HR0089 LRB094 06416 HSS 37896 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lanark is the
3 outgrowth of an organization at Maple Grove four miles east of
4 Lanark; early in 1873 a Rev. Baird, assisted by a Rev. Trimper,
5 conducted a series of meetings and on March 16, 1873, effected
6 an organization with eight members; these eight devoted members
7 held services in the Maple Grove school with Rev. Baird as the
8 acting pastor until November 30, 1873, when Rev. J. Henderson
9 of the Synod of Iowa entered upon his pastoral duties; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The prospects of an organization at Lanark being
11 favorable, Rev. Henderson with the help of Rev. P.G. Bell of
12 Polo, organized the first Lutheran church in Lanark; this
13 brother and his work received material encouragement by
14 personal gifts from the Synod of Illinois; this aid was
15 continued until the year 1888 when the church became
16 self-sustaining; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The Lanark Lutheran Church was first organized and
18 held worship services in the Congregational Church on December
19 30, 1874, where 20 people entered their names in the Articles
20 of the Constitution; in 1876 a new church building was erected
21 with a seating capacity of 250, dedicated on January 28, 1877;
22 approximately 300 were in attendance; and
 
23     WHEREAS, In May of 1879, the Maple Grove church
24 consolidated with Lanark; the church parsonage was built in
25 1878, and in 1905 the first building improvement was made; this
26 involved the digging of the basement, turning the church, and
27 adding the belfry (but not bell, it was added in 1921),
28 vestibule, and the Sunday School room; in 1916 another building
29 change was made when twelve feet were added to the south end of
30 the edifice; at this time the floor was elevated, new pews,
31 carpeting, indirect lights, re-furnished chancel, pastor's
32 study constructed, and enlargement of the basement were seen;

 

 

HR0089 - 2 - LRB094 06416 HSS 37896 r

1 and
 
2     WHEREAS, The pastor's study was removed around 1934, thus
3 enlarging the chancel; the junior choir was organized in 1934,
4 and on February 10, 1935, the first organized senior choir
5 sang; in 1936 Trinity saw the installation of Altar Boys, and
6 in September of 1939, "The Children of the Church" was
7 organized; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The year 1944 saw improvements in the church
9 building in the way of asbestos shingles, converting the
10 furnace from coal to oil, and constructing a women's rest room
11 out of the coal bin; in honor of the 75th anniversary of
12 Trinity, the interior of the church was redecorated complete
13 with new red carpeting; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Two morning worship services were held during the
15 summer months of 1960; sometime in the 1960s, acolytes,
16 consisting of the church youth, began assisting in the worship
17 service; in 1968 Trinity became a two-point parish, sharing a
18 pastor with Faith Lutheran, Forreston; and
 
19     WHEREAS, After smoke damage occurred, the sanctuary of the
20 church was redecorated in 1972, and 1974 was the year baptized
21 members age ten or in the 5th grade were granted the right to
22 receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion after receiving the
23 proper instruction; also approved that year was the right for
24 all confirmed young persons under 21 to serve on the council;
25 during the centennial year, the church received another face
26 lift and a celebration was held; and
 
27     WHEREAS, Vicars were first introduced to the congregation
28 in 1980, and the 1980s brought about much change in the church;
29 during 1983 and 1984, Trinity decided to return to having a
30 pastor of their own; a woman minister was called to serve
31 Trinity for the first time in 1985; around 1987 the Altar

 

 

HR0089 - 3 - LRB094 06416 HSS 37896 r

1 became free-standing with the retable being mounted to the
2 wall; in 1988, The Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of
3 America (ELCA) joined together the American Lutheran Church
4 (ALC), Lutheran Church of America (LCA), and the Association of
5 Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC); and
 
6     WHEREAS, Reverend Kim Lee Brown was called to be the pastor
7 of Trinity in 1992; she is the longest serving pastor at the
8 church and is starting her thirteenth year of service with the
9 congregation; and
 
10     WHEREAS, In 1997 members of Trinity began a dialogue to
11 make Trinity handicapped accessible; a plan was put into action
12 in 1998 with changes made to the east entrance of the church
13 and a new handicapped accessible entrance added, complete with
14 elevator, on the west side of the church; also in 1998, the age
15 level was lowered for students receiving communion for the
16 first time; in 1999, Trinity celebrated it's 125th anniversary;
17 and
 
18     WHEREAS, In 2004, Trinity celebrated 130 years of ministry
19 to the people of the Lanark area; therefore, be it
 
20     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22 we congratulate Trinity Lutheran Church of Lanark on 130 years
23 of ministry to the people of the Lanark area; and be it further
 
24     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
25 presented to Trinity Lutheran Church in Lanark as an expression
26 of our respect and esteem.