HR0598 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0598 LRB093 15070 KEF 40655 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives recognize Bishop William Haven Bonner, founder and Pastor of the Greater Mount Olive Church of God in Christ, for his many years of dedicated service; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner is a Theological Graduate of Moody Bible Institute and received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Trinity Hall College; and

WHEREAS, Before founding the Greater Mount Olive Church of God in Christ in Aurora, he was Junior Pastor of the Hill Street C.O.G.I.C. in Waukegan and went on to serve in the Pastorate under Bishop Cain Scott, Bishop William Roberts, and Bishop Louis Henry Ford; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner's national church service includes service as former Co-chairman of Finance of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., Chairman of the Budgetary Committee of the Board of Bishops for the Church of God in Christ and Senior Bishop of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa Jurisdiction; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner's other service and memberships include: Chairman of the Board of Mary's Mission, Inc., Chairman of the Board of the Bonner Foundation for Community Enhancement, weekly television and radio ministry throughout the Chicagoland area, and regularly providing food, clothing, and shelter for the needy; Greater Mount Olive is a State authorized facility for food disbursement; the Helping Hand Fund lends financial assistance to struggling churches; and Bishop Bonner promotes foster care and supports children and families in crisis and has championed the Greater Mount Olive Prison Ministry; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner has received many awards for his dedication, including being awarded the honor of having Pond Avenue changed to Bonner Avenue in 1980; other awards include the Religious Workers Guild Award; the Lewis University Outstanding Citizen Award; the Henton Academy Outreach Excellence Award; the Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute Humanitarian Award; the J.O. Patterson, Jr. Mayor's Staff Aide de Camp; and Marie Wilkinson's Black Leadership Award; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Bonner is married to Mother Dorothy Mae Bonner and is the father of four children, Enyess Allen (Bishop Edgar Allen, Jr.), Willie Etta Wright (Elder Augustus Wright), Dorothy Jones (Elder Gregory Jones), and Charles Bonner, deceased (Lillian Bonner); therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Bishop Bonner's outstanding leadership and dedication to his church and community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Bishop William Haven Bonner as an expression of our respect and esteem.