HR0987 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0987 LRB096 21384 GRL 37596 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists on the occasion of the association's 50th annual meeting; and

WHEREAS, Free Will Baptist churches have had a presence in the State of Illinois since well before 1850; most of these churches, however, ceased to be Free Will Baptist after 1911, when the northern line of the denomination merged into the Northern Baptist Convention; only in the south central section of Illinois did a small group of Free Will Baptists maintain their distinct identity; and

WHEREAS, After meeting for many years at the Southern Illinois Yearly Conference of Free Will Baptists, the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists was formed on August 10, 1960 at the Tabernacle campground in Benton; the association then reorganized the State's Free Will Baptist churches into districts, elected a slate of officers, and adopted a constitution and a set of by-laws; the association held its first annual session at the Tabernacle campground in Benton on June 23-24, 1961; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists consists of 40 churches and has numerous boards to assist its membership with educational, humanitarian, and religious work; and

WHEREAS, The current officers of the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists are Dr. David L. Burgess, moderator; Rev. David Womack, assistant moderator; Rev. Larry Cook, clerk; Rev. Harlan Jackson, assistant clerk; Mr. Tim Hayes, treasurer; and Rev. David Shores, promotional secretary and member of the General Board of the National Association of Free Will Baptists; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the members of the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists on the occasion of the association's 50th annual meeting 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 Executive Board of the Illinois State Association of Free Will Baptists as a symbol of our esteem and respect.