CHICAGO (WBBM 780 Newsradio) -- Members of a Chicago congregation offered up prayers, gospel music and cash as the fundraising effort began Monday night to rebuild the historic Pilgrim Baptist Church after last week's devastating fire.
Governor Rod Blagojevich helped fill the collection basket with a state check for $1 million dollars during the service at Saint John Missionary Baptist Church at 115th and Indiana.
Additionally, the Pritzker Family Foundation, based in Chicago, announced Tuesday that it is giving $500,000 to the Pilgrim Baptist Church for its rebuilding fund. Pritzkers say they will match private donations, dollar-for-dollar.
"I'm committing a million dollars to the rebuilding of Pilgrim Baptist Church," the governor told the standing room-only audience. "When it comes to what happens with the Pilgrim Baptist Church, it will rise like the phoenix from the ashes and be rebuilt bigger and better and stronger and more influential than ever before," he said. Blagojevich also donated $1,000 of his own money to the rebuilding effort.
The $1 million state contribution would come from a special contingency fund in the governor's office and does not require legislative approval, Blagojevich told reporters. The money can only be used to rebuild the school and administrative building attached to the Pilgrim Baptist Church but not the church itself, to avoid constitutional separation of church and state questions.
"This is an investment that's going to go along way towards helping a lot of people and I don't see anything wrong with it," the governor said. "Those who want to criticize it whatever their motivations are they are free to do it. "This investment is much bigger than just rebuilding a church," he added.
Athiest Rob Sherman, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for state representative, Dist. 53, said Governor Blagojevich's plan to donate the state funds is unconstitutional.
Sherman says the Illinois constitution prohibits state money from being used to support any school or other entity that is owned by a church.
Sherman said he plans to speak with the office of the governor, state treasurer, attorney general and comptroller to prevent state funds from being used.
He said if the governor wants to contribute $1 million, he should seek private donations.
"A piece of all of us is in the ashes," said one pastor about last Friday's fire that all but leveled the historic church at 33rd and Indiana. Also on Monday, a donation fund was set up at the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, where others could contribute to the rebuilding effort. Donations can be mailed to: Pilgrim Baptist Church Rebuilding Fund, c/o Amalgamated Bank,
1 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60603
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