Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 16

Merriam Lexington Presbyterian Church

The sixth annual Minnesota State Sacred Harp Convention was held September 16 and 17, Saturday and Sunday, 1995. Saturday’s singing was held at Merriam Lexington Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, Minnesota. The convention was called to order by

Convention Co-Chairs Denise Kania and Walter Graff leading song on 34b. Opening prayer was led by Chaplain Stephen Parker. Leaders: Robin Fox 82t; Steven Levine 99; Eleanor Haase 312b; Myles Alexander 510; Martha Henderson 146; John Gurtz 440; Maryann Corbett 159; Scott Schroeder 178; Mark Ellenberger 168; John Bailey 145b; Gordon Olsen 163b; Dean Slaton 456; Linda Thomas 39t; John Rebischke 268; Jerry Enright 197; Dick Dunagan 36b; Julie Vea 106; Bob Cliff 485.

RECESS

The class reassembled with 142, led by Jenny Willard. Leaders: Jerry Schreiber 66; Ruby Phillips 345t; Stephen Parker 547; Marcia Johnson 288; Keith Willard 74b; Cindy Franklin 362b; Ted Johnson 83t; Jeanette Lowry 260; Terry Wootten 176t; Carol Buche 504; Dave Ressler 272; Ann Jett 327; Kathy Wallace 154; Dewayne Wooten 348b.

RECESS

Jim Pfau brought the class back together leading the song on page 87. Leaders: James Page 216; Lisa Grayson 419; Virgil Phillips 137; Beverly Enright 196; Harrison Creel 530; Judy Hauff 28b; Mel Kersey 122; Cassie Franklin 213t; Ted Mercer 311. At this point new business was discussed, and Steven Levine and Kathy Wallace were elected Co-Chairs for next year’s convention. Leaders: Gary Gronau 110, and Carla Smith 74t, completed the morning.

DISMISSED FOR LUNCH

Denise Kania brought the class back leading song on page 128. Everyone joined in singing Happy Birthday for Mr. Kelly Beard of Texas. Leaders: Six members of the Creel Family of Alabama led 342 and 475; Susan and Richard Green 350; Melanie Hauff 444; Val Dunagan 441; Jewell Skaggs 143; Edith Tate 532; Ted Mercer 240; Flarce Creel 269; Steven Levine “Love At Home”; Ann Jett 436; Douglas Francis 495; Marcia Johnson 424; Dewayne Wootten 186.

RECESS

The class reconvened with Val Eng leading song on page 528. Leaders: Kelly Beard 69 (t? b?); Ernestine Pipkin 224; Bill Waddington 209; Ruby and Virgil Phillips 47 (t? b?); Paul Landskroener 474; Carla Smith 212; Jim Parsons 481; Colette Miller 183; Jerry Schreiber 236; Carol V. Crawford 57; Mel Kersey 565; Judy Hauff 556; Keith Yates 147t; Harrison Creel 30 (t? b?); Becky Browne 300; Cassie Franklin 361; Terry Wootten 542. Walter Graff led Northfield, and the class was dismissed with prayer.

Sunday, September 17

Murphy’s Landing, Shakopee, Minnesota

The Sunday session was held at Town Hall at Murphy’s Landing, Shakopee, Minnesota and was called to order by Denise Kania leading song on page 40. Stephen Parker led the morning prayer. Leaders: Kathy Wallace 171; Robin Fox 107; Midge Olsen 46; Doug Francis 270; Eleanor Haase 352; Jeff Bell 276; Val Dunagan 182; Martha Henderson 340; Myles Alexander 566; John Bailey 59; Kit Pfau 81t; Carol Buche 82t; Scott Schroeder 503b; Mary Rose O’Reilly 500; Gordon Olsen 84; Anthony Reeves 254; Beverly Enright 250.

RECESS

Keith Willard brought the class back leading song on page 34b. Leaders: Mark Ellenberger 455; John Gurtz 408; Ernestine Pipken 283; Ted Johnson 89; Jim Parsons 313b; Virgil and Ruby Phillips 475 and 137; Ann Jett 136; Dave Ressler 111b; Edith Tate 98; Jerry Enright 95b; Linda Thomas 131b; Terry Wooten 142; Jim Pfau 290; Carla Smith 546; Mel Kersey 354t; Dewayne Wooten 354b; Joanna Fabke 146; James Page 351; Val Eng 454; Steven Parker 299.

