Full Text of HR1073 95th General Assembly
HR1073 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives and State | 3 |
| Representative Monique D. Davis wish to congratulate Reverend | 4 |
| Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. on the occasion of his retirement | 5 |
| from the Trinity United Church of Christ on February 10, 2008, | 6 |
| after 36 years of dedicated service; and
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. was born on | 8 |
| September 22, 1941 in Philadelphia; his parents, the Reverend | 9 |
| Jeremiah Wright, Sr. and Dr. Mary Henderson Wright, were | 10 |
| influential in instilling his lifelong philosophy of balancing | 11 |
| the intellectual with the spiritual; and
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright was educated in the Philadelphia | 13 |
| public school system; after attending Virginia Union | 14 |
| University for three and a half years, he earned his bachelor's | 15 |
| degree and a master's degree from Howard University, another | 16 |
| master's degree from the University of Chicago, and his | 17 |
| doctorate in divinity from United Theological College, where he | 18 |
| studied under the eminent Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor; and | 19 |
| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright served his country with honor for | 20 |
| 6 years as a member of the Armed Forces, serving in both the | 21 |
| United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy, where he | 22 |
| worked as a cardiopulmonary technician; and
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright served as pastor of Chicago's | 2 |
| Trinity United Church of Christ since March 1, 1972; under his | 3 |
| inspired leadership, he oversaw the growth of Trinity United | 4 |
| Church of Christ's membership from 87 adult members to a | 5 |
| congregation of nearly 10,000; he was also integral in the | 6 |
| adoption of the church's motto, "Unashamedly Black and | 7 |
| Unapologetically Christian", and has made activism within and | 8 |
| on behalf of the African American community a major portion of | 9 |
| the church's mission, a goal that has seen fantastic results | 10 |
| throughout the City of Chicago and beyond; he also serves on | 11 |
| several boards of directors and committees in furtherance of | 12 |
| his work; and | 13 |
| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright has developed an excellent | 14 |
| reputation as an outspoken and effective community leader; he | 15 |
| has made it his mission to bring taboo issues, such as AIDS, to | 16 |
| the attention of the African American church leadership and | 17 |
| service; his commitment to the relevant political issues of | 18 |
| African American society, together with his dedication to the | 19 |
| African American sermonic tradition, has made him a highly | 20 |
| sought-after speaker by national and international groups; and
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright has been the recipient of numerous | 22 |
| awards, including three honorary doctorates and three | 23 |
| presidential commendations, in recognition of his work; and |
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright is an accomplished musician and | 2 |
| author; he has written four books, numerous articles, and | 3 |
| countless sermons during his illustrious career; in | 4 |
| recognition of his ministerial skills, he was named one of | 5 |
| Ebony Magazine's top fifteen preachers; and
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright is married to the Reverend Ramah | 7 |
| Reed Wright; he is the father of four daughters, Janet Marie | 8 |
| Moore, Jeri Lynne Wright, Nikol D. Reed, and Jamila Nandi | 9 |
| Wright, and one son, Nathan D. Reed; he is also the grandfather | 10 |
| of three grandchildren, Jeremiah Antonio Haynes, Jazmin Lynne | 11 |
| Hall, and Steven L. Moore, Jr.; and
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| WHEREAS, Reverend Wright's dedication to his ministry, | 13 |
| congregation, and community is worthy of the greatest respect; | 14 |
| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 16 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 17 |
| congratulate Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. on the | 18 |
| occasion of his retirement and wish him continued success and | 19 |
| happiness in the future; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 21 |
| presented to Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. as a symbol of |
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| our esteem and respect.
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