Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, August 2

The one hundred fiftieth session of the Chattahoochee Convention convened on Friday evening, August 2, at the Carrollton Community Center, Carrollton, Georgia, for a barbeque dinner. John Plunkett welcomed everyone to the dinner.

Richard DeLong made a presentation on “Sacred Harp Today,” and Lonnie Rogers talked on “Remembering the People of the Chattahoochee Convention.”

John Plunkett presented a book edited by Kiri Miller entitled “The Chattahoochee Convention, 1852-2002,” which is a Sacred Harp historical sourcebook. Elder Homer Benefield dismissed the group with prayer.

Saturday, August 3

The one hundred fiftieth session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held at Wilson’s Chapel, Carrollton, Georgia, on the first Saturday and Sunday before in August 2002.

Chairman Sheri Taylor called the class to order by leading songs on pages 84 and 215. Richard Mauldin led the class in prayer.

Leaders: Vice Chairman Richard DeLong 57; Secretary Donna Duke 46; Jeannette DePoy 32t; Richard Mauldin 36b; Kiri Miller 224; Kathy Williams 437; Laura Frey 178; Cathy White 270; Lela Crowder 300; David Yeager 45t; Diane Wall 318; Jimmie Denney 155; Nancy Yeager 335; Harry Eskew 146; Eunice Webb 196; John Merritt 66; B.M. Smith 273; Diane Mennella 203.

RECESS

The class resumed singing with Sheri Taylor leading song on page 354 (t? b?). Leaders: Kenneth DeLong 369; Karen Rollins 34b; Bobby Jackson 408; Mandy Brady 40.

A motion was made and seconded to go into a business session. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairman—John Plunkett; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplain—Lonnie Rogers; Arranging Committee—Jeannette DePoy and Lela Crowder—Saturday, and Dean Slaton and Kathy Williams—Sunday; Finance Committee—Andy Anderson and David Yeager; Memorial Committee—Richard DeLong and Kiri Miller; Resolutions Committee—Richard Mauldin, Oscar McGuire, and Judy Mincey.

RECESS

Rodney Ivey called the class to order leading song on page 142. Leaders: Matt Wells 49b; Amanda Denson 189; Dan Huger 474; Laura Clawson 53; Ted Mercer 30t; Pam Rosser 42; Bert Meitzler 496; Katharine Manning 179; Jeff Sheppard 280; Barbara Swetman 390; John Plunkett 86.

John Plunkett recognized Kiri Miller as editor of “The Chattahoochee Musical Convention, 1852-2002,” which Kiri has worked on for the past year.

LUNCH

Chairman Sheri Taylor and daughter, Lisa Webb, called the afternoon session to order leading song on page 148. Leaders: Dennis George 269; Colin Denson Brady 345b; Jesse Roberts 296; Susan Harcrow 518; Henry Johnson 205; Jessica Roberts 99; David Ivey 217; Megan Jennings 383; Aaron Girard 165; Allison Ivey 182; Shelbie Sheppard 29b; Lou Kujawinski 477; Natalia Cecire 547; Mike Grimes 347; Reba Dell Windom 216; Dan Brittain 245; Martha Beverly and Bill Beverly 481; Bernard Collard 63.

RECESS

Louis Hughes called the class to order by leading song on page 135. Leaders: Syd Caldwell 441; Nate Green and Norma Green 510; Dean Slaton 498; Julie Vea 377; Nick Pasqual 116; Carol Selleck 326; Annie Grieshop 159; Bill Caldwell 344; Martha Henderson 406; David Carlton 332; Sandie Scott 29t; Pat Temple 72b; Nicole Buchanan 426b; Brian Black 340; Mary Badarak 59; Sandra Wilkerson 177.

The afternoon session ended with Chairman Sheri Taylor and Vice Chairman John Plunkett leading song on page 323t. Chaplain Lonnie Rogers closed Saturday’s session with prayer.

