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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to recognize significant
4contributions made by the people and communities of the State;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
7Representatives wish to congratulate the Greater New Hope
8Missionary Baptist Church of East St. Louis on the occasion of
9its 100th anniversary celebration on October 11, 2014; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In 1913, Rev. J.L. McBride, a local minister of
11the Mount Olive Baptist Church, was asked by that congregation
12and pastor, Rev. Borders, to begin a mission in the east end
13section of the city, a section of town predominantly settled
14with people of Polish descent; Rev. McBride organized a few
15Christians who were living in this section, with Mount Olive
16Baptist Church serving as the mother church; and
 
17    WHEREAS, These few faithful and loyal members worked
18untiringly, adding new members to the mission roll during its
19first year; in 1914, a council was called consisting of pastors
20and churches; a new church was organized and given the name New
21Hope; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, In 1914, New Hope was born; the original church
2(later known as the Little Hall) was bought by Bro. Marion E.
3Officer; a new church building was erected in 1916; and
 
4    WHEREAS, In 1920, the congregation grew to the point that
5the building had to be enlarged because of the increase in
6membership; the remodeling program cost $5,000, and New Hope
7continued to grow in size, spiritual influence, and physical
8plant; out of this period of church history came ministers W.P.
9Alexander and Calvin Fearn, nationally known church missionary
10Annette Officer, and Rev. J.L. McBride, who served as Moderator
11of New Salem District Association and Vice-President of the
12Baptist General State Convention of Illinois; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Around 1935, a group of young women, spearheaded
14by Annette Harris Officer, started a building program; she
15secured the services of the Works Progress Administration, and
16a partial basement was added; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In 1944, the health of Rev. McBride, the first
18pastor of New Hope, begin to fail; he was retired by the church
19but continued to attend church and preach when able until his
20death in 1945; and
 
21    WHEREAS, In 1944, Rev. William Peter Alexander was called
22to become the second pastor of New Hope; the Sunday School and

 

 

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1Baptist Training Union were revamped by Rev. Alexander, and a
2Christian Education Program was initiated; one of its early
3programs was a foundation to aid in academic education of young
4people who were members of the church; a tutoring and study
5hall program was put into operation, and special days to honor
6high school and college graduates were instituted; State grants
7were also secured to sponsor summer camps for underprivileged
8children in the church and community; this activity was
9spearheaded by Fannie Jones and Bernice Howell for many years;
10the church progress was natural for Rev. Alexander who was also
11President of Congress of Christian Education for the Baptist
12State Convention of Illinois, a post he held for more than 30
13years; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In 1946, the congregation continued to grow under
15Rev. Alexander's leadership; the front entrance of the church
16was changed, a complete basement was built, and it became
17necessary to enlarge the church again; a new wing was erected
18and the building was able to seat more than 600 people; and
 
19    WHEREAS, On September 14, 1962, one of the founding
20members, Sis. Jesse B. Petty, suffered a stroke as she sat in
21her home behind the church and watched a newly renovated New
22Hope burn for 3 hours as trains prolonged the arrival of
23additional fire-fighting equipment; the "Friendly Church on
24The Highway" was destroyed after 48 years of existence; the

 

 

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1pastor and more than 500 members were determined to rebuild and
2set about the business of rebuilding; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The present edifice was entered in 1964,
4incomplete and with a 30-year mortgage; Bro. Marion E. Officer
5purchased the organ, the stained glass, and other prominences
6for the church; the church name changed on the occasion of the
7rebuilding and the present name of Greater New Hope Missionary
8Baptist was adopted to signify its structural improvement and
9the magnitude of its members' faith; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Rev. Alexander continued as the second pastor of
11Greater New Hope until becoming infirmed in early 1977 and
12expiring suddenly on May 31, 1977; he was dubbed the "Dean of
13Ministers" in East St. Louis; he was a living legend in
14religious circles and left a legacy of Christian performance to
15the membership; at the time of his death, he had served as
16Moderator of the New Salem District for many years, as
17President of the New Salem Congress for a long tenure, and as
18President of the Baptist General State Congress of Christian
19Education until death; he did not live to see the mortgage
20burned, but his leadership paved the way for the mortgage
21payments on the edifice to be completed in 17 years; and
 
22    WHEREAS, On October 30, 1977, the membership gathered to
23observe the burning of the 1964 mortgage, paid in full on March

 

 

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131, 1977 under the pastorate of the beloved late shepherd; his
2dream and task for Greater New Hope was complete; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In 1978, a search for a new minister began; Rev.
4Richard Temple was placed in charge of the pulpit and remained
5there from June 1978 until December 1978; and
 
6    WHEREAS, On October 18, 1978, Rev. David Crockett was
7elected pastor of Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church;
8he accepted this position on November 18, 1978 and began duties
9as pastor on December 4, 1978; and
 
10    WHEREAS, On February 25, 1979, Rev. David Crockett was
11installed as the fourth pastor of Greater New Hope Missionary
12Baptist Church and presently holds this position; under his
13leadership in 1982, the Awards and Recognition Committees were
14organized, and, in 1983, 26 members received Golden Leaves for
15longevity of 70 years and older; 23 members called Foundation
16Stone with 50 years of continuous membership were honored; and
17members having from 25 to 50 years of continuous membership
18were recognized; the oldest female was Sis. Mattie Thigpen who
19was 96 years old, joining in 1916 and staying a continuous
20member for 71 years; the oldest male was Bro. Eli Porter
21Turnage who joined New Hope in 1922 and had been a continuous
22member for 65 years; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Presently, Rev. Crockett has served as pastor of
2Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist for over 35 years and has
3instituted the idea of total membership involvement,
4re-emphasizing the need for a christian educated congregation,
5and has focused on a total ministry to include children, youth,
6young adults, older adults, and seniors; the church is blessed
7with a bus and van for those without transportation to church;
8a tape ministry to record worship for the sick and shut-in is
9also available; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Rev. Crockett envisions the Greater New Hope
11Missionary Baptist Church as a focal point of evangelism in the
12community; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church has
14been a beacon of light in the community for l00 years and
15should be commended for its untiring, dedicated work and
16services; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19we congratulate Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church of
20East St. Louis on the occasion of its 100th anniversary
21celebration on October 11, 2014; and be it further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to Greater New Hope Baptist Church as an expression
2of our esteem and respect.