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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate the staff, 
4congregation, and pastor of St. John African  Methodist 
5Episcopal Church on the 150th anniversary of the church and to 
6congratulate Reverend Jesse Hawkins on his 30th consecutive 
7appointment as pastor to St. John; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, On November 16, 2012, St. John African Methodist 
9Episcopal Church will celebrate its 150th church Anniversary; 
10St. John is the oldest African-American church west of Chicago; 
11and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, The church was formally organized June 13, 1862, 
1375 years after Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and others 
14established the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 
15Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one year after the Emancipation 
16Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, and 25 
17years after the founding of Aurora; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, The Reverend Jesse Hawkins received his 30th 
19consecutive appointment as pastor to St. John this year, making 
20him the longest tenured shepherd at the church; and

  
 
21    WHEREAS, His commitment to the ministry, to the church, and 
 
 
HR1109- 2 -LRB097 21705 KXB 70107 r

1to the community is valued and appreciated; his most recent 
2achievement was the leading of the congregation to complete a 
3$28 million building project to the glory of God; therefore, be 
4it
  
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
6NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
7we congratulate everyone involved at St. John African Methodist 
8Episcopal Church on this momentous occasion and congratulate 
9Reverend Jesse Hawkins on his re-appointment as pastor; and be 
10it further
  
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
12presented to Reverend Jesse Hawkins as a symbol of our respect 
13and esteem.