HR1401 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1401 LRB095 21707 KXB 51917 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor the pastor and congregation of Riverside Baptist Church in Decatur as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church; and

WHEREAS, Riverside Baptist Church began as a non-denominational Sunday school on the third Sunday of March in 1906; and

WHEREAS, On June 23, 1908, members of the Riverside Chapel officially became a Baptist congregation with 44 charter members and its first pastor, Reverend James Lively, a Millikin University student; and

WHEREAS, Ground was broken for a new building in 1917; however, because of World War I the building's completion was delayed until June 28, 1925, at which time the cornerstone was laid; and

WHEREAS, In 1935, Riverside Baptist Church joined the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches; in 1937 church member Ethel Spitzer began a home missionary program which was responsible for the founding of Baptist Bible Church in Decatur in the late 1950s; Riverside sent out its first foreign missionary family, Earl and Kay Hamilton, in 1944; and in 1969 the church helped to establish Fellowship Baptist Church in Mt. Zion; and

WHEREAS, In 1955, Riverside Baptist Church began the AWANA Club children's program, now celebrating 53 years of teaching and leading children in the community; and

WHEREAS, In 1980, Riverside Baptist Church moved to its current location at 1250 West Mound Road and is now partially supporting over 25 missionary families around the world under the leadership of Pastor John Norris; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Pastor John Norris and the congregation of Riverside Baptist Church on their 100th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the congregation of Riverside Baptist Church as a symbol of our respect.