Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The annual Labor Day Sacred Harp Singing met at Shoal Creek Church, Talladega National Forest, ten miles north of Heflin, Alabama on September 4, 1995. Jeff Sheppard called the class together by leading the song on page 32t, and the morning prayer was given by Everette Denney. Jeff Sheppard led song on page 57; Cecil Edwards 39b, 61; Mary Florence Smith 448b, 75. Jeff Sheppard led song on page 289 in memory of Lee Jones and Henry Kerr. The class was organized, and officers elected were: Chairman—Jeff Sheppard; Vice Chairman—Cecil Edwards; Secretary—Mary Florence Smith; Arranging Committee—Hester Edwards and Josephine Denney. Leaders: Jimmie Denney 101t, 313t; Frances Jones 569b, 100; Don Bowen 284, 266; I. V. McWhorter 109, 91; Lou Cotney 300, 497; Lewis Norton 318, 490; Lee Rogers 43, 218; Everette Denney 426t, 152.

RECESS

Jeff Sheppard reassembled the class leading song on page 124. Leaders: Roy Nelson 294, 303b; Pauline Childers 212, 269 (in memory of Lessie Cates); Shelton Williamson 222, 186; Alice Edwards 340 (for Daisey Roberts), and 73b (for Ruth Brown); Evelyn Harris 155, 47t; Donald Jones and Frances Jones 147t, 40; Edith Tate 88t, 89; John Plunkett 131 (t? b?), 71; Lois Stanson 182, 192; Billy Joe Harris 503b, 445b; Flarce Creel 475, 342; Judy Mincey 50b, 510; Felton Denney 467b, 489b; Cynthia Franklin 178, 189; Lonnie Rogers 348b for Marshall Avery, and 343b.

Joe Jones of Huntsville, Alabama, a member of the committee to preserve Shoal Creek Church, made a short talk. He told some of the history of the church and land. He spoke of the hard work that his late brother, Lee Jones, had done to keep all these plans in the works and the appreciation to the Sacred Harp Singers for the amount of two thousand three hundred dollars that they had given to help preserve the church. A collection of one hundred and twenty dollars was presented to the committee by the singers.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Jeff Sheppard leading song on page 42. Leaders: Cecil Edwards 64, 76b; Catherine Benefield 108t, 111t; Shelbie Sheppard 368, 137 (in memory of her mother, Lessie Cates); Kenneth Mize 388, 45t; Homer Benefield 141, 56t; Joan Durden 29 (t? b?), 159; Richard DeLong 337, 168; Charlene Wallace 314; Louise Allen 143, 81 (t? b?); Josephine Denney 452b, 145b; Lillie Mae White 106, 119; Carolyn McCarreth and Shelton Williamson 358, 373; Louise Nelson and Jeff Sheppard 49b; Hester Edwards and Cecil Edwards 274t; Ruth Brown and Cindy Franklin 142; Luke Allen 277. Jeff Sheppard led song on page 369 for the closing song, and the class was dismissed with prayer by Lewis Norton.

Chairman—Jeff Sheppard; Vice Chairman—Cecil Edwards; Secretary—Mary Florence Smith.