HR1237 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1237 LRB100 23813 ALS 42879 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church on the occasion of its 175th anniversary on October 21, 2018; and

WHEREAS, In 1836, Reverend Paul Quinn was assigned the task of expanding the African Methodist Episcopal Church to the western states; while on his journey, he became closely associated with the Underground Railroad; the churches and schooled he established became stops on the Underground Railroad; in 1843, he reached Bloomington, Illinois, and he met Moses Bird, Joseph Hobson, and James Hill, visionary and energetic African Americans who were ready to establish a place of worship; On January 16, 1847, the deed for the land was secured for $20.00, and a small-frame building was erected; and

WHEREAS, The first pastor, Reverend P.H. Ward, was a grocer in the community, and the congregation had 20 members; the school teacher was Matilda E. Davidson; in 1855, an itinerant circuit rider named Austin Woodford became the next pastor, and the congregation grew to 50 members; in 1859, the original building was moved and used as the parsonage; that same year, a new church was built; in 1860, Miss English supervised the school and, within six years, had 40 students; for the first 20 years, the African Methodist Education Society was the only African American church in the community; the new church building was expanded in 1871, and the membership grew to over 100; in 1879, Reverend C.S. Jacobs became pastor; and

WHEREAS, In 1880, Reverend Charles Spencer Smith was appointed pastor of the African Methodist Education Society; he believed that racial uplift was through religious education, and he developed a plan for a universal Sunday school literature that was adopted by a special Bishops Council in 1882; this was the humble beginning of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday School Union, which later moved to Nashville, Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, On January 26, 1910, the church was renamed the Wayman African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church; in 1918, the Bloomington National Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed, and the meetings were held at Wayman AMEC; through the years, Wayman was the church home to several pioneers in the Bloomington African American community; in 1970, Reverend Walter Walters became pastor, and he completed extensive remodeling; his quiet dignity, vision, and confidence did much to encourage a progressive effort; and

WHEREAS, In August of 1978, Reverend David Jarrett, the newly assigned pastor, established a good rapport with the youth in town and at the church; and

WHEREAS, In September of 1990, Reverend Robert E. Harvey brought vision, insight, and energy to the church; he relocated the church from its original home on Center Street to the current building on West Olive; in 1993, the congregation celebrated 150 years of ministry in McLean County; and

WHEREAS, In 2001, Reverend Nathan Dixon became the pastor: in preparation for hosting the Illinois Annual Conference, new windows were installed in the church and parsonage, the sanctuary was repaired, and new tile was added in the foyer; and

WHEREAS, In 2005, Reverend Charles Orr was assigned, and under his leadership the mortgage was paid off and burned; additionally, he spearheaded a capital campaign to cover the cost of major renovations, maintenance, and repair; he served with distinction for 11 years; and

WHEREAS, On September 11, 2016, history was made when Bishop John Franklin White, Bishop of the Fourth Episcopal District, assigned Reverend Dr. Brigitte A. Black, the first female pastor, to Wayman AME Church; a new furnace was installed, and the church is embarking on a project that includes major repairs to the infrastructure and interior; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Wayman African Methodist Episcopal Church as an expression of our esteem and respect.