Full Text of HR0969 102nd General Assembly
HR0969 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | HR0969 | | LRB102 28881 ECR 40771 r |
|
| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate Pastor Christopher T. | 4 | | "Chris" Harris Sr. on the anniversary of his serving as senior | 5 | | pastor at Bright Star Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in | 6 | | Chicago for the past 23 years; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris was born to Ezekiel Simpson and | 8 | | Patricia Ann Harris in Chicago on April 1, 1974, and he has | 9 | | been a member of Bright Star COGIC since birth; he graduated | 10 | | from Tabernacle Christian Academy in 1992; he then attended | 11 | | Olive-Harvey College and the Moody Bible Institute; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris was appointed first assistant of | 13 | | Bright Star COGIC on October 19, 1997; he was appointed senior | 14 | | pastor on November 18, 1999; he has also served as minister of | 15 | | music at a number of churches across various denominations for | 16 | | over 16 years, including Bright Star COGIC, St. Elizabeth | 17 | | Catholic Church, and New Hope Missionary Baptist Church; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, Under Pastor Harris' leadership, Bright Star | 19 | | COGIC has increased to more than 1,250 parishioners; recently, | 20 | | he oversaw the partnership of the church and Howard Johnson to | 21 | | vaccinate over 800 people and support thousands of families in | 22 | | housing, utilities, and food throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; |
| | | HR0969 | - 2 - | LRB102 28881 ECR 40771 r |
|
| 1 | | and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit | 3 | | Bright Star Community Outreach (BSCO) in 2009 to provide | 4 | | anti-violence programs to youth and families; his organization | 5 | | has operated with a budget of over five million dollars, | 6 | | provided employment to more than 450 people, collaborated with | 7 | | over 105 organizations in the greater Bronzeville community, | 8 | | and expanded in July 2017 with the creation of its Trauma | 9 | | Helpline; he has also created and led the Greater Bronzeville | 10 | | Community Action Plan through BSCO, where more than 50 | 11 | | Bronzeville organizations are collaboratively partnering to | 12 | | make an impact on violence and trauma; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris developed The Urban Resilience | 14 | | Network (TURN) Center in 2013 to address the violence and | 15 | | trauma that was evident in Bronzeville; his center endeavors | 16 | | to focus on five core competencies, including counseling, | 17 | | parenting, mentorship, work-force development, and advocacy; | 18 | | and | 19 | | WHEREAS, During his career, Pastor Harris has ministered | 20 | | in over 24 countries; he has led six trips to Israel, including | 21 | | leading more than 70 faith leaders to the Holy Lands; he has | 22 | | traveled the country, building bridges between African | 23 | | American and Jewish clergy and communities; he has also taught |
| | | HR0969 | - 3 - | LRB102 28881 ECR 40771 r |
|
| 1 | | students on various college campuses of the importance of | 2 | | Black and Jewish relations; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris was appointed district | 4 | | superintendent of the Bread of Heaven District in 2002, | 5 | | becoming one of the youngest pastors to hold this prestigious | 6 | | position in the COGIC organization in Illinois; he also served | 7 | | on the Board of Bishops for the Abundant Harvest Fellowship of | 8 | | Churches for six years; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris serves as the chairman of the | 10 | | Bronzeville Community Action Council and as a member of the | 11 | | University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) Community Advisory | 12 | | Council; he has previously served as a member of the American | 13 | | Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) National Council and | 14 | | as president of the 4th Ward and Cook County Clergy | 15 | | Coalitions; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris has received numerous awards for | 17 | | his leadership and community service, including the Decalogue | 18 | | Society of Lawyers Community Service 2013 Award, the Alpha | 19 | | Epsilon Pi Fraternity Congressman Eliot Engel 2015-2016 Award, | 20 | | the 2nd Annual Israel-Midwest Bridge 2016 Award,
the African | 21 | | American History Month 2017 Award, the State of Illinois | 22 | | Treasurer Outstanding Commitment Community Service 2018 Award, | 23 | | the
NAMI Chicago Light the Darkness Faith Based Leader of the |
| | | HR0969 | - 4 - | LRB102 28881 ECR 40771 r |
|
| 1 | | Year 2018 Award, and many more; he was also chosen to be part | 2 | | of the Foundation Executive Fellows Program in 2019
and was | 3 | | selected to be a Leadership Greater Chicago 2021 Fellow; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Harris married Johanna "JoJo" Harris on | 5 | | September 18, 2010; he is the father of Chrystal, Chris Jr., | 6 | | Christian, and Christiana and the godfather of Keshon; | 7 | | therefore, be it
| 8 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 9 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 10 | | we congratulate Pastor Christopher T. "Chris" Harris on the | 11 | | anniversary of his serving as senior pastor at Bright Star | 12 | | Church of God in Christ (COGIC) for the past 23 years; and be | 13 | | it further
| 14 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 15 | | presented to Pastor Harris as a symbol of our esteem and | 16 | | respect.
|
|