAS, Saint Matthew Lutheran School received National Lutheran School accreditation in 1989, which continues to be maintained, and in 2005, the school was nationally accredited and recognized by the State; and

WHEREAS, On August 8, 2010, the congregation of Saint Matthew Lutheran installed Pastor Timothy Kinne as its current Senior Pastor; on August 14, 2011, Pastor Edward Blonski became the current Assistant Pastor; and

WHEREAS, Saint Matthew Lutheran will observe its anniversary on October 11, 2013 and celebrate its Sesquicentennial on October 27, 2013; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Saint Matthew Lutheran Church & School on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Saint Matthew Lutheran Church & School as an expression of our esteem and respect.