Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The fourth annual Kalamazoo Singing was held at the Wesley Foundation on the campus of Western Michigan University on the third Sunday in July. The class was called to order by Chair Ann Miczulski leading song on page 146. Louis Hughes offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Bill Beverly 272; Molly Williams 183; Bill Venema 40; Lori Graber 368; John Plunkett 500; Pamela Carson 361; Judy Mincey 540; Joe Todd 375; Joan Aldridge 198; Berkley Moore 512; Annie Grieshop 107; Cathryn Baker 472; Guy Bankes 481; Eloise Clark 28b; Dennis George 220; Kay Huener 178; John Fink 186; Pauline Childers 480; James Page 182.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Jan Wright leading song on page 556. Leaders: Mark Brown 203; Beth Todd 501; Ted Mercer 333; Reba Dell Windom 224; Mary List 72b; Louis Hughes 348b; Melanie Hauff 216; James Nelson Gingerich 34t; Mary Postellon 346; John Seaton 39t; Lela Crowder 440; John Bealle 217; Mary Bachmann 158; Samuel Sommers 524; Marcia Johnson and Coy Ivey 454; Coy Ivey 222; David Rust 131b; Syble Adams “Song of Praise” (by request).

Martha Beverly conducted the memorial lesson and led song on page 434 after these comments. “This is our fourth annual singing, and we have never had a memorial lesson before. We have no local elders to commemorate, but what we have developed are bonds of love and appreciation of those people who have welcomed us at their singings and have come to Kalamazoo to share these traditions with us. People from Elkhart, Auburn Hills, Goshen, and Chicago, from Ohio and Ann Arbor, from Georgia and Alabama and elsewhere who have brought with them the wonderful legacy, which we now claim as ours. As we sing and strengthen our own experience of these tunes, of sharing the gift of food, and of socializing together as we travel and meet other singers; as we pass along our own investment in this tradition to yet newer singers, we become another step in the continuous path of this rich heritage. I wish to note this loving bond to other singers and to the singers of the past who have preserved and generously shared these tunes which give us joy, which comfort us, and which nurture us. I belong to this band, hallelujah!”

Leaders: Roger Williams 489; Nancy Yeager and Gloria Anne Lowe 47t; Henry Schuman 344; David Yeager and Gloria Anne Lowe 68b (for his mother). Mark Brown offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Samuel Sommers brought the afternoon session to order leading song on page 121. Leaders: John Plunkett 539; Pamela Carson 113; Joan Aldridge 228; Judy Hauff 456; Louis Hughes 76t; Pauline Childers 318; Berkley Moore 114; Annie Grieshop 128; Mark Brown “Sweet Beulah Land” (by request); Marcia Johnson 163t; Guy Bankes 162; Syble Adams 532; Judy Mincey 497; Dennis George 442.

RECESS

James Nelson Gingerich brought the class back to order leading song on page 29t. Leaders: John Fink 254; Reba Dell Windom 142; John Bealle 436; Lela Crowder and Coy Ivey 99, 384; Lela Crowder, Coy Ivey, and Martha Beverly 137; James Page 411; Nancy Yeager 87; Eloise Clark 212; John Seaton 269; Kay Huener 503; David Yeager 148; Melanie Hauff and Judy Hauff 215; Joe Todd 208; Beth Todd 101t; David Rust 123b.

Announcements were made and thanks given to Grace Flesche, kitchen wizard. Ann Miczulski and Martha Beverly led song on page 49b as the closing song. Mark Brown offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Ann Miczulski; Vice Chairperson—Jan Wright; Treasurer—Molly Williams; Secretary—Martha Beverly.