The Sixteenth Annual Session met with the First Missionary Church at Zion, Illinois with thirty-six churches represented. Six were newly constituted in 1959. Brother R.E.Knight was Moderator. This year was one of separation and new organization. Indiana formed a State Convention, effective January 1, 1959 and called our State Secretary of Mission, E. Harmon Moore, to be its first Executive Secretary. Our State Pioneer Missionary, Harold Cameron, became Illinois State Secretary of Missions. The loss of Brother Moore's influence was felt deeply, but Brother Cameron continued to lend help when called upon.
On September 22, 1959, at 7:00 p.m., seven of the churches located in the extreme northern part of Illinois met to constitute the Lake County Baptist Association. Reverend R.E Knight was Moderator. Antioch, Libertyville, North Chicago, Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor and Zion, First and Second Churches, were in the group. They voted to admit Mundelien as a charter member also.
On October 3, 1959 at 6:00 P.M., in the First Southern Baptist Church of Joliet, Illinois, twelve churches, Ottawa, Morris, Wilmington, Lockport, Joliet First Southern, Earlville, Sandwich, Aurora Calvary, Kankakee Fourth Avenue and Wall Street, Peru, and Braidwood, with three missions—Preston Heights, Bristol Station and Dwight were called together. Brother M. Huffstutler of Joliet was Moderator Pro-Tem. The purpose was to organize the Three River Baptist Association. Brother Charles Bragg was Moderator, Sterling P. Kerr was Vice-Moderator. Visitors present included A.C. Queen, State Secretary of Stewardship, Brother Arthur Farmer, and Brother Harold Cameron, Secretary of Mission, IBSA.
On October 13, 1959 at 7:45 P.M., eleven Great Lakes churches: Rockford, Aurora Zion, De Kalb, South Elgin and Elgin Larkin Avenue, Lombard, Naperville, St.Charles, Lake Shore and St. John of Chicago and Meadowdale met in the Larkin Avenue Church Elgin, for the purpose of forming the Fox Valley Baptist Association. Including guest, Brother Preston Denton, our new Pioneer Missionary, and Brother Jack Strickland, forty were present. Paul M. Morrison, Larkin pastor, was elected Moderator, and James Mahoney, St Charles, Vice-Moderator. Brother Denton gave an inspiring message based on John 1:6, "Witnessing and Expanding". Thus ends the history of Great Lakes Baptist Association as an organization, but it has not yet appeared what great things it has done for the Lord in its sixteen years of existence. It has truly witnessed and expanded to the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the will of our Father in Heaven under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Amen.