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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor Bishop William Haven
4 Bonner for his work in the community; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner earned his Theological
6 Graduate degree from the Moody Bible Institute and his honorary
7 Doctor of Divinity degree from Trinity Hall College; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner has had a long and
9 distinguished career in ministry; he served as Junior Pastor of
10 the Hill Street Church of God in Christ in Waukegan; he served
11 in the pastorate under Bishop Cain Scott, Bishop William
12 Roberts, and Bishop Louis Henry Ford; he is also the founder
13 and pastor of the Greater Mount Olive Church of God in Christ
14 in Aurora; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner has served as the Bishop of
16 the Sixth Jurisdiction of Illinois for the last 26 years; he
17 serves as the Chairman of the Budgetary Committee of the Board
18 of Bishops of the Church of God in Christ and is the present
19 Senior Bishop of the Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa
20 Jurisdiction; he is also a former chairman and member of the
21 Budgetary Committee of the Boards of Bishops and a former
22 Co-Chairman of Finance for the Church of God in Christ, Inc.;

 

 

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1 and
 
2     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner has devoted much of his time
3 and energy to numerous causes in his community; he serves as
4 Chairman of the Board of Mary's Mission, Inc., an organization
5 devoted to housing the homeless, and the Bonner Foundation for
6 Community Enhancement; he is involved with a weekly television
7 and radio ministry throughout the Chicago area; he championed
8 the Greater Mount Olive Prison Ministry; through the Greater
9 Mount Olive Church of God in Christ, a State-authorized food
10 disbursement facility, he has been a regular provider of food,
11 clothing, and shelter to the homeless in Aurora; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner has been the recipient of
13 numerous awards in recognition of his community service,
14 including the Religious Workers Guild Award, the Lewis
15 University Outstanding Citizen Award, the Henton Academy
16 Outreach Excellence Award, the Arthur Lockhart Resource
17 Institute Humanitarian Award, and J.O. Patterson Mayor's Staff
18 Aide de Camp, and Marie Wilkinson's Black Leadership Award; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner and his loving wife of 61
20 years, Mother Dorothy Mae Bonner, have four children, Enyess
21 Allen (Bishop Edgar Allen, Jr.), Willie Etta Wright (Elder
22 Augustus Wright), Dorothy Jones (Elder Gregory Jones), and
23 Charles Bonner (deceased); and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner's dedication to those in
2 need and his unyielding piety and inner strength are worthy of
3 the greatest respect; therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
6 honor Bishop William Haven Bonner for his work in the community
7 and wish him continued success and happiness in the future; and
8 be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10 presented to Bishop William Haven Bonner as a symbol of our
11 esteem and respect.