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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING AND RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF PASTOR GICELE “Gigi” WRAY-LINDLEY
WHEREAS, write your text in each clause, separate with a semicolon, each clause should end with this; and
WHEREAS, Gicele Wray was born in Colon, Panama, on Friday, May 28, 1976, to Bishop Esteban Wray and Pastor Isabel Wray; and
WHEREAS, Gicele gave her life to the Lord at the age of 5 at The Church of Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith in the Lawndale neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, her ministry began in her youth as she was appointed as the church’s choir director and youth leader at the age of 10; and
WHEREAS, after given prophetic confirmation of her ministry was ordained as an evangelist by age 23; and
WHEREAS, Gicele graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Early Childhood education. Gicele furthered her education with Master’s degrees in Human Services and Administration and later also in Nonprofit Management and Organizational leadership. Additionally, Gicele completed her doctoral work for a Ph.D in Ethical Leadership at the time of her passing; and
WHEREAS, in 2004, Pastor Gigi founded & ran Shining Star Youth and Community Services and Shining Star Early Learning Centers, a successful child care operations chain with presently over 100 employees offering meticulous and loving care for over 400 children across the South Side of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Gigi helped found The Wray Family Foundation in care, patronage, and mentorship for aspiring community leaders; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Gigi also helped found Child Care Advocates United in assistance of child care providers and early childhood educators across the state of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, as a global kingdom ambassador with an entrepreneurial spirit, Gicele spread the word of God with her husband throughout the world with ministry & philanthropic work in several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, Peru, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Argentina, and Brazil, along with extensive ministry throughout Africa and the United States; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, Pastor Gigi and her husband formed the bilingual Transformation Church International of the Ashburn neighborhood, becoming a pillar of community care and global outreach through their ministry; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, Pastor Gigi founded Auntie Gigi Speaks, an initiative to develop marketing & entrepreneurial skills of ministry leaders worldwide; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Gicele “Gigi” Wray Lindley has passed on from this life on Saturday, October 1, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Gigi will be remembered as a pillar in the community, but most importantly, an inspirational woman of God, an endearing wife of sixteen years to Pastor Omar Lindley, and loving mother to her two daughters, Serenity Blessing Lindley and Heavenly Blessing Lindley; and
WHEREAS, faith, hope, and love have uniquely lead Pastor Gigi to a life of Godly service in Chicago and beyond; and
WHEREAS, on Friday, November 18, 2022, Pastor Gicele Wray-Lindley received a 2-block honorary dedication on the 7700 and 7800 blocks of South Kedzie Avenue, the home of Transformation Church, in memory of her lifelong dedication to the people and city of Chicago and beyond;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF COOK COUNTY, the President and its members do hereby extend their gratitude for the fruitful and blessed labor of Gicele Wray-Lindley as they offer their deepest condolences to her friends, family, and communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Pastor Gicele Wray-Lindley as an honorable expression of appreciation for the life and work of Pastor Gigi.
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