HR0376 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0376 LRB102 18786 LAW 27485 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the St. Paul Church of God in Christ on the occasion of its 85th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The St. Paul Church of God in Christ was established by Bishop Louis Henry Ford on the street corners of Chicago in 1934 and later organized in 1936; during its early history, the church became involved in the ecumenical and civic affairs in the city of Chicago, wherein food, clothing, shelter, and other forms of relief were provided for victims of disaster in the late 1930s; it also became recognized for its ability to secure employment and fight relentlessly for human and civil rights for African Americans in the 1940s; and

WHEREAS, The St. Paul Church of God in Christ was led by Bishop Louis Henry Ford as its pastor and spiritual leader for nearly 61 years; he eulogized Emmett Till in 1955 and later spearheaded the reconstruction of Saints Junior College in Lexington, Mississippi; his dedication to the church and humanity brought acclaim, honor, and recognition to the church and its ministries; he concluded his assignment as the presiding bishop of the Churches of God in Christ on March 31, 1995; and

WHEREAS, The St. Paul Church of God in Christ was next led by Bishop Charles Mason Ford, who was immediately installed as pastor upon his father's passing by Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. in 1995; his first mission was to memorialize his father, and he was instrumental in having the stretch of I-94 known as the Calumet Expressway be renamed the Bishop Ford Memorial Freeway by the State in 1996, making Bishop L.H. Ford the first African-American to have an Illinois expressway named after him; under his administration, the church offered family-based programming, including in-home care for infants and an after-school program for elementary through high school students, which complemented the Chaney Ford Child Care Center; he oversaw the creation of the Margaret Ford Manor, a 60-unit independent, affordable senior living facility located at 4500 S. Wabash Avenue, and the Victoria Jennings Residences, a 24-unit building for the disabled located at 624 W. 61st Street; and

WHEREAS, On February 24, 2018, the St. Paul Church of God in Christ installed Pastor Kevin Anthony Ford as pastor after he served as assistant pastor for several years under the auspices of First Jurisdiction Illinois on February; the ceremony was officiated by Bishop Ocie Booker, Prelate; prior to his promotion, he was appointed by his father Bishop Charles Mason Ford to lead the workforce arm of the ministry to enhance employment opportunities for the disenfranchised in 2000; he established the St. Paul Community Development Ministries (SPCDM), a 501(c) 3 community-based organization and pre-apprenticeship training program, and it has successfully prepared over 200 individuals for entry into registered Department of Labor apprenticeships for over 19 years and is recognized throughout the State of Illinois for its unique training model and placement ability; and

WHEREAS, The St. Paul Church of God in Christ will celebrate its 85th anniversary on June 13, 2021; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the St. Paul Church of God in Christ on serving its parishioners and the community for the past 85 years, and we wish the church continued success in the years to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Pastor Kevin Anthony Ford as an expression of our esteem and respect.