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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LEGACY OF ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
WHEREAS, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church was born out of Salem Baptist Church in 1922 and was organized and established out of the Odd Fellows Hall located on the corner of 33rd and State Street, under the leadership of Reverend E. H. Branch on February 24, 1925; and
WHEREAS, Antioch M.B. Church continued to grow, in order to accommodate the congregation, a larger church home was purchased and located at 5129 S. Indiana Avenue on May 2, 1928. Pastor E. H. Branch continued to serve as pastor until 1932; and
WHEREAS, On December 22, 1932, the church installed Reverend James Monroe Harvey. The membership of the church began to increase even more with the creation of various boards such as the Usher Board, First Aid Nurses Board, Christian Education and many more. In the years to come, Pastor Harvey became ill and was forced to retire. He later died in 1957, establishing the pulpit committee to search for a new pastor; and
WHEREAS, After much prayer and sifting through many possible candidates, Antioch members gathered and agreed that although many applied but, only one man was sent by God. That man-that preacher-that pastor was Reverend Dr. Wilbur Daniel. He accepted the call on April 1, 1957, and was installed as Antioch M.B. Church’s 3rd pastor; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Pastor Daniel, the congregation swelled in numbers and soon outgrew its current Indiana Avenue location. Again, the search for a larger facility began. Antioch entered into an agreement with Foster Park Baptist Church, to purchase what would be Antioch’s new church home located at 415 W. Englewood Avenue on June 29, 1958;
WHEREAS, Antioch began to focus its sight on its community and organized the Antioch Foundation, a non-profit corporation, and created, the church’s first housing project, with the development of Eden Green Complex located at 131st and Indiana on June 10, 1967; and
WHEREAS, Antioch continued the development of affordable housing adding to its portfolio of Antioch Haven Homes, Roseanna Burrell Homes, Wentworth Haven Homes, Rose Haven Manor, Paradise Haven Homes, and several other developments; and
WHEREAS, Antioch M.B. Church’s congregation had reached to 4,500 plus members, making it a “mega church” before “mega church” was ever thought of or became household conversation; and
WHEREAS, On October 26, 1999, Pastor Daniel passed away after serving for 42 years faithfully; and
WHEREAS, Once again Antioch M.B. Church was in search of a Pastor to lead a massive congregation. After many meetings and a Godly intervention, Reverend Gerald Dew would become the fourth pastor of Antioch M.B. Church and was installed on January 6, 2001; and
WHEREAS, Antioch continued to move forward under the leadership of Pastor Dew. Under his leadership Antioch M.B. Church established the Annual Leaders Retreat, Intercessory Prayer, Joy Fest, a Praise Team Ministry, Website Media Ministry, and many, many more; and
WHEREAS, Antioch M.B. Church continues to develop quality affordable housing in the Englewood community for families, seniors and the physically challenged community; and
WHEREAS, Antioch M.B. Church was forced to close it doors and suspend in-person worship service for the first time in its history, due to Covid-19 pandemic from March 22, 2020, through April 4, 2021, and again on January 16, 2022 - March 6, 2022, due to the Omicron variant; and
WHEREAS, On April 15, 2022, Antioch M.B. Church was destroyed by fire and brought devastation to a historical structure located in the heart of the Englewood community. It’s congregation, for the first in its history was left without a church home; and
WHEREAS, Like a phoenix, Antioch M.B. Church will rise again and be a beacon of light for the community; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, hereby proclaim it Antioch M.B. Church day in Cook County on May 13, 2022; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be rendered to Pastor Gerald Dew, and members of Antioch M.B. Church.
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