Bill Text: IL HR0601 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of Pastor John E. Collins Sr.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-20 - Resolution Adopted [HR0601 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HR0601-Introduced.html
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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Pastor | ||||||
| 4 | John E. Collins Sr., who passed away on February 1, 2024; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins was born in Yazoo County, | ||||||
| 6 | Mississippi to John Jr. and Laura B. Collins on September 14, | ||||||
| 7 | 1955; he attended Paderewski and Robert Burns Elementary | ||||||
| 8 | Schools and graduated from Westinghouse High School in 1974, | ||||||
| 9 | which he affectionately referred to as "The House"; he married | ||||||
| 10 | Gail Henning on February 3, 1979; and
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| 11 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins owned and operated Collins Realty, | ||||||
| 12 | a thriving real estate brokerage; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins was a charter member of Great True | ||||||
| 14 | Vine Missionary Baptist Church, where he served faithfully; he | ||||||
| 15 | was active in ministry and served as an organist, president of | ||||||
| 16 | the choir, financial secretary, Sunday school teacher, and | ||||||
| 17 | deacon; and
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| 18 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins accepted the call to the ministry | ||||||
| 19 | and preached his first sermon on April 27, 1991; he became a | ||||||
| 20 | licensed minister on April 28, 1991, and he was ordained in | ||||||
| 21 | September of that same year; he became the pastor of Great True | ||||||
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| 1 | Vine Missionary Baptist Church on October 6, 1996; during this | ||||||
| 2 | time, he also became a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church; and
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| 3 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins was committed to making a positive | ||||||
| 4 | impact on the Austin Community; he established the Laura B. | ||||||
| 5 | Collins Development Center; his church spearheaded, | ||||||
| 6 | participated in, and partnered with several programs, | ||||||
| 7 | including Feed the Hungry, Angel Tree, and Toys for Tots, and | ||||||
| 8 | the church assisted with several shelters and provided PPE | ||||||
| 9 | during the pandemic; in addition, his church housed several | ||||||
| 10 | programs, including an after school and mentorship program, a | ||||||
| 11 | rental assistance program, and employment and training | ||||||
| 12 | programs; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins had a desire to remain a life-long | ||||||
| 14 | learner; he attended the Christian Bible Institute and | ||||||
| 15 | obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Morris Booker | ||||||
| 16 | Memorial College; he received a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership | ||||||
| 17 | and a Master of Christian Ministry from Faith Evangelical | ||||||
| 18 | Seminary; most recently, he was pursuing his doctoral degree; | ||||||
| 19 | and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins was an undeniable leader and | ||||||
| 21 | assumed several leadership roles, serving as vice president of | ||||||
| 22 | the United Baptist State Convention of Illinois, vice | ||||||
| 23 | president of the Congress of Christian Education of the United | ||||||
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| 1 | Baptist State Congress of Illinois, vice president of New | ||||||
| 2 | Baptist Ministers Fellowship of Chicago and Vicinity, and vice | ||||||
| 3 | moderator for the Sunlight District Association; he also | ||||||
| 4 | served as president of the New Baptist Ministers Fellowship | ||||||
| 5 | and as vice moderator of the Sunlight District Association; | ||||||
| 6 | and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins was a hard worker and fierce | ||||||
| 8 | provider; preaching was his calling, but his family was | ||||||
| 9 | definitely his ministry; he adored his wife, children, and | ||||||
| 10 | grandchildren and was always present and showed up in every | ||||||
| 11 | capacity; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins was preceded in death by his | ||||||
| 13 | parents and his brother, Dale; and
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| 14 | WHEREAS, Pastor Collins is survived by his wife of 45 | ||||||
| 15 | years, Gail; his children, Takisha (James), JaQuice, Brooke | ||||||
| 16 | (Jeremiah), Tacori, Tamika, and John; his grandchildren, Ya'J, | ||||||
| 17 | Morgan, Makayla, Mayson, London, Landon, Logan, Parker, and | ||||||
| 18 | Lyric; his sister, Annie (Anthony); his brothers, Darrell | ||||||
| 19 | (Kimberly) and Tyrone (Aishah); his bonus grandchildren; | ||||||
| 20 | numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, sisters and | ||||||
| 21 | brothers-in-law, and friends; and the congregation at Great | ||||||
| 22 | True Vine Baptist Church; therefore, be it
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| 1 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 2 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 3 | we mourn the passing of Pastor John E. Collins Sr. and extend | ||||||
| 4 | our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who | ||||||
| 5 | knew and loved him; and be it further
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