RECESS

Keith Willard brought the class back leading song on page 29t, Fairfield. Leaders: Dick Dunagan 378b; Richard and Susan Green 217. The memorial lesson was led by Steven Levine and Lisa Grayson. Steven Levine spoke of the meaning and sadness of “the final goodbye”. He then led 501b in honor of the deceased: George Klein of Florida; Kermit Olsen of Wisconsin; Henry Barfield, Joe Henderson, Gilbert Skaggs, Sue Kaplan, Hoyt Renfroe, Helen Ivey Cordell, and Winford Lacey of Alabama; George C. Power of St. Paul; Evva Graff of South Dakota; Ruth Kjellberg and Curtis Smith of Michigan; Fred Carsten of Wisconsin; Hank Jones, Jon Francis, Henry Frisch, and Sylvia Frisch of Minneapolis; John Snyder of Kansas; Howard Arthur Faxe of California. (We regret that some names are not included here). Lisa Grayson read the the sick and shut-in list, and led song on page 318 for the following: Karen Isbell, Rick Bejlovec, Camilla Haase, Sara Curry, Maurice Faubion, Judy Bell of North Carolina, Aver Crider of Indiana, Henry Lexau, Frank Giunchedi, John Hocutt, and Agnes Hocutt.

CLASS DISMISSED FOR LUNCH

The class was reconvened after lunch by Walt Graff leading song on page 371. He conducted the raffle of an afghan made by Eloise Jerome, which was won by Flarce Creel. Leaders: Denise Kania 100; Julie Vea; Jewell Skaggs 192; Cassie Franklin 138 (t? b?); Kelly Beard 390; Becky Brown 377; Jenny Willard 163t; Harrison Creel 498; Lisa Grayson 112; Steven Levine 68b; Cindy Franklin 551b; Ted Mercer 114; Marcia Johnson 218; Flarce Creel 166; Melanie Hauff 445b; Ella Wilcox 362; Jeanette Lowry 448t; Jerry Schreiber 550; Karen Hojnacki 220; Ruby Phillips 331; Dean Slaton 222. Judy Hauff and Val Eng reported for the Resolutions Committee. Thanks to: all those who travelled to the convention; Co-Chairs Walter Graff and Denise Kania for being extra organized; Arranging Committee-Jenny Willard, Jim Pfau, Keith Willard, and Jan Ketell; Recording Secretaries- Kathy Wallace, Jim Pfau, Steve Schmidgal, Gene Hauptmann, Myles Alexander, and Doug Francis; Chaplain-Stephen Parker; Memorial Committee-Steven Levine and Lisa Grayson; Food: Bill Waddington, and all those who brought the great food; Registration Table-Midge Olsen, Marlene Levine, Eloise Jerome, and many others; Treasurer-Mark Ellenberger; Locating Committee-Keith and Jenny Willard for finding two wonderful spaces; Set-up-Robin Fox, Gordon Olsen, Bill Waddington, Gene Hauptmann, Steven Levine, and others; Refreshment Table-Carol Buche and Steven Levine; Saturday night Party Host- Bill Waddington; Restroom Patrol-Catherine Lexau; Trash Patrol-Gene Hauptmann; Publicity-Val Eng, Mark Ellenberger, Martha Henderson, Kirk Mattson, and Jenny Willard; Child Care-Kit Pfau and Jenny Willard; Afgan for Raffle-Eloise Jerome; Hosting out of towners-Robin Fox, Keith Willard, Jenny Willard, T. J. Willard, Bill Waddington, Mary Rose O’Reilly, Jeff Bell, Stephen Parker, Scott Schroeder, Eleanor Haase, and Kathy Wallace. Thanks also to Merriam Lexington Presbyterian Church and Murphy’s Landing. Finally, special thanks to Keith and Jenny Willard, who have helped immeasurably in building up our group and this convention.

RECESS.

The class was called back from break by Keith Willard leading the song on page 77t. Leaders: Carol Crawford 327; Denise Kania 215; Judy Hauff 411; Gary Gronau 282; Robert Hall 208; Ted Johnson 278b; Dan Hovsepian 385b; Kelly Beard 384; Scott Schroeder 149; Ernestine Pipkin 110; Paul Landskroener 63; John Rebischke 38b; Colette Miller-Gurtz 368; Midge Olsen 178; Terry Wootten and Dewayne Wootten 129. Walter Graff led the class in the Parting Hand, page 62, followed with prayer by Stephen Parker. The convention had fourteen states represented.

Co-Chairman—Walter Graff and Denise Kania. Treasurer—Mark Ellenberger. Secretary—Kathy Wallace.