Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 9

The seventeenth annual Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s United Church of Christ by Chairman Presley Barker leading song on page 47t. Presley Barker offered the opening prayer.

Convention officers were: Chairman—Presley Barker; Secretary—Dave Ressler; Arranging Committee—Rebecca Browne; Finance Committee—Gary Gronau; Memorial Committee—Ruth Brown and Charles Derleth.

Songs were called from “The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition” and “Songs from ‘The Missouri Harmony,’ 1996 Edition”.

Leaders: Bill Ellason 59; Charles Derleth 348b, 68b; Linda Biggs 178; Dave Ressler 47b; Karen Isbell 216; Barbara Uhlemann 474; John Uhlemann 538; Gary Gronau 23 (MH); Melanie Hauff 20 (MH); Gwendolyn King 436; Lou Kujawinski 477; Johanna Fabke 114; Bill Caldwell 344; Lou Cotney 172; Berkley Moore 397; Julie Vea 368; Dan Brittain 465; Marcia Johnson 278b.

RECESS

Jim Hearne called the class to order leading song on page 313b. Leaders: James Page “Nebraska”; Ann Leckie 419; Bill Hogan 8 (MH); Daphene Causey 222; Susan Green 217; Eugene Forbes 546; Shelbie Sheppard 481; Ray Berry 159; Floy Wilder 183; Jerry Enright 16 (MH); Pattie Doss 76b; Everette Denney 30t; Jan Ketelle 27 (MH).

RECESS

Rebecca Browne led song on page 36b to call the class together. Leaders: Teenie Moody 542; Janet Fraembs 480; Jeff Sheppard 335; Eunice Webb 318; Philip Denney 120; LaRue Allen 192; Mary Florence Smith 171; Penny Kujawinski 430; Felton Denney 387; Holly Turner 523b; Jeanette Lowry 411; Pearl Guier and Hester Edwards 45t. Barbara Uhlemann offered the blessing to close for lunch.

LUNCH

Janet Fraembs called the afternoon session together with song on page 87. Leaders: Bill Ellason 268; Pattie Doss 203; Lee Denney and Philip Denney 143; Dorothy Hack 30b; Carol Chapman 342; Melanie Hauff 396; Shelbie Sheppard 455; Dan Brittain 456; Jan Ketelle 356 (?); Gary Gronau 46 (MH); Marcia Johnson 218; Jerry Enright 300; Mary Florence Smith 441; Dave Ressler 272; Teenie Moody 270; Lou Cotney 384.

RECESS

Karen Isbell began this session with song on page 54 (MH). Leaders: Jim Solheim 269; Maire Corcoran and Dennis Corcoran 148; Charles Derleth 56b; Karen Freund 215; Jo Dell Albi 160b; Pearl Guier 303; Gwendolyn King 354b; Holly Turner 63; Lou Kujawinski 350; Bill Caldwell 503; Floy Wilder 142; Ray Berry 82t; Everette Denney 405.

RECESS

Jeanette Lowry called the last session to order with song on page 29t. Leaders: Susan Green 157; LaRue Allen 106; Julie Vea 2 (MH); Felton Denney 155; Eunice Webb 284; James Page 38 (MH); Bill Hogan 163t; Johanna Fabke 52t; Eugene Forbes 460; Penny Kujawinski 448t; Daphene Causey 91; Jeff Sheppard 99; Berkley Moore 332. The class was dismissed with a prayer led by Jim Hearne.

Sunday, March 10

Presley Barker opened the Sunday morning portion of the convention at 9:30 a.m. with song on page 346, and then led the morning prayer. Leaders: Pattie Doss 216; John Uhlemann 125; Jo Dell Albi 77b; Linda Biggs 66; Barbara Uhlemann 299; Charlie Derleth 137; Ann Leckie 377; Dave Ressler 89; Gary Gronau 415; Jeanette Lowry 168; Berkley Moore 73t; Karen Isbell 200; Jeff Sheppard 460; Karen Freund 383; Eugene Forbes 426b; Penny Kujawinski 71; Eunice Webb 544; Bill Hogan 365; Josephine Denney 145b; Donna Walter 49t.

RECESS

Rebecca Browne led song on page 102 to call the class back together. Leaders: Jan Ketelle 384; Floy Wilder 402; Susan Green 57; LaRue Allen 436; James Page 13 (MH); Pearl Guier 448b; Bunny Strickland 338; Jerry Enright 77t; Everette Denney 426t; Felton Denney 31t; Janet Fraembs 532; Dan Brittain 505; Alice Moran 40; Shelbie Sheppard 440.

