HR1417 LRB095 21792 GRL 52009 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of East
3 St. Louis will celebrate its 100th Church Anniversary on July
4 27, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church was
6 organized on March 28, 1908 with approximately 36 people
7 gathered in a small frame structure on 16th and Russell Avenue
8 in East St. Louis in the presence of the Moderator and
9 Ecclesiastical Council of the Woodriver Baptist Association;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, Benevolent guidance, pastoral leadership, and the
12 dedication of the laity enabled the Friendship Missionary
13 Baptist Church to relocate to its present site at 1648 Tudor
14 Avenue, where it transitioned from a house that leaned on one
15 side in July of 1911 to the construction of a basement edifice
16 (circa 1920) to the construction of a full-service church
17 facility on June 10, 1956; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has
19 maintained its calling to serve those in need by growing from a
20 church with three ministries at its founding to a church that
21 operated with a maximum of 32 ministries; and
 

 

 

HR1417 - 2 - LRB095 21792 GRL 52009 r

1     WHEREAS, The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church stands
2 as a landmark African-American church by being the first
3 African-American church in Metro-East Illinois to broadcast
4 live, recurring services on the radio, starting in 1940
5 courtesy of the Morton Salt Company; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has
7 rendered a variety of ministries and services to the residents
8 of the South-End community, to the City of East St. Louis, and
9 to the Metro-East region; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
11 continually strives to meet the changing demands of both its
12 congregation and its community through Christian education,
13 evangelism, and outreach initiatives; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The presence of the Friendship Missionary Baptist
15 Church over the past century serves as a testament to the faith
16 believed and upheld by its members through the years; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The current members of the Friendship Missionary
18 Baptist Church continue to build upon the foundation laid by
19 countless pioneers under providential direction; therefore, be
20 it
 
21     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE

 

 

HR1417 - 3 - LRB095 21792 GRL 52009 r

1 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
2 join the South-End community, the City of East St. Louis, and
3 the Metro-East region in celebrating the centennial church
4 anniversary of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of East
5 St. Louis; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7 presented to the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church of East
8 St. Louis as a symbol of our esteem and respect.