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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Jurisdictional Bishop W.L. Porter of
4 Memphis, Tennessee, who passed away on April 11, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Bishop Porter is the founder of the Greater
6 Community Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Memphis,
7 which he began 37 years ago; in 1981, he organized the Central
8 Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Tennessee Jurisdiction Church
9 Of God In Christ; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Central has grown to be the largest COGIC
11 Jurisdiction in the state of Tennessee; the geographic reach of
12 churches in this fellowship spans from Memphis to Chattanooga
13 with Jurisdictional Headquarters located in Jackson,
14 Tennessee; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Bishop W. L. Porter had been a tremendous force
16 throughout COGIC and had served in several capacities; he
17 worked very closely with Bishop C. H. Mason, Founder of the
18 Church Of God In Christ, and other national leaders; he brought
19 meaningful structure to the organization and significant
20 innovation to COGIC operations over the past fifty years; and
21 he coordinated COGIC's largest convention, The Holy
22 Convocation for over 30 years; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Bishop Porter was responsible for transitioning
2 The Holy Convention from Mason Temple to the Mid-South
3 Coliseum, then to The Cook Convention Center and The Pyramid in
4 Memphis; he also served as Director of COGIC Housing for over
5 30 years; and he created and organized COGIC Courtesy Cars; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake and The General
7 Board announced that Superintendent Brandon B. Porter will
8 succeed his father as Jurisdictional Bishop of Central
9 Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Tennessee at an installation
10 service to be held during the Holy Convocation of the Church Of
11 God In Christ in November of 2009; therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
13 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
14 his family, friends, and church family, the passing of Bishop
15 W. L. Porter; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17 presented to the family of Bishop W.L. Porter as a symbol of
18 our sincere sympathy.