HR1366 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1366 LRB095 21496 KXB 51141 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Mattoon as they celebrate the sesquicentennial of the church; and

WHEREAS, The First Presbyterian Church of Mattoon began on June 27, 1858 when early residents gathered to charter their faith with the New School Presbyterian Church; together with the Old School Presbyterian Church, the churches were united in December of 1871; and

WHEREAS, The church lost all but one of its men to the Civil War and this time became a rough patch in the church history; membership soon built back up, and a new building was erected on 21st Street and occupied by the winter of 1863-1864; and

WHEREAS, By the turn of the twentieth century, the church members were ready to build again, with size and affluence causing the membership to outgrow the building; a new site was chosen on Western Avenue and the church was dedicated on November 2, 1903; a bell tower and stained glass windows were donated by members and one half of the pipe organ was paid for from a donation by Andrew Carnegie; and

WHEREAS, In 1963 the church was again ready to build or remodel; the decision was made to build and land was purchased on Charleston Avenue, site of the current church building; the Gorten and Chrissie Taylor Youth Center was added to the property and dedicated in 1987; and

WHEREAS, 2008 marks the 150th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of Mattoon; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Mattoon and wish them the best as they continue to have a vital ministry in the community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the congregation of First Presbyterian Church of Mattoon as a symbol of our respect.