HR0940 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0940 LRB096 19903 GRL 35363 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Pastor Melvin Weseloh on the occasion of his retirement as pastor of Mt. Zion Lutheran Church on January 3, 2010, after 52 1/2 years of service with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Melvin Weseloh is a native of North Dakota and grew up in Minnesota; he graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1957; he vicared at St. Luke's, the Lutheran church in Times Square, New York; after graduation, he returned to St. Luke's and was ordained by his father; and

WHEREAS, After he was ordained, Pastor Melvin Weseloh served at parishes in northern Minnesota until he moved to Illinois in 1974; after moving to Illinois, he became pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Coal Valley; he then became a missionary-at-large for the Central Illinois District, founding the Epiphany Lutheran Church of Dunlap; afterwards, he became pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Havana; and

WHEREAS, In June of 1987, Pastor Melvin Weseloh moved to the Decatur area and became pastor of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church; on January 1, 1997, he began serving at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church part-time; after he retired from Mt. Calvary in 1997, he continued his service at Mt. Zion, later becoming the church's pastor; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Melvin Weseloh has been a member of numerous civic organizations; he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for 6 years, including 6 years on the Missions Commission and 3 years on the Congregational Life Commission; he also served for 8 years as a Circuit Counselor with the Synod; he served as a camp dean in Minnesota for 13 years; he served on the Board of Directors of Camp CILCA near Springfield for 8 years; he served as a pastoral counselor on the District level for the Walther League, the Lutheran Women's Missionary League, and the Lutheran Laymen's League; he and his wife taught Vacation Bible School in Alaska twice; in 2006, he was a part of his District's visitation team to the Lutheran Church of Latvia; during his time in Minnesota, he was on the Board of Directors of a seven-county Community Action Committee, a government agency; he has also held a number of positions with the Boy Scouts of America and is active with the Chamber of Commerce in Mt. Zion; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Melvin Weseloh was listed in the Who's Who In Religion In America in 1985 and 1992; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Melvin Weseloh and his wife, Karen, were married in St. Louis, Missouri on June 9, 1957; together, they have 4 children, David, Deb, Diane (husband, Darrell Sheets), and Daryl (wife, Amy), and 6 grandchildren, Heather, Dale, Christine, Adam, Ryan, and Logan; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Pastor Melvin Weseloh on the occasion of his retirement and wish him many happy and healthy retirement years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Pastor Melvin Weseloh as a symbol of our esteem and respect.