Full Text of HR0857 95th General Assembly
HR0857 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 |
| Representatives are pleased to congratulate the congregation | 4 |
| of the St. Peter African Methodist Episcopal Church on the | 5 |
| occasion of the church's 150th anniversary; and
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| WHEREAS, The St. Peter African Methodist Episcopal Church | 7 |
| was organized in May 1857 by Rev. Philip Ward and Rev. E. C. | 8 |
| Joyner in the old Masonic Temple on the corners of North Park | 9 |
| and North Water Streets in Decatur; the church had 8 charter | 10 |
| members and with a 3-member trustee board, which was elected in | 11 |
| 1864; and
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| WHEREAS, The St. Peter A.M.E. Church's first building was | 13 |
| completed in 1865 on 2 lots located on the east side of | 14 |
| Greenwood Avenue, running east to South Main Street in Decatur; | 15 |
| after the original building burned down, a second church was | 16 |
| built on the same site, followed by a third; a fourth church | 17 |
| was later built to accommodate a school due to a lack of State | 18 |
| or City provisions for the education of black children; the | 19 |
| school which was formerly conducted at Antioch Baptist Church | 20 |
| was moved to St. Peter's in 1865, remaining there until | 21 |
| integrated schools were opened in 1874; the church's first | 22 |
| Sunday School was organized in 1866; and
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| WHEREAS, The Reverend J. H. Sydes arrived in Decatur in | 2 |
| 1918; soon after his arrival, he began a building fund for a | 3 |
| new St. Peter church; the new church building was dedicated by | 4 |
| Bishop W.T. Vernon in September of 1927; the last bank note due | 5 |
| on the church building was paid in June 1945 from money raised | 6 |
| under the leadership of Reverend H. J. Parker; and
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| WHEREAS, Under the direction of Reverend Readye, St. Peter | 8 |
| A.M.E. Church became actively involved in the Decatur | 9 |
| community, with Reverend Readye becoming the first | 10 |
| African-American member of the Decatur Board of Education and | 11 |
| the Association of Commerce; and | 12 |
| WHEREAS, The Reverend William Newell Guy came to St. Peter | 13 |
| A.M.E. Church as pastor in 1960; under his leadership, the | 14 |
| church acquired a new parsonage in the Greenwood Urban Renewal | 15 |
| area at 568 South Hayworth in Decatur; the new parsonage of St. | 16 |
| Peter African Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated on March | 17 |
| 25, 1962 by Reverend Joseph Gomes; in 1966, several lots | 18 |
| adjoining the church were bought, which were used to erect a | 19 |
| parking lot, with space remaining for the George A. Coates | 20 |
| Educational Building, which was built in 1988; and | 21 |
| WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Reverend Carey A. Grady, | 22 |
| who was installed as pastor in January 2004, the church has | 23 |
| expanded greatly; the church instituted several new outreach |
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| ministries, fellowships, and worship services, including a | 2 |
| Christmas Gala, Greek Sunday, Homecoming and Back to School | 3 |
| Giveaway, Media Ministry, Men's Empowerment Month, Women's | 4 |
| Empowerment Month, Son's of Allen Prayer Breakfast, Nia | 5 |
| After-School Program, Neighborhood Sunday, Stewardship | 6 |
| Revival, Prayer Phone Line, Radio Broadcast, St. Peter Hilltop | 7 |
| Newsletter, Sunday Breakfast, Wednesday, Word and Worship, | 8 |
| Youth and Young Adult Revival, Youth Empowerment Month, Youth | 9 |
| Empowerment Prayer Breakfast; the church also sponsors the | 10 |
| Inspirational Spoken Word, a program that showcases local and | 11 |
| regional talent, as well as the Decatur Council for Fostering | 12 |
| Male Development, a male mentoring agency for African-American | 13 |
| males; Reverend Grady has also helped foster a renewed interest | 14 |
| and excitement in young people as well as adults by his unique | 15 |
| expository preaching and teaching of the word of God; and
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| WHEREAS, The dedication and generosity of the congregation | 17 |
| of the St. Peter African Methodist Episcopal Church make them | 18 |
| role models for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, | 19 |
| be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 21 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 22 |
| congratulate the congregation of the St. Peter African | 23 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church on the occasion of the church's | 24 |
| 150th anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness |
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| in the future; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 3 |
| presented to Reverend Carey A. Grady as a symbol of our esteem | 4 |
| and respect.
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