Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, October 19

The tenth annual session of the Pacific Northwest Convention (Oregon) was held at Sellwood Community Center in Portland, Oregon on the third Sunday and Saturday before in October. Chairman Peter Irvine called the class to order at 9:30 a.m. leading song on page 171. Bruce Rowland offered the opening prayer. Tollie Lee, singing school teacher, led a number of songs from the Cooper Book. His first selections were 180, 38t, 54, 78, 572, and 84. He told us many stories of his family’s singing traditions and what singing Sacred Harp music means to him. After leading 133 and 138, he shared his belief that “love is the moving cause, and Sacred Harp is love. You can’t sing when you are angry”. He related many moving stories of the love his family shares, then led songs on pages 336t, 485, 574, 404, and 563. Mr. Lee closed the singing school leading song on page 515.

Pastor David Zaworski offered grace for the noon meal.

LUNCH

The Sacred Harp, 1991 Revision, was used in the afternoon sessions.

David Hough opened the afternoon session by leading song on page 32t. Leaders: Peter Irvine 47b; Marie Brandis 142; Kathy Vlach 40; Jeff Pratt 47t; Jane Grant 119; Pat Nida 68b; David Wright 102; Scott Kennedy 569b; Eliza Cavanaugh 328; Jack Lofton 200; Jill Accetta 37b; Karen Willard 349; Sally House 99; Caleb Hardy 86; Bruce Rowland 30t; Jenny Jensen 454; Raoul Titus 39b; Katharine Hough 376; Fran Ross 143; John Carson 114; Anne Huckins 497; Jim Brock 496; Meg Larson 503.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Scott Kennedy leading song on page 178. Leaders: David Zaworski 33b; Marcia Stedman 209; Ken Cofield 49b; Joanne Hoover 313b; Tollie Lee 448b; Anna Maria Irvine 65; David Landazuri 146; Susan Helf 189; Callie Jordan 56b; Ramona Lee 46; Jenny Jenson 441; Sally House 76b; Jack Lofton 384; Eliza Cavanaugh 475; David Hough 480; Jane Grant 147t; David Wright 546; Karen Willard 332; Bruce Rowland 532.

Announcements were made. Peter Irvine led song on page 282 as the closing song. Pastor David Zaworski offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

A social and informal singing was held on Saturday evening at the home of Marie Brandis and David Zaworski.

Sunday, October 20

Chairman Peter Irvine called the class to order at 9:30 a.m., followed with prayer by Connie Stanton.

Leaders: Eliza Cavanaugh 75; Marie Brandis 66; Gary Plouff 567; David Wright 535; Anna Maria Irvine 229; Anne Huckins 474; Jack Lofton 36b; Fran Ross 551; Jill Accetta 270; Martha Johnson 148; Susan Helf 163; Callie Jordan 388; David Landazuri 74b; Linda Laing 479; Greg Saue 31t; Jane Grant 344; Meg Larson 549; Scott Kennedy 235; Sally House 171; Kathy Vlach 280.

RECESS

The following session of our convention was sung from the Cooper Book. Leaders: Karen Willard 451, 50t; Jenny Jensen 559; Eliza Cavanaugh 72; Laurie Sommers 392; Tollie Lee 568; Pat Nida 488b; Peter Irvine 505; Stan Jensen 488t; Ramona Lee 367; Jim Brock 571.

Jill Accetta conducted the memorial lesson. She commented that, as a part of the Sacred Harp family, we experience love and loss. “Let us here today, during this memorial service, honor our loss by remembering those who we loved so well and who loved us in return. Let us here today turn to our neighbor and honor the love we have for one another by embracing what we hold in our arms at this moment and acknowledge the inevitable bittersweet loss of tomorrow.” She then read the list of those who had passed away and led song on page 452 in their memory: Gladys Harden, Freeman Wootten, Helen Smith Hall, James L. Howell, Warren G. Meadows, and Flora Skinner—Alabama; Mary Frances Beasley Lee and Lydia Pinney—Florida; Kenneth DeLong—Georgia; Esther Smith, Carrie Dickenson, Ruby Cramer, Kathleen Cotton, and Trim Bissell—Oregon; Ann Jesperson—Washington; Jack Dodson and Sally Spiess—California; Bob Lynch—Idaho; Mary Jane Wiesmor and Peter Vea—Wisconsin; Donna Ruth Willard Moser—Arizona; Jack Poyser—Illinois; Winnie Jeans—United Kingdom; Rupert Sellens—New Zealand.

We also remembered those who were sick or shut-ins and sang song on page 129 to honor them: Jeff Green and Mary Johnson—Alabama; Merritt Herring, Jennifer Lehmer, Adeline Romoser, Lorraine Lab, Karen Schmidt, Dean Nida, and Doug Ebbitt—Oregon; Ann App—Washington; Mildred Lynch—Idaho; Ken Bills—Utah; Katharine Smith—Iowa; Sally Dahlgren—Illinois; Muriel Plouff—Massachusetts. Peter Irvine closed the memorial lesson by leading song on page 30t.

Joanne Hoover offered grace for the noon meal, and the class was dismissed.

LUNCH

Marie Brandis brought the class back to order leading song on page 294. Leaders: Katharine Hough 269; Bruce Rowland 282; Joanne Hoover 496; David Hough 384; Teri Reich 457; Betty Jones 290; John Carson 361; Jean Murphy 45t; Martha Johnson 155; Gary Plouff 378; Kathy Vlach 186; Greg Saue 99; Linda Laing 312; Marcia Stedman 455; David Landazuri 39t; Pat Nida 49t; Sally House 146; Jim Brock 350; Ramona Lee 81; Ann Huckins 277; Fran Ross 198; Eliza Cavanaugh 299; Susan Helf 34b; Tollie Lee 385b; Matthew Sellens 376.

RECESS

Jenny Jensen brought the class back to order leading song on 112. A brief business meeting was held. Chairman Peter Irvine thanked:

• All who came and made this convention a successful event;
• Everyone for their support in providing food, setting up, and cleaning up.

He also announced the possibility of the relocation of next year’s convention.

The Arranging Committee reported 85 people in attendance from eight states leading 114 songs.

The Treasurer’s Report indicated that the expenses of the convention were almost met by donations. The business session was closed.

Announcements of singings and other conventions were made. Leaders: Katharine Hough 408; David Wright 528; Joanne Hoover 365; Jean Murphy 209; John Carson 324; Marie Brandis 414; Jack Lofton 542.

Peter Irvine closed the convention leading song on page 36b while singers took the parting hand. Tollie Lee offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Peter Irvine; Secretary—Marie Brandis.