Full Text of HR1209 094th General Assembly
HR1209 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The First Christian Church of Villa Grove will | 3 |
| celebrate its 100th anniversary this year; and
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| WHEREAS, The conclusion of a five week revival that began | 5 |
| on May 11, 1906, saw the beginning of the Villa Grove Christian | 6 |
| Church with 67 charter members; Evangelist Harold E. Monser was | 7 |
| employed by the Sixth District Board of the Illinois Christian | 8 |
| Missionary Society to hold these meetings; the first week of | 9 |
| meetings were held in the center room of the Lawrence building; | 10 |
| the remaining meetings were held in a tent erected on a vacant | 11 |
| lot; a unique and modern addition to this tent meeting was the | 12 |
| use of electric lights; and
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| WHEREAS, On June 24, 1906, the new church met for the first | 14 |
| time in Gamin's Hall with Dr. J.E. Powell of Bloomington | 15 |
| delivering the sermon; on Sunday, July 29, Rev. Monser returned | 16 |
| to preach at a service held in a tent on newly acquired | 17 |
| property at the corner of Pine and Monroe Streets; this | 18 |
| location would be the future site of a new church building; on | 19 |
| October 3, 1907, the congregation called Robert L. Cartwright | 20 |
| of Herrin to serve in a permanent capacity as minister; he | 21 |
| would have a dual position as minister at Villa Grove and at | 22 |
| Longview, preaching at each location on alternate Sundays; and
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| WHEREAS, Ground was broken on July 16, 1908, for the new | 24 |
| church building; construction began immediately and by October | 25 |
| 27, 1908, the cornerstone was ceremoniously laid by Elder Matt | 26 |
| Benge, a member and leader in the church and a local builder | 27 |
| who designed and oversaw the construction of the new building; | 28 |
| by December, 1908, the congregation began meeting in the | 29 |
| basement of the unfinished church; and
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| WHEREAS, On Sunday, May 2, 1909, the newly completed church | 31 |
| building was dedicated with services held throughout the day; |
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HR1209 |
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| in September, 1940, a parsonage was purchased at 5 South Pine; | 2 |
| in 1951, the first major repairs and remodeling of the original | 3 |
| church building were completed; in 1954, a basement on the east | 4 |
| side of the building was constructed with the upper east annex | 5 |
| being added in 1957; this addition was dedicated on June 23, | 6 |
| 1957; in 1963, a new parsonage was built in the McCoy | 7 |
| Subdivision, and the old parsonage was used for Sunday School | 8 |
| classrooms; and
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| WHEREAS, In the mid 1970s, a decision was made to build a | 10 |
| new church building; in 1977, five and one half acres of land | 11 |
| were purchased for the proposed building; on March 7, 1979, the | 12 |
| original building was sold; during the construction period, | 13 |
| worship services were held in the Gem Theatre with Sunday | 14 |
| School being held in the theatre, the old parsonage, and the | 15 |
| temporary church office on East Adams Street; and
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| WHEREAS, Ground breaking services for the new church | 17 |
| building were held on May 2, 1979, and building began on June | 18 |
| 8, 1979, with Zion Church Builders supervising the | 19 |
| construction; the first worship service in the new building was | 20 |
| held on Sunday, January 20, 1980, with the dedication service | 21 |
| on Sunday, April 20, 1980; in 1985, the auditorium was enlarged | 22 |
| to increase seating and provide more adult Sunday School area; | 23 |
| the new addition was dedicated on May 4, 1986; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 25 |
| NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 26 |
| we congratulate the First Christian Church of Villa Grove on | 27 |
| the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 29 |
| presented to the First Christian Church of Villa Grove as an | 30 |
| expression of our esteem and with best wishes for the future.
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