Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 17

The third annual Keystone Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held at St. James United Church of Christ, Havertown, Pennsylvania and Arch Street Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the third Sunday and Saturday before in March. The Saturday session was held at St. James United Church of Christ, and was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Chairman Doron Henkin leading song on page 34b. Ginny Landgraff offered the opening prayer.

Officers and committees of the convention were: Chairman—Doron Henkin; Volunteer Coordinator—Gabriel Kastelle; Housing Coordinator—Nancy Tkacs; Kitchen Coordinator—Mary McCaffrey; Arranging—Cathy Tucker, Paula McGray, Kelly Macklin, and Barbara Swetman; Treasurer—Ginny Landgraff; Secretary—Guy Bankes.

Leaders: Betty Hanf 431; Marian McKenzie 546; Susan Bingham 446; Ted Stokes 39 (t? b?); Mary Ann Daly 66; Walter Smith 195; Diane Mennella 32b; Claire Simon 106; Gabriel Kastelle 328; Thom Metzger 216; Gerry Hoffman 68t; Ginny Landgraff 207; Hal Kunkel 512; Roland Hutchinson 524; Paula McGray 404; Guy Bankes 77b; Cathy Tucker 332; Doron Henkin 567, 193; Marian McKenzie 228, 178; Susan Bingham 455, 454; Steven McMaster 32t, 503.

RECESS

Susan Munch called the class to order leading song on page 312 (t? b?). Leaders: Ted Stokes 77t, 298; Kelly Macklin 291, 33t; Mary Ann Daly 266, 428; Walter Smith 344, 189; Tom Tucker 42, 192; Ginny Landgraff 82 (t? b?), 86; Barbara Swetman 145t, 146; Gabriel Kastelle 531b, 340; Claire Simon 91, 47 (t? b?); Diane Mennella 564, 565. Ginny Landgraff offered the blessing for lunch.

LUNCH

Ted Stokes called the class to order leading song on page 28t. Leaders: Guy Bankes 102, 267; Betty Hanf 467, 479; Cathy Tucker 385b, 144.

The memorial lesson for the sick and shut-in was led by Hal Kunkel who spoke of the tradition taking a moment to be reminded of singers who are unable to attend singings due to illness or infirmity. He mentioned that in areas where the tradition is relatively young, the list may include relatives and friends of singers, and then led song on page 547 to honor these folks. Those remembered were: Mary K. Friday—District of Columbia; Muriel Parker—Maryland; Phil Shea—Massachusetts; Betty Nikelsky and Irma Seitz—New Jersey; Mia Durso, Ines Seannapoulos, and Deborah Stearns—New York; Debby Ansel and Barbara Smith—Pennsylvania; Bob Melby—Virginia.

Doron Henkin gave the memorial lesson and led song on page 163b for the deceased. Karen House and Bob Todd, whom many in the Philadelphia singing community were acquainted with, were especially mentioned. Those remembered were: Elsie Allen and Eva Lampman—California; Susan Garber—Connecticut; Joan “Tommy” Sahler—Georgia; Karen Hamilton and Karen House—New York; Laura Sherman, Joanna Sorlien, and Bob Todd—Pennsylvania; Gina DiGuisto and Emma Venier—France. Ginny Landgraff closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Ginny Landgraff 383, 290; Gerry Hoffman 203, 198; Thom Metzger 29b, 70b; Gilead Henkin 358; John delRe 213b, 212; Joyelle Washington 416, 313b;

RECESS

Tom Tucker called the class to order leading song on page 441. Leaders: Tom Tucker 457; Hal Kunkel 171, 550; Kyle Greenlee 147 (t? b?), 472; Paula McGray 205, 316; Mike Ciul 101t, 191; Roland Hutchinson 515, 250; Doron Henkin 112 (requested by Mary McCaffrey); Molly Sayvetz 566, 209; Steven McMaster 24 (t? b?).

Ginny Landgraff dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, March 18

The convention met at the Arch Street Presbyterian Church in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Chairman Doron Henkin called the class to order at 12:30 p.m. by leading song on page 61. Rev. Clayton Ames offered the opening prayer.

Doron Henkin informed the class that, according to a report on the Internet, Mary K. Friday had died Saturday morning, March 17, and asked Mary Ann Daly and Guy Bankes to lead a song in her memory. They spoke briefly of Mary K. Friday and led song on page 120. At the invitation of Doron Henkin, Kelly Macklin spoke of Mary K. Friday’s assistance with shape note singing in the northern Shenandoah Valley and of her recent assistance in establishing English country dancing in the same region.

Leaders: Gabriel Kastelle 101b, 100; Eileen Metzger 32t, 448b; Guy Bankes 147b, 287; Gerry Hoffman 510, 458; Kyle Greenlee 28b, 315; Kelly Macklin 157, 368; Doron Henkin 31t, 344.

RECESS

Ted Stokes called the class to order leading song on page 59. Leaders: Ted Stokes 117; Ginny Landgraff 351, 447; Mary Ann Daly 38b, 475 (both in memory of Mary K. Friday); Barbara Swetman and Rev. Clayton Ames 448 (t? b?), 268 (in memory of Bob Todd); Nancy Tkacs and Steven McMaster 45 (t? b?), 34b; Steven McMaster 532, 282; Gilead Henkin and Daniel Henkin 358; Thom Metzger 82b, 383; John delRe 83 (t? b?), 369.

RECESS

John delRe returned the class to order leading song on page 129.

Leaders: Paula McGray 155, 283; Hal Kunkel 460, 362; Barbara Swetman 390; Gerry Hoffman 272; Ginny Landgraff 506; Steven McMaster 236; Mary Ann Daly 474; John delRe 27; Paula McGray 183; Kelly Macklin 216; Hal Kunkel 217; Ted Stokes 125; Guy Bankes 276; Gabriel Kastelle 378b; Doron Henkin 269; Steven McMaster 112; Hal Kunkel 569b; Gerry Hoffman 273; Sara Marcus and Mary Ann Daly 86; Gabriel Kastelle 335; Doron Henkin 108b.

Doron Henkin led song on page 62 as the closing song, and Ginny Landgraff dismissed the class with prayer.

Chairman—Doron Henkin; Secretary—Guy Bankes.