HR0721 LRB099 14025 GRL 38048 r
1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3		Representatives wish to congratulate the congregation of
4		Baileyville Baptist Church on the occasion of the church's
5		150th anniversary on September 3, 2015; and
6		WHEREAS, In 1856, the families of Christopher Wilhelms and
7		Jodokus Bohen, both German Baptists, arrived in Silver Creek
8		Township; soon, there were enough East Frisian families in the
9		area that religious meetings were held in the home of Mr.
10		Wilhelms and later in the home of Harm Eckhoff; the growing
11		desire among these immigrants to establish a church resulted in
12		a meeting on September 3, 1865, at which a decision was made to
13		form a new congregation named "Die Erste Ostfriesische
14		Baptisten Gemeinde of Silver Creek, Illinois"; a church council
15		consisting of Harm Eckhoff, Inderk Bonn, and Fokke Zimmerman
16		was elected and 36 people were charter members of the church;
17		almost all of the charter members were former members of the
18		Baptist Church in Inhren, Ostfriesland; and
19		WHEREAS, Church meetings continued in various homes until
20		the spring of 1868, when permission was obtained to use the
21		Diddens schoolhouse, situated in the country about halfway
22		between what are now Freeport and German Valley; in 1869, the
23		growing congregation called upon its first pastor, J. G.

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1		Vanloh; in 1874, the construction of a church building was
2		started on a tract of land at the north edge of Baileyville;
3		the new church was dedicated on August 30, 1874; and
4		WHEREAS, In 1914, the official name of the congregation was
5		changed to "Die Erste Deutsche Baptisten Gemeinde,
6		Baileyville, Illinois"; on the night of February 4, 1920,
7		tragedy struck when the church and all its contents were
8		destroyed by fire; construction of a new, large brick building
9		was begun almost immediately, and this new church building was
10		dedicated on March 20, 1921; in later years, the official name
11		of the church was changed to First Baptist Church of
12		Baileyville; the church is also known as Baileyville Baptist
13		Church; and
14		WHEREAS, Over the church's history, the Baileyville
15		Baptist Church has ministered to local people and has been
16		involved in spreading the gospel throughout the United States,
17		with church plants in Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, and
18		throughout the State; its foreign missions program has seen
19		ones sent out to Nigeria, Sudan, Japan, the Philippines,
20		Canada, and India; the church also supports missionaries in
21		Germany, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Mexico, Argentina,
22		Israel, and Nepal; and
23		WHEREAS, Baileyville Baptist Church has had 34 pastors

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1		serve as shepherd of the flock since the church's founding;
2		former Pastor Delbert Rogers, who served the congregation from
3		1980 to 1982, will be the guest speaker during the church's
4		Anniversary Celebration; other pastors who have served in the
5		past 25 years are Rev. Nelson Hadley (1984 - 1993), Rev. John
6		Erenz (1995 - 2007), Rev. Alan Cassel (2007 - June 2015), and
7		the church's current pastor, Rev. Gary Branam; and
8		WHEREAS, The congregation and pastorate of Baileyville
9		Baptist Church serve as models of hard work, integrity, and
10		dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore,
11		be it
12		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13		NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14		congratulate the congregation of Baileyville Baptist Church on
15		the occasion of the church's 150th anniversary and wish them
16		continued success and happiness in the future; and be it
17		further
18		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19		presented to Baileyville Baptist Church as a symbol of our
20		esteem and respect.