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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Bishop
4Charles W. Gillespie Jr., who passed away on October 2, 2022 at
5the age of 92; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie was born in Sandusky to the
7union of Bishop Charles W. Gillespie Sr. and Cora Newberry
8Gillespie on July 4, 1931; his family moved to Carbondale
9after his birth; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie received his education at local
11schools; he graduated from Attucks High School in 1948 and
12joined the Armed Services, where he served his country bravely
13during the Korean War; upon returning to the U.S., he moved to
14Detroit, Michigan and married the love of his life, Addie Mae
15Brooks, in 1961; they had a son, Sorrell Eugene Gillespie, in
161963; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In 1967, Bishop Gillespie and Addie began to
18attend the New St. Paul Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in
19Detroit, Michigan; he was ordained as an Elder in 1970, and
20upon receiving his degree in Pastoral Theology from Charles
21Harrison Mason Bible College in 1974, he was installed as the
22First Administrative Assistant; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, In 1976, Bishop Gillespie returned to his home in
2Carbondale and began serving as his father's Second
3Administrative Assistant; he was also appointed pastor of the
4Greater Gillespie Temple Church of God in Christ; as a pastor,
5he continued to serve as mentor for many at the Greater
6Gillespie Temple Church and began contemplating establishing
7churches across the nation; he was ordained as Bishop of the
8March of Faith Outreach Ministries Fellowship in 1998, which
9later became the March of Faith International Ministries; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie originally conceptualized the
11March of Faith Outreach Ministry Fellowship in 1982; from
12this, a yearly convocation was established, which subsequently
13led to the formation of March of Faith Outreach Ministries
14Fellowship; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The dream of a fellowship of churches was
16realized in 1996 when Bishop Gillespie and Mother Addie M.
17Gillespie called together former members of the Greater
18Gillespie Temple Church family who had started their own
19churches; following this reunion, the first March of Faith
20Outreach Ministries Fellowship convention was held in July of
211997 in Carbondale; the following year in 1998, he was
22ordained as Presiding Bishop of the March of Faith Outreach
23Ministries Fellowship, later known as the March of Faith

 

 

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1International Fellowship; the ministry grew to over 200
2churches across four different continents; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie served as the Presiding Bishop
4of the March of Faith International Fellowship for almost two
5decades from 1998 to 2017; he was a man of many talents and was
6affectionately known to many as "The Dancing Bishop", "The
7Singing Bishop", and "The Marrying Bishop", given his ability
8for matchmaking; even more than his talents, he was known as a
9man of strong character, a natural leader, and a father to
10many; he delivered messages of hope, healing, and restoration,
11as well as loving correction; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie retired to his home church in
13Carbondale in 2017, where he continued to serve his faith; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie was preceded in death by his
15parents; his brothers, William and Joshua Gillespie; and his
16sisters, Ruth Finley, Gloria Dean English, and Ludora
17Gillespie; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Bishop Gillespie is survived by his beloved wife
19of 62 years, Mother Addie M. Gillespie; his son, Bishop
20Sorrell E. (Pamela) Gillespie Sr.; his brothers, Elder
21Cornelius (Arsteena) Gillespie and Richard Gillespie, his
22sister, Mother Naomi Mims; his grandchildren, Minister Brandee

 

 

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1(William) Gillespie-Davis, Minister Sorrell E. (Dr. Christian)
2Gillespie II, and Christopher Gillespie; seven
3great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, the
4March Of Faith Community Church Family, the March Of Faith
5International Fellowship family, and numerous friends around
6the world; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
8HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we mourn the passing of Bishop Charles W. Gillespie Jr. and
10extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends,
11community, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of Bishop Gillespie as an expression
14of our deepest sympathy.