RECESS

Presley Barker called the class back with song on page 201. Leaders: Wendy Hofmann 312b; Shelbie Sheppard and Rebecca Browne 28b; Ray Berry 59; Jim Solheim 313b.

Charlie Derleth opened the memorial lesson by telling the class how he used to take 4-5 day solo backpacking trips, before his accident, in the Wild River Range, Wyoming. The landscape there was as beautiful as the name, and the last place he camped was one of the most beautiful. Streams ran through the green grass. He recognized it as a paradise and Psalm 23 was with him all the time. The peacefulness was overwhelming. That thought helped him through the valley of the shadow of death as he lay on the table in the hospital. Everyone has been through that valley, and those who have gone on are in that place beside the still waters. They are safe, those who remain must struggle. He asked for the late Rev. Burton Browne’s benediction and blessing as pronounced by Becky Browne. The following deceased were remembered: Polly Moore, Lawrence Underwood, Lula Underwood, Joe Norton, Freeman Wootten, Alma Breedlove, Alice Sims, George Cox, Eula Johnson, and Ethel McGough—Alabama; Randy Wells and Alan Fox—Florida; Wilford Denney—Georgia; Jerilyn Schumacher—Illinois; Norma Holzmeier, Joe Colvin, Donna Colvin, Richard Dudley Shewmaker (age 96), Hillary Boogher Shewmaker (age 89), and Larry Davis—Missouri; John Bayer, Sr.—Ohio; Marjorie Ketelle—Tennessee; Pauline Cathey—Texas; Peter Vea—Wisconsin. Charlie Derleth led song on page 285t for the deceased.

Ruth Brown spoke next, reminding the class that those on the list just read no longer need our concern. Those on her list do need our care. It’s easy to make a call, send a card, or visit. It means so much to the person receiving it, but it even means more to the one making the call or sending the card. We’re a big family, once centered in the South, now spread throughout the country. Just remember someone who means something to you. The list of the sick and shut-ins remembered were: Jap Walton, Joyce Walton, Betty Wright, Alice Edwards, Norma Green, James Howell, Martha Howell, Bill Green, Beufa Green, Judith Green, and Mary Gardner—Alabama; Jean Dickerson and Beau Caldwell—Arkansas; Kenneth Page—California; Jamie Hackney—Florida; Jo Harper, Mozelle Sheppard, Ike Stanford, Lindy Stanford, Vivian Rogers, Revy Williamson, Reby Stanford, Gladys McGraw, and I.V. McWhorter—Georgia; Stephanie Rubin—Illinois; Jim Kropp, Virginia Evans, and Mark Bruns—Missouri; Philip Page, Jr.—New Jersey; Bill Stark—Ohio; Kelly Beard and Ernestine Pipkin—Texas; Bob Scorgie and Jane Page—Wisconsin. Ruth Brown led song on page 340 for the sick and shut-ins. Mary Florence Smith closed the memorial with prayer.

Leaders: Lee Denney and Philip Denney 159. Ray Berry led the class in prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Penny Kujawinski led song on page 84 to open the afternoon session. Leaders: Johanna Fabke 122; Bill Caldwell 497; Carol Chapman 426t; Lou Cotney 189; Daphene Causey 434; Lou Kujawinski 473; Mary Florence Smith 313t; Philip Denney 442; Julie Vea 280; Jim Hearne 9 (MH); Karen Freund 378b; Jim Solheim 444; Wendy Hofmann 70b; Eugene Forbes 318; Bill Hogan 112; LaRue Allen 186; Dan Brittain 304; Floy Wilder 187; Josephine Denney 100.

RECESS

Leaders: Berkley Moore 229; Donna Walter 569b; Felton Denney 523b; Pearl Guier and Hester Edwards 143; Bunny Pavlik Strickland 310; Jeff Sheppard 222; Eunice Webb 475; Janet Fraembs 385b; Alice Moran 271t; Jeanette Lowry 39t; James Page 29 (MH); Dave Ressler 7 (MH); Jan Ketelle 52 (MH); Everette Denney 335; Gary Gronau 496; Shelbie Sheppard and Ruth Brown 101t, 142; Jerry Enright 433; Charlie Derleth 276.

After the announcements from the class, Bill Caldwell closed the convention with prayer.

Chairman—Presley Barker; Arranging Committee—Rebecca Browne; Secretary—Dave Ressler.