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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Reverend Dr.
4Nathaniel L. Edmond on his retirement from Second Baptist
5Church in Elgin and commend him on his years of service to
6others; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond received his bachelor's degree from
8Xavier University in Louisiana and is a graduate of the
9Executive Management Program of Cornell University in Ithaca,
10New York; he has extensive training in theology, religion, and
11philosophy and has completed the Young Pastoral Training
12Classes at the National Baptist Sunday School Congress; he is a
13certified family counselor with experience in family,
14marriage, and teen counseling; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond was licensed into the Gospel
16Ministry at the Lincoln Heights Baptist Church in Cincinnati,
17Ohio on May 2, 1993; he joined Second Baptist Church in
18November of 1993 and was ordained in the ministry on April 30,
191995; he was installed as Pastor of Second Baptist Church on
20February 20, 2000; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Under Pastor Edmond, the Second Baptist Church has
22experienced tremendous growth numerically, financially, and,

 

 

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1most importantly, spiritually; new programs under Pastor
2Edmond include the "Wonderful Wednesday" midweek service, a
3young adult ministry, a public relations ministry, a prison
4ministry including a 12 step drug program, a bus ministry, an
5Evangelism ministry, a Theater Arts ministry, and a Kinship
6Care Educational Symposium; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Pastor Edmond, the Second
8Baptist Church began a partnership with Sheridan Elementary
9School in 2006; this partnership involves 24 trained church
10volunteers who serve as mentors and tutors to 45 students
11identified as at-risk; in 2007, the Sheridan School Partnership
12was expanded to include Larsen Middle School and was renamed
13the SBC School Partnerships; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Due in part to Pastor Edmond's popularity, a
15second Sunday morning worship began in June, 2002 to
16accommodate the growing membership; in 2006, the church added a
17multi-purpose and educational center to their facility; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond's leadership endeavors include
19serving as an Associate Minister of Second Baptist Church for
20more than six years, as an assistant Sunday School
21superintendent, as a spiritual advisor to several church
22organizations, as president of the Junior Ushers Board, and as
23coach for the church's sports teams; he has also designed and

 

 

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1led many religious workshops; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond has held numerous leadership
3positions within community organizations, including National
4Alumni President of Xavier University of Louisiana and serving
5on the Board of Governors' at Xavier University, the Board of
6Trustees at Judson University, the Board of Directors of the
7United Way of Elgin, the Board of Directors of the National
8Association for Sickle Cell Disease, the Hospital and Advocate
9Healthcare Corporate Board, and the Board of Directors of the
10Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, as well as serving as Basileus; and
 
11    WHEREAS, As a member of the Board of Directors at Sherman
12Hospital, Pastor Edmond helped oversee the construction and
13completion of a 255 bed "Green" hospital with a 15-acre
14geothermal lake; this lake is expected to save the hospital $1
15million annually in heating and cooling costs; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond has been a member of the Enhancing
17Elgin Committee, the Elgin Chamber, the Implementation Review
18Committee, the Finance Review Committee for the U-46 School
19District, the NAACP of Greater Elgin, the African American
20Christian Minister's Alliance of Elgin, the Golf Course
21Planning Committee of the City of Elgin, and the United Way of
22Elgin; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond has been the recipient of numerous
2awards, including the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian
3Award for the City of Elgin, the distinguished Volunteer Award
4for the U-46 School District, the Quad County Urban League
5Outstanding Religious Leader Award, the Alpha Kappa Alpha
6Community Impact Award for Leadership, the Paul Harris Fellow
7Award from the Rotary Club of Elgin, the Partner in Peace Award
8from the Community Crisis Center for Domestic Violence, the
9Boys and Girls Club of Elgin Distinguished Citizen Award, the
10Golden Eagle Award from Judson University, and the Lasting
11Impact Award from the Black Student Association of Elgin
12Community College District 509; and
 
13    WHEREAS, On December 11, 20l0, Judson University of Elgin
14bestowed an Honorary Doctorate of Sacred Theology on Pastor
15Edmond; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Currently, Pastor Edmond serves as a spiritual
17advisor to U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi; since 2017,
18Pastor Edmond has served as the chairman of the Mission and
19Spiritual Care Committee of Advocate Healthcare Corporation;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond is married to Christine Dargin
22Edmond, and they are the proud parents of two daughters,
23Natonya (Jerry) McClay and Adrienne (Collies) Anderson; they

 

 

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1are the equally proud grandparents of Colin Tierre, Kayli
2Simone, Layla Jordyn, Christiana Chantel, and Ceana Christin;
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, Pastor Edmond has stated that his greatest
5privilege and pleasure in life is serving others; therefore, be
6it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
8HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we congratulate the Reverend Dr. Nathaniel L. Edmond on his
10retirement from Second Baptist Church of Elgin, and we wish him
11all the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to Pastor Edmond as an expression of our respect and
14esteem.