Sunday, August 4

The Sunday session began at 9:30 a.m. with Chairman Sheri Taylor leading song on page 430. Louis Hughes offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: John Plunkett 492; Donna Duke 475; Charlene Wallace 283; D.J. Hatfield 171; Terre Schill 218; Elsie Brock 460; John Hollingsworth 236; Judy Mincey 540; Everette Denney 405; Bill Hollingsworth 56b; Andy Anderson 117; Karen Clark 421; Jan House 168; Philip Denney 120; Lee Rogers 538; B.J. Harris and Evelyn Harris 503; Lori Goode 401; Mary Frances D’Andrea 328; Myron House 191; Teenie Moody 317; Lonnie Rogers 225t.

RECESS

Chairman Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, and Lisa Webb called the class to order and led song on page 313b. Leaders: Lisa Webb 566; Andy Morse 353; Don Bowen 494; Judith Green 374; Felton Denney 299; Cindy Cole 146; Lou Cotney 189.

Richard DeLong and Kiri Miller conducted the memorial service. Richard DeLong read scripture from Matthew 7:24-27. Kiri Miller read the list of deceased. Those remembered were: Frances Beasley Lee, Tommye Denson Mauldin, Ethel McGough, John Lacy, Bobby Lacy, and Polly Moore—Alabama; Donald Edwin Meitzler—Connecticut; Berta Woods, Sambo Wilder, Ike Stanford, Wilford Denney, and Rusty Thompson—Georgia; John Bailey and Jerilyn Schumacher—Illinois; Dorothy Williard—Maryland; Dorothy Ebert—Ohio; Frank Sills—Tennessee; and victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Charlene Wallace led song on page 285 (t? b?) for the deceased.

Kiri Miller read the list of sick and shut-ins, led song on page 35t, and reminded everyone to write and visit the ones who are sick and shut-in before they are on the deceased list. Those remembered were: Jimmy Gilmore, Mary Gardner, Arnold Lambert, Eldora Moody, Steve Lambert, Bill Green, Beufa Green, Richard Mauldin, Sr., Herschel Coffey, and Elsie Beasley—Alabama; Beau Caldwell and Jim Danor—Arkansas; Bobby Jackson, Vivian Rogers, George Rogers, Mozelle Sheppard, and Jo Thornton—Georgia; Steve Warner—Illinois; Rick Welsh—Pennsylvania; B.E. Matthews, Ophelia Matthews, Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Kelly Beard, and Ernestine Pipkin—Texas; Peggy Leo—Vermont.

The singing resumed with the following leaders called: Charles Woods 470; Oscar McGuire 276; Dan Brittain 505; Earlis McGraw 389; Penny Kujawinski 203; Alice Moran 40; Bill Caldwell 497; Chloe Webb 159; Susan Geil Neufeld and Randy Neufeld 220; Philip Langley 440.

LUNCH

Dean Slaton opened the afternoon session with song on page 112. Leaders: Jeff Sheppard 436; Molly Kovel 107; Brad Ogletree 192; Deborah Gross 49b; Margie Smith, Syd Caldwell, and B.M. Smith 101t (in memory of Carl Hughes and J.L. Edge); Lee Denney 143; Martha Henderson 288; Ted Mercer 419; David Yeager, Nancy Yeager, and Jane Yates 303; Reba Windom 208; Bernard Collard 454; Laura Clawson and Lela Crowder 442; John Plunkett 424; Shelbie Sheppard 211; Louis Hughes 76b; Laura Ackerman 224; Laura Frey 358; Dan Huger 61; Bill Beverly and Martha Beverly 269; Dennis George 198; Barbara Swetman 142; Kathy Williams 222.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor called the singing together by leading song on page 114. Leaders: John Plunkett 418 (for the Dumas and Reese families); Shaffiq Wellji 86; Louise Holland 273; Megan Jennings 455; Natalia Cecire 312b; Matt Wells 318; Aaron Girard 131t; Carol Selleck 129; Nick Pasqual 569t; Julie Vea 209; Nate Green and Norma Green 414b.

A motion was made to go into the business session.

David Yeager, Finance Committee, reported contributions of $780 from the convention with $60.00 for minutes and balance to the Wilson family.

Resolutions Committee, Richard Mauldin, Oscar McGuire, and Judy Mincey presented the following resolution.

