HR0437

LRB095 12151 KXB 36241 r






1

HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3
Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Bishop 
4
Cornelius Southern, Pastor of the Grace Apostolic Faith Church 
5
in Chicago, who passed away on May 5, 2007; and

 
6
    WHEREAS, Bishop Cornelius Southern was the founder of the 
7
Grace Apostolic Faith Church and was its only pastor until last 
8
year;

a resident of Olympia Fields, he was chaplain for Chicago 
9
Vocational High School and Trinity Hospital and was active in 
10
the Illinois District Council of the Pentecostal Assemblies of 
11
the World, the South Shore Ministerial Alliance, and the 
12
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy program; and

 
13
    WHEREAS, Bishop Southern was born in Camden, Mississippi in 
14
1928 and grew up on a sharecropper farm; he moved to Chicago in 
15
1950 and worked as a truck driver; he was baptized in 1957 and 
16
received the gift of the Holy Ghost in 1958 before feeling a 
17
call to the ministry; and

 
18
    WHEREAS,
The church became an active member of the Illinois 
19
District Council and continued to grow; today the church has 
20
about 300 members from all ages, from seniors in their 80s all 
21
the way to young people; one of Bishop Southern's  last outings 
22
was a trip with some young people to a White Sox baseball game;


 


 






HR0437
- 2 -
LRB095 12151 KXB 36241 r




1
he made sure the church provided those in need with school 
2
supplies, warm clothing, and food baskets on a regular basis; 
3
and

 
4
    WHEREAS, In 1995 Bishop Southern was promoted to the office 
5
of Suffragan Bishop; and
 
6
    WHEREAS, Bishop Southern was preceded in death by his son, 
7
Charles; and

 
8
    WHEREAS, Bishop Cornelius Southern is survived by his wife, 
9
Gussie Lee; his daughters, Beverly and Veronica; his sons, 
10
Earl, Maurice, Cornelius Jr. and Larry; and 22 grandchildren.; 
11
therefore, be it

 
12
    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
13
NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
14
mourn, along with his family, friends, congregation, and people 
15
whose lives he touched, the passing of Suffragan Bishop 
16
Cornelius Southern; and be it further

 
17
    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
18
presented to the family of Suffragan Bishop Cornelius Southern 
19
as a symbol of our sincere condolences.