HR0785 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0785 LRB093 20627 KEF 49262 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives congratulate Pastor Norman Owens and the congregation of the Macedonia Baptist Church of East St. Louis on the occasion of the opening of the new location for the Macedonia Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Prior to January, 1967, the Macedonia Baptist Church had been served by ten pastors; in January of that same year, Rev. Norman E. Owens came to lead the congregation; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Owens, his wife, Charlotte, and their three children, Norman Jr., Phyllis, and Michael were living in the nearby town of Madison; they officially came to be with the Macedonia family on the First Sunday of that year; and

WHEREAS, The family moved to East St. Louis in 1967 because Pastor Owens believed that he could serve the church and community better by being a resident of the city in which he had come to pastor; in May of 1967, Pastor Owens resigned his position as chemistry, physics, and mathematics teacher in the Venice Public School District to devote full time to his ever increasing pastoral responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Owens had received his public education in Madison at the Dunbar School, and earned a Bachelor's Degree from SIU at Carbondale; it was in December of his senior year (1955) that Rev. Owens heard the call to come to the Gospel Ministry, and was licensed by the Southern Baptist Church of Madison; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Owens is a Reading Improvement Teacher at Morrison School in East St. Louis; she began working in the District as an office clerk, and was later promoted to bookkeeping responsibilities in the payroll department; as a person who is always striving for self-improvement, she took upon herself the mammoth task of continuing her education at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where she received a Bachelor's Degree with majors in elementary Education and Special Education, while working full time, caring for her home, husband, and three children, and working faithfully and diligently in the church to render service wherever she found opportunity; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Owens has served as president of the Mission Society, teacher of the Mission, Sunday School teacher of Jr. High Students, member and vice chairman of the Board of Christian Education, and as the Director of Educational Ministries; she often serves on special committees, and has always been a tremendous inspiration to Pastor Owens, her children, and all who come under her influence; in addition to her home, community, and local church activities, she, along with her husband, is very active in District, State, and National Denominational work; and

WHEREAS, A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new location of the Macedonia Baptist Church was held on February 1, 2004; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Pastor Norman Owens and the Macedonia Baptist Church on their new church; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented Pastor Norman Owens as an expression of our respect and esteem.