“Be it Resolved, that we, the members of the 150th Session of the Chattahoochee Musical Convention, do thank:

• God, our creator, who is the fount of our many blessings and our sustainer during times of trial and adversity;
• God who has brought us together at this location and time to sing these wonderful old tunes, hymns, and anthems with voices uniting in sweet accord with the harmony of a fellowship made sweeter by our sharing the music He inspired;
• God who has brought through time and distances many hearts and minds to make the moments of this special session a beautiful memory to be shared as we too soon part and go our separate ways, always bound together in our kindred love of Sacred Harp music.
• We wish to express our heartfelt appreciation for being able to live in a nation that allows us the opportunity to meet without interference, at our pleasure and sing as we wish. Also, we thank our fore-bearers and our men and women that have served, died, and are presently serving daily to safeguard and preserve these hard-won freedoms.
• The men and women who have written the words and music which stirs our hearts, minds and inner-beings and encourages us to travel to meet and sing together. May we continue to “Seek the old paths and walk therein.”

We wish to give thanks to:

• The Wilson Family for the gift of this special location for this Chattahoochee Musical Convention;
• Everyone that provided bountiful food and drink to sustain us in these two days of vigorous, enthusiastic, delightful and melodious singing. And we give a special appreciation to Bennett Brown for the delicious barbeque supper Friday evening;
• Those that helped with setting up, cleaning up, and other chores behind the scenes that make this convention run so smoothly;
• All the officers and committees who have worked together to provide a wonderful singing full of fellowship and love;
• Bennett Brown, again, for allowing the convention to clear land that he owns adjacent to our location for the purpose of making another driveway and increasing the parking. Glenn Hill for grading the cleared area so ably;
• John Plunkett and Kiri Miller for their tireless superlative efforts in making the 150th session a memorable and a historical experience, as well as a celebration of the past convention organizers, supporters, and leaders;
• All our singers, leaders and visitors that have given support to all with their voices, encouragement, and prayers;
• Every first-time attendee at this convention who has made us better by their presence, and which are extended a warm and sincere request to come back again soon;
• To all of our regular convention members, singers, and friends with our heartfelt appreciation for your desire and efforts in keeping this grand musical convention growing from the 19th Century into the 21st Century and beyond.

Therefore, we would once again lend our support to the words of Mr. Earl Thurman from his paper produced at the 100th Session of the Chattahoochee Musical Convention held in 1952: “The Chattahoochee Convention is not simply a musical association. The songs of the Sacred Harp have become an IDEAL in the singing life of the multitudes for which we owe allegiance for their support of the Chattahoochee. Through all the years, hundreds of brave men and women have found these gatherings a foundation of inspiration and never-failing food and strength for their spiritual lives.”

And also Mr. Lonnie Rogers as he so eloquently stated in 1972:

“This particular convention has been held frequently at a church that was built especially for Sacred Harp singing by Mr. Matthew Wilson. His family who maintains the church graciously welcomes singers and friends.

The supporters of Sacred Harp music have maintained their humility, friendliness, faith, love, and respect for the time-honored songs of their ancestors. There seems to be a fellowship and openness among Sacred Harp singers and listeners that exists among no other groups in the world. This comes through in singers who learned Sacred Harp at a course in college as well as those who learned the songs at their father’s knee.

So, there seems to be no reason to believe that Sacred Harp will not continue to grow, thrive, and inspire future generations.”

We close these resolutions with a prayerful request for safety to all while traveling, and a commitment to encourage all singers present to continue celebrating Sacred Harp by attending singings, as able. We encourage you to support your fellow singers in the year ahead, to return again to the Chattahoochee Musical Convention, and to renew its fellowship and love in 2003 as it continues towards the 200th Session celebration in 2052.

The Resolutions Committee composed of Judy Mincey, Oscar McGuire, and Richard Mauldin, Jr. respectfully submits these resolutions to the 150th Session of the Chattahoochee Musical Convention today, Sunday, the 4th day of August in the year of our Lord 2002. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Cathy Manning 429; Jeff Sheppard 81t.

Announcements for future singing were announced. Chairman Sheri Taylor and Vice Chairman John Plunkett led song on page 62 as the closing song. Lonnie Rogers closed the convention with prayer.

Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairman—John Plunkett; Secretary—Donna Duke.