HR1403 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1403 LRB095 21681 GRL 51886 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the congregation of the West Village Christian Church on the occasion of the church's 150th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The West Village Christian Church was originally known as Village and consisted of a few members who met in a log meeting house; the name was later changed to West Village when another meeting house was built farther east; in 1858, after about 10 years of meeting in the log meeting house, B.P. Reid and his wife, Hannah (Willis) started a school on Sundays for the purpose of studying the Holy Scriptures; after starting a "formal meeting", the charter members constructed a new frame meeting house erected where the site of the present church is located; and

WHEREAS, By the winter of 1874, the West Village Christian Church had grown to 76 members and had two ministers working to preach alternate Sundays for about $60 a year each; a full-time preacher in the year 1877, Brother Applegath, earned a salary of $95 a year; several preachers filled the pulpit between the early 1880s and the early 1930s, a time period that saw the church's membership rise to 296 members; and

WHEREAS, On June 18, 1933, the West Village Christian Church celebrated its 75th anniversary on the church lawn with an all-day meeting and picnic dinner; by 1938, the church's active membership was counted at 235; and

WHEREAS, On April 15, 1972, Brother Maynard Moser was hired to serve as West Village Christian Church's new minister at $145 a week; and

WHEREAS, In the summer of 2003, Derek Facculyn-Gous became the newest minister of West Village Christian Church, where he still serves the church today with his wife, Tressie; and

WHEREAS, Today, the West Village Christian Church seeks to be a witness for Christ in the community and uses the phrase "Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve" as a motto in their daily lives; and

WHEREAS, The West Village Christian Church serves as a model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the congregation of the West Village Christian Church on the occasion of the church's 150th anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the minister of West Village Christian Church, Derek Facculyn-Gous, as a symbol of our esteem and respect.