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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING PASTOR JONATHAN BROOKS FOR HIS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, COMMITMENT, AND DEDICATION TO THE ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY
WHEREAS; Jonathan Brooks, is a lifelong resident of Chicago, IL. currently serving as Senior Pastor of Canaan Community Church in the West Englewood neighborhood, and Director of the Accelerated Pastoral Degree Program at Northern Seminary, in cooperation with Trinity Christian College; and
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brooks, has a Bachelor of Architecture from Tuskegee University, Master of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University and Master of Divinity from Northern Seminary with an emphasis in Christian Community Development. He continues to merge his academic knowledge, practical tools, variety of gifts and ministry training in order to turn his convictions for transformation into tangible solutions, and strives to help change neglected neighborhoods for future generations; and
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brooks, Jonathan and his wife, Micheal, have two children, Jasmine and Jade, and currently reside in West Englewood steps away from the church campus.
WHEREAS; Jonathan Brooks, serves as adjunct faculty for Chicago Semester, an off-campus program that provides students the opportunity to live, learn, and work in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brooks. served as the Chicago City Director for Mission Year, a one-year service-learning program for young people ages 18-30 and before that he taught elementary education in inner city Chicago for over a decade. As a firm believer in investing in your local community, Jonathan has a deep desire to impress this virtue on the students and young people in his congregation, classroom and community; and
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brooks, through various community partnerships, Canaan Community Church provides youth development, holistic health options, college scholarships, art and music training and continual support to the incarcerated and their families living in Englewood and other Chicago communities; and
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brooks affectionately, “Pastah J,” as he is called, is a sought after speaker, writer and artist. He has contributed to numerous blogs, articles and books and recently released his first book titled “Church Forsaken: Practicing Presence in Neglected Neighborhoods;” and
WHEREAS, Jonathan Brooks is also an accomplished visual and musical artist. Along with his visual art featured in his book he also performs a variety of musical genres. He is featured on Canaan’s debut gospel album called "Recommend Jesus" which was released in 2015 to be used as an avenue to share faith as an integral component in community transformation. “Pastah J,” has also recorded four hip-hop albums with the group Out-World and in 2020 recently curated a hip-hop music project to accompany his new book; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, I, Dennis Deer, Cook County Commissioner 2nd District on behalf of President Toni Preckwinkle, the Cook County Board of Commissioners and on behalf of the over five million residents of Cook County, on this date July 29th, 2021 do hereby recognized Pastor Jonathan Brooks for his Outstanding Leadership in Englewood Community and so wish him every continued success in his future endeavors.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be tendered to Jonathan Brooks, and a copy is spread upon the official proceedings of this au pious Honorable Body
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