093_HR0514

                                     LRB093 13581 KEF 18952 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS,  The  members   of   the   Illinois   House   of
 3    Representatives  recognize  the  100th  birthday of the Elwin
 4    United Methodist Church in Elwin; and

 5        WHEREAS, The congregation can actually trace its  lineage
 6    back  167  years,  but  change  and  redevelopment has been a
 7    constant theme in its vibrant history of growth; and

 8        WHEREAS, The church moved from Mount Gilead  Cemetery  to
 9    Elwin  in  1873 because the Elwin community was thriving; the
10    main building now in use dates from 1903  and  has  been  fed
11    with a steady diet of expansions and additions over the years
12    to handle its growing congregation; a new sanctuary was added
13    in 1996; and

14        WHEREAS,  These  days,  congregation members stretch from
15    Mount Zion and from as far south as Moweaqua, as far west  as
16    Taylorville,  as  far  east  as  Dalton,  and as far north as
17    Forsyth; this has kept the church  healthy  even  though  its
18    host  community,  Elwin,  has  faded over the past 100 years;
19    therefore, be it

20        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
21    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22    we recognize the 100th birthday of the Elwin United Methodist
23    Church and the contributions it has made  to  Elwin  and  the
24    surrounding  communities  over  the  past  decade;  and be it
25    further

26        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
27    presented  to  Rev.  John  Younker  as  an  expression of our
28    respect and esteem.