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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Elder Edwin Lee
4Harris and the congregation of St. Mark Missionary Baptist
5Church of Harvey on the occasion of Elder Harris' installation
6as Pastor of St. Mark; and
 
7    WHEREAS, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church began as a
8bible study group in the home of Deacon Kiser and Sister Mary
9Wright; on April 15, 1959, under the leadership of Rev. James
10P. Neal and 5 other members, the bible study group organized
11and became St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church; in August of
121968, they purchased a small frame house at 14618 Lincoln
13Avenue, in Harvey, where service was held until 1986; since
14then, a multi-building complex was built to accommodate a
15remarkable growth in membership; St. Mark's has approximately
1630 ministries designed to meet the needs of over 3,000 members
17and the community at large; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Elder Edwin Harris received Jesus as his Lord and
19Savior in October of 1992; he has been a member of St. Mark
20Missionary Baptist Church for the past 18 years; he accepted
21his calling into the ministry and was licensed to preach on
22November 14, 1997, and appointed as an Elder in January of
232003; he was subsequently elevated to the office of Executive

 

 

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1Pastor in August of 2005; after serving under the direction of
2the late Bishop William Jordan, Elder Harris was ordained on
3July 30, 2006; and
 
4    WHEREAS, In his role as Executive Director of Ministries,
5Elder Edwin Harris works closely with the leaders of the 30
6ministries of St. Mark and serves as a source of direction,
7guidance, and leadership; in his previous role of Executive
8Pastor, he served and worked closely with the St. Mark
9leadership in assuring the realization of the church's vision;
10in working closely with the late Bishop Jordan, Presiding
11Prelate of the St. Mark Covenant Churches Fellowship (SMCCF),
12Elder Harris took on the responsibility of Annual Convocation
13Coordinator for the SMCCF as well as working closely with the
14Adjutants of the local church and with the Fellowship; after
15the passing of Bishop William Jordan, he was selected to be St.
16Mark's pastor on August 27, 2011; he will be the sixth pastor
17of St. Mark's since its founding in 1959; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Elder Edwin Harris and his loving wife, Beverly
19Harris, have three children, Jeremy, Kaylin, and Nadia; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Elder Edwin Harris will be installed as Pastor of
21St. Mark over several days of celebration beginning on October
2213, 2011; the celebration will culminate with his installation
23on October 16, 2011 at 4:00 P.M.; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we congratulate Elder Edwin Lee Harris and the congregation of
4St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church on the occasion of Elder
5Harris' installation as Pastor of St. Mark and wish them
6continued success and happiness in the future; and be it
7further
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9presented to Elder Edwin Lee Harris and the congregation of St.
10Mark Missionary Baptist Church as a symbol of our esteem and
11respect.