HR0032 LRB094 06854 HSS 36960 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, James A. Martin, Sr., was born in Yazoo City,
3 Mississippi, on February 9, 1915, to Anderson and Florence
4 Martin, nee Williams; he is the brother of six, five brothers
5 and one sister; and
 
6     WHEREAS, He has been married to Gloria (Orr) Martin for 20
7 years and is the father of 5 adult children; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Mr. Martin was converted in 1931 and baptized by
9 Reverend C.V. Hill in Murphy, Mississippi; he was a member of
10 several Baptist Churches in Mississippi, including Jerusalem
11 Baptist Church in Belzonia, Mississippi; Bethlehem Baptist
12 Church; and King Solomon Baptist Church, where he sang in the
13 choir; and
 
14     WHEREAS, He moved to East Chicago, Indiana, in 1939 and
15 began working in an automobile plant; he became a member of
16 Tabernacle Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend L.
17 Ruffin and then moved to Chicago in the 1940s; he became a
18 member of Progressive Baptist Church under the leadership of
19 Reverend Brown; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Reverend Martin was ordained as a minister in June
21 of 1950 by Reverend K.D. Clay; he was appointed acting pastor
22 of Beacon Light Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago in March
23 of 1964 and was appointed pastor of Beacon Light Missionary
24 Baptist Church of Chicago in September of the same year; and
 
25     WHEREAS, He was formally educated at the Baptist Institute
26 of Chicago and LaSalle University; he has more than 20 years of
27 continuing education courses in Christian Education through
28 the Progressive Baptist Convention; and
 
29     WHEREAS, Reverend Martin is affiliated with the Old

 

 

HR0032 - 2 - LRB094 06854 HSS 36960 r

1 Veterans' Club and has served in various capacities in the
2 Ministers' Conference of Chicago and Vicinity; he faithfully
3 served as pastor of Beacon Light Church until December 26,
4 2004; and
 
5     WHEREAS, A retirement celebration in his honor is being
6 held on Sunday, February 20, 2005 at Maryland Avenue Baptist
7 Church; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10 we congratulate Reverend James A. Martin, Sr., on the occasion
11 of his retirement celebration, and we wish him well in his
12 retirement; and be it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14 presented to Reverend Martin as an expression of our esteem.