HR0364 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0364 LRB103 33311 LAW 63121 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Reverend Ricky D. Dixon on the occasion of his installation as pastor of Beautiful Zion Missionary Baptist Church (BZMBC); and

WHEREAS, BZMBC, organized with 16 members in 1945, is located on Chicago's South Side and provides spiritual leadership and pastoral care to congregants, the larger Englewood community, and beyond; the church is committed to discipleship, fellowship, love, care, and its faith; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Dixon is a native of Joliet; he committed to his faith at Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church of South Holland on March 18, 1998; he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Eastern Illinois University and also holds a specialized certificate from Northern Theological Seminary in Lombard, where he is pursuing a Master of Arts in Urban Leadership; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Dixon has more than 12 years of successful pastoral experience, most recently as an associate minister at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago, where he is a member; for more than a decade, he served as pastor at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Sun River Terrace; he also previously served in a leadership role at Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church in South Holland; and

WHEREAS, Professionally, Rev. Dixon is the senior director of Membership Operations for the American Dental Association (ADA), a professional association based in Chicago comprised of more than 156,000 members; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Dixon is the husband of Eva Marie (Thomas) Dixon, and they have been married for 28 years; together, they are the parents of Joshua Thomas Dixon and the late Hannah Noel; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Dixon will be the sixth dynamic leader to serve at the helm in BZMBC's history, and he will be installed as the pastor on July 30, 2023; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Reverend Ricky D. Dixon on his installation as pastor of Beautiful Zion Missionary Baptist Church (BZMBC) of Chicago; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rev. Dixon as an expression of our esteem and respect.