093_HR0525

                                     LRB093 12212 HSS 17392 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of the House of  Representatives  of
 3    the  State of Illinois wish to congratulate Reverend and Mrs.
 4    Carlton Heyliger on the occasion  of  their  retirement  from
 5    Edgemont Grace Church of the Nazarene in East St. Louis; and

 6        WHEREAS,  In  1949, Elaine and Carlton Heyliger and their
 7    five children left their home to begin their ministry on  the
 8    island  of  Lequan,  situated  at the mouth of the Essequilbo
 9    River;  they  served  a  racially  mixed   congregation   and
10    Carlton's  familiarity  with  Hindi  and  knowledge  of Asian
11    customs was well-used; and

12        WHEREAS, Five years later, the Heyliger family  moved  to
13    Pomeroon,  a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural community; Reverend
14    Heyliger traveled from  his  home  base  at  Pomeroon  to  19
15    different  preaching stations, where he sometimes  slept in a
16    small boat, on the floor of a hall, or in a barn; during  his
17    time  in  Pomeroon, he was offered candidacy for the National
18    Parliament as the country was seeking its independence; and

19        WHEREAS, In 1960, Reverend Heyliger arrived in Linden  at
20    a  critical  time  in  Guyanese  history; at a time of racial
21    violence, he showed leadership and  courage  as  he  preached
22    against racial strife and endangered his life and that of his
23    family by supporting Asian Christians; he and his wife led by
24    example by sharing their resources with those in need; and

25        WHEREAS,  Reverend  Heyliger  served  as  leader  of  the
26    Minister's  Fraternity  and  was  often  called  upon to lead
27    religious services; he served the community as a civic leader
28    monitoring  the  placement  of  American  Volunteer   Service
29    Organizations;  he  was  a  mediator  for  the police and the
30    strife-torn dominating mine unions; he  helped  to  establish
31    school  for  adult members of his church who did not have the
32    opportunity for a secondary education;  the  Heyliger's  home
 
                            -2-      LRB093 12212 HSS 17392 r
 1    was always open, offering tutoring, jobs, and counseling; and

 2        WHEREAS,  Reverend  and  Mrs.  Heyliger  left  Guyana for
 3    Washington, D.C., before going  to  Rand,  West  Virginia  in
 4    1972; in order to improve his wife's health, the family moved
 5    to  Edgemont Grace Church in East St. Louis in 1975, where he
 6    has served faithfully for over 20 years  in  the  church  and
 7    community; therefore, be it

 8        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
 9    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
10    we  congratulate  Reverend  and  Mrs. Carlton Heyliger on the
11    occasion of their retirement from Edgemont  Grace  Church  of
12    the  Nazarene after 20 years of faithful service and 54 years
13    in the ministry; and be it further

14        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
15    presented  to  Reverend  and  Mrs.  Carlton  Heyliger  as  an
16    expression  of  our  respect  and esteem and with our sincere
17    thanks for their commitment to  serving  the  people  of  the
18    State of Illinois and the world.