[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_HR0711 LRB9216358BHbh 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 3 Representatives are proud to recognize significant events in 4 the lives of the citizens of Illinois; and 5 WHEREAS, Reverend Gerald M. Dew of the Antioch Missionary 6 Baptist Church in Chicago celebrates the first anniversary of 7 his service on March 11, 2002; and 8 WHEREAS, Reverend Dew was born on December 18, 1959, in 9 Chicago, Illinois; following primary training in Chicago, he 10 completed his secondary education at Muncie Northside High 11 School in Muncie, Indiana; and 12 WHEREAS, Reverend Dew continued his academic pursuits at 13 Texas Southern University in Houston, graduating with a 14 Bachelor of Arts Degree; he went on to earn a Master of Arts 15 Degree in Theology from Houston's Graduate School of 16 Theology; Reverend Dew entered the Postgraduate Program at 17 the University of St. Thomas in Houston in the pursuit of a 18 Doctor of Philosophy degree in Religion; and 19 WHEREAS, In February of 1982, Reverend Dew became a 20 member and associate minister at Greater Zion Missionary 21 Baptist Church in Houston; he was called as its Pastor in 22 1984, shortly after the passing of Dr. M.L. Price; and 23 WHEREAS, Under Reverend Dew's capable leadership and 24 direction, several initiatives were undertaken at Greater 25 Zion; he organized Re-Ward Third Ward, Inc., a non-profit 26 Community Development Corporation; he established a Church 27 Food Pantry, a Church Tape Ministry, the New Members 28 Orientation Program and Follow-up Procedures; he established 29 a Deacon Family Ministry Plan, along with procedures for 30 promoting greater utilization of the Ministerial Staff, as 31 well as the initiation of an annual "Home Visitation -2- LRB9216358BHbh 1 Ministry"; and 2 WHEREAS, With Reverend Dew's help, Greater Zion completed 3 remodeling and began the initial phase of expanding the M.L. 4 Price Educational Building; he led over 300 persons to Christ 5 through personal evangelism and increased membership by 500 6 persons; and 7 WHEREAS, Reverend Dew continues to be actively involved 8 in local, national, and world matters which have enhanced his 9 effectiveness as a Spiritual Leader; and 10 WHEREAS, Reverend Dew is past Board Chairman of the Texas 11 Center for Biblical Studies, former Vice Moderator of 12 Operations of the Lincoln District Missionary Baptist 13 Association of Texas, and currently serves as Administrative 14 Assistant/Curriculum Coordinator of Africa Crusade 15 Ministries, Inc., and Dean of Ministers' Conference of the 16 National Missionary Baptist Convention of America; and 17 WHEREAS, Reverend Dew and his lovely wife, Mrs. Marva 18 Dew, have two teen-age children, Samuel, 15, and Eboni, 13; 19 therefore, be it 20 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 21 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 22 we congratulate Reverend Gerald M. Dew on his first 23 anniversary as Pastor of the Antioch Missionary Baptist 24 Church in Chicago; and be it further 25 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent 26 to Reverend Gerald M. Dew as an expression of our esteem.