HR1088 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1088 LRB098 21207 MST 59150 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dr. Randy Perry on the occasion of his retirement as Directing Pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church in Normal; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perry was born in Shelbyville, Indiana; he attended elementary school in DeKalb, middle school in Albia, and the laboratory high school at Western Illinois University in Macomb; he earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa Wesleyan College, where he worked with Dr. George LeMore, a highly respected professor and preacher; he earned his license to serve as a student pastor at the United Methodist Church of Nauvoo; and

WHEREAS, After graduation, Dr. Perry traveled to Durham, North Carolina to complete his theological training at Duke University; while there he served as youth pastor for First United Methodist Church in Siler City, North Carolina; upon graduation, he returned to the Midwest to accept his first appointment as Pastor in the Great Rivers Illinois Conference, and was assigned to Cornell Blackstone United Methodist Church; while at Cornell, he met his future wife, Kandis Mills; and

WHEREAS, In 1976, Dr. Perry was appointed to Forrest United Methodist Church and began his doctoral studies at Vanderbilt University; the Perrys were married at Forrest Church in June of 1981 and the couple welcomed their first child, Rachel; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perry moved his family to Gibson City to serve the United Methodist Church, and during these years, the couple's 2 other children, Rebecca and Nathan, were born; he was then appointed to First United Methodist Church in Taylorville, and during his years in Taylorville, he served as a member of several non-profit boards, including the YMCA, the Hopper Foundation, the Felheimer Trust, and Iowa Wesleyan University; and

WHEREAS, In 1999, Dr. Perry's appointment to Calvary United Methodist Church brought the family to Normal, and under his leadership, the church grew from 775 members to over 1700, becoming the third largest church in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference; he was instrumental in the church's building and expansion projects; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Randy Perry on his retirement as Directing Pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church, and wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That as suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Perry as an expression of our esteem and respect.