HR0598 LRB093 15070 KEF 40655 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives
3 recognize Bishop William Haven Bonner, founder and Pastor of
4 the Greater Mount Olive Church of God in Christ, for his many
5 years of dedicated service; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner is a Theological Graduate of Moody
7 Bible Institute and received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity
8 degree from Trinity Hall College; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Before founding the Greater Mount Olive Church of
10 God in Christ in Aurora, he was Junior Pastor of the Hill
11 Street C.O.G.I.C. in Waukegan and went on to serve in the
12 Pastorate under Bishop Cain Scott, Bishop William Roberts, and
13 Bishop Louis Henry Ford; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner's national church service includes
15 service as former Co-chairman of Finance of the Church of God
16 in Christ, Inc., Chairman of the Budgetary Committee of the
17 Board of Bishops for the Church of God in Christ and Senior
18 Bishop of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa Jurisdiction;
19 and
 
20     WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner's other service and memberships
21 include: Chairman of the Board of Mary's Mission, Inc.,
22 Chairman of the Board of the Bonner Foundation for Community
23 Enhancement, weekly television and radio ministry throughout
24 the Chicagoland area, and regularly providing food, clothing,
25 and shelter for the needy; Greater Mount Olive is a State
26 authorized facility for food disbursement; the Helping Hand
27 Fund lends financial assistance to struggling churches; and
28 Bishop Bonner promotes foster care and supports children and
29 families in crisis and has championed the Greater Mount Olive
30 Prison Ministry; and
 

 

 

HR0598 - 2 - LRB093 15070 KEF 40655 r

1     WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner has received many awards for his
2 dedication, including being awarded the honor of having Pond
3 Avenue changed to Bonner Avenue in 1980; other awards include
4 the Religious Workers Guild Award; the Lewis University
5 Outstanding Citizen Award; the Henton Academy Outreach
6 Excellence Award; the Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute
7 Humanitarian Award; the J.O. Patterson, Jr. Mayor's Staff Aide
8 de Camp; and Marie Wilkinson's Black Leadership Award; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner is married to Mother Dorothy Mae
10 Bonner and is the father of four children, Enyess Allen (Bishop
11 Edgar Allen, Jr.), Willie Etta Wright (Elder Augustus Wright),
12 Dorothy Jones (Elder Gregory Jones), and Charles Bonner,
13 deceased (Lillian Bonner); therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
16 recognize Bishop Bonner's outstanding leadership and
17 dedication to his church and community; and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to Bishop William Haven Bonner as an expression of
20 our respect and esteem.