Title
Honoring, recognizing and commending The Rev. Dr. Napoleon Livingstone Divine, an ordained Baptist Minister, for his devotion to his community and the people of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, Rev. Divine is a citizen of the Republic of Liberia and is the founder and pastor of Christ International Baptist Church-a multi-ethnic congregation located in Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Divine holds both a Master's and a Doctorate degree from Temple University in Education and has studied at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in pursuit of his Masters of Divinity degree. He is married to Mrs. Anita A. Divine, also originally from Liberia, and they are both actively involved in the ministry and life of Christ International Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Divine joined White Rock Baptist Church in the spring of 1982, a decision he considers as both fortuitous and providential, because at White Rock, under the strong leadership of Dr. William J. Shaw, his spiritual life was remarkably transformed. At White Rock he experienced the warmth and support of an African-American church and congregation that embraced him and treated him as one of its own; and
WHEREAS, For most of his thirty year stay in the United States and during the fifteen year Liberian civil war, Rev. Divine has been involved in advocacy to foster reconciliation among Liberia's warring parties and to bring about peace and stability to Liberia. His advocacy entailed leading and organizing reconciliation conferences in American cities where many Liberians live preparing letters and petitions to members of the United States Congress and the White House urging their diplomatic involvement in ending Liberia's civil war, and traveling to Africa for peace conferences; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Divine presided over the funeral of 7 of his fellow Liberians who perished in a Philadelphia house fire in December 2008 bringing consolation and hope to his fellow grieving Liberians...
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