093_HR0525
LRB093 12212 HSS 17392 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of
3 the State of Illinois wish to congratulate Reverend and Mrs.
4 Carlton Heyliger on the occasion of their retirement from
5 Edgemont Grace Church of the Nazarene in East St. Louis; and
6 WHEREAS, In 1949, Elaine and Carlton Heyliger and their
7 five children left their home to begin their ministry on the
8 island of Lequan, situated at the mouth of the Essequilbo
9 River; they served a racially mixed congregation and
10 Carlton's familiarity with Hindi and knowledge of Asian
11 customs was well-used; and
12 WHEREAS, Five years later, the Heyliger family moved to
13 Pomeroon, a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural community; Reverend
14 Heyliger traveled from his home base at Pomeroon to 19
15 different preaching stations, where he sometimes slept in a
16 small boat, on the floor of a hall, or in a barn; during his
17 time in Pomeroon, he was offered candidacy for the National
18 Parliament as the country was seeking its independence; and
19 WHEREAS, In 1960, Reverend Heyliger arrived in Linden at
20 a critical time in Guyanese history; at a time of racial
21 violence, he showed leadership and courage as he preached
22 against racial strife and endangered his life and that of his
23 family by supporting Asian Christians; he and his wife led by
24 example by sharing their resources with those in need; and
25 WHEREAS, Reverend Heyliger served as leader of the
26 Minister's Fraternity and was often called upon to lead
27 religious services; he served the community as a civic leader
28 monitoring the placement of American Volunteer Service
29 Organizations; he was a mediator for the police and the
30 strife-torn dominating mine unions; he helped to establish
31 school for adult members of his church who did not have the
32 opportunity for a secondary education; the Heyliger's home
-2- LRB093 12212 HSS 17392 r
1 was always open, offering tutoring, jobs, and counseling; and
2 WHEREAS, Reverend and Mrs. Heyliger left Guyana for
3 Washington, D.C., before going to Rand, West Virginia in
4 1972; in order to improve his wife's health, the family moved
5 to Edgemont Grace Church in East St. Louis in 1975, where he
6 has served faithfully for over 20 years in the church and
7 community; therefore, be it
8 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10 we congratulate Reverend and Mrs. Carlton Heyliger on the
11 occasion of their retirement from Edgemont Grace Church of
12 the Nazarene after 20 years of faithful service and 54 years
13 in the ministry; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15 presented to Reverend and Mrs. Carlton Heyliger as an
16 expression of our respect and esteem and with our sincere
17 thanks for their commitment to serving the people of the
18 State of Illinois and the world.