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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate the congregation
4 of the East Park Baptist Church in Decatur on the occasion of
5 the church's 100th anniversary; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The East Park Baptist Church began as a Sunday
7 school in the late 1880s; the school was led by Mr. and Mrs.
8 J.T. Owens, who ran the school in a small building at 1653 East
9 Main Street; the school flourished, outgrowing its first
10 meeting place within the first four years; in 1891, the school
11 moved to a newly built chapel at the northern end of East
12 Prairie Avenue's 1700 block thanks to the efforts of the
13 Ladies' Aid society of First Baptist Church; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The First Baptist Church's pastors continued
15 their support of the ministry of the East Park Sunday School,
16 which led to the East Park Baptist Church's incorporation as an
17 independent church on April 18, 1909; in 1914, a basement was
18 dug out to make room for additional Sunday school rooms; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The East Park Baptist Church grew steadily, with
20 attendance topping 650 by 1927; the church's Sunday school
21 attendance saw its peak of 1,242 on December 20, 1931; by the
22 early 1950s, the church has built a new building for the

 

 

HR0440 - 2 - LRB096 12175 GRL 24554 r

1 church; and
 
2     WHEREAS, In 1970, the East Park Baptist Church added a
3 Christian School onto its property; in 1997, the church
4 relocated to a more suitable property and a new building; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The East Park Baptist Church has served as a
6 beacon of faith and integrity for the citizens of the City of
7 Decatur and the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
10 congratulate the congregation of the East Park Baptist Church
11 on the occasion of the church's 100th anniversary and wish them
12 continued success and happiness in their future endeavors; and
13 be it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15 presented to Ryan Banman, Senior Pastor of the East Park
16 Baptist Church, as a symbol of our respect and esteem.