Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 2

The one hundred fifty-first session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held at Wilson’s Chapel, near Carrollton, Georgia, on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August. Chairman Sheri Taylor opened the convention by leading 27, 71, and 77t. Lonnie Rogers offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: John Plunkett 52t and 275t; Donna Duke 73b, 129; Lonnie Rogers 33b, 129; Kathy Williams 494; Richard Mauldin 36b; Kiri Miller 442; Andy Anderson 347; Judy Mincey 376; Richard DeLong 123b; Margie Smith 569b; Bobby Jackson 568; Billy Hollingsworth 236.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Laura Frey leading 178. Leaders: Phillip Langley 436; Sandra Wilkinson 274 (t? b?); Andy Morris 538; Sue Bunch 72b.

Chairman Sheri Taylor opened the business session of the convention and the following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairman—John Plunkett; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplain—Lonnie Rogers; Arranging Committee—Saturday session—Kathy Williams and Margie Smith—Sunday session—Charlene Wallace and Lisa Webb; Finance Committee—Lori Goode and Lisa Webb; Resolutions Committee—Kiri Miller and D.J. Hatfield; Memorial Committee—Richard Mauldin and Charles Woods.

Leaders: Don Bowen 157; Lori Goode 401; Nick Pasqual 58; Jack Nelson 30b; Rachel Speer 61; Tommy McGraw 475; John Hollingsworth 186; Carlene Griffin 146; Felton Denney 73t; Charles Woods 53; Herman Wilkerson 111b; Lou Cotney 222; Jimmie Denney 101t; Louise Holland 144; Philip Denney 28b; Martha Ann Stegar 501; Oscar McGuire 573.

LUNCH

Chairman Sheri Taylor opened the afternoon session by leading song 142. Leaders: Earlis McGraw 284; Charlene Wallace 365; D.J. Hatfield 432; Lisa Webb 334; Morgan Bunch 485; Louis Hughes 466; Bernard Denney 100; Hugh McGraw 354b; Jeff Sheppard 467; Gene Duke 303; B.M. Smith 498; Henry Johnson 88t; Aaron Girard 536; Kathy Williams 506; Kiri Miller 383; Sue Bunch 63; Bill Hollingsworth 137; Nick Pasqual 412; Rachel Speer 89; Jack Nelson 437; Sandra Wilkinson 384; Morgan Bunch 95; Oscar McGuire 34 (t? b?); D.J. Hatfield 396; Aaron Girard 270; Andy Morris 455; Henry Johnson 125; Louis Hughes 512; Sheri Taylor and Jena Frey 25.

Sheri Taylor and Richard DeLong led 323t as the closing song for the Saturday session. Chaplain Lonnie Rogers offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, August 3

The Sunday morning session was brought to order by Chairman Sheri Taylor leading 39t and 47b. Chaplain Lonnie Rogers offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: John Plunkett 77b, 207; Donna Duke 106, 189; Lonnie Rogers 298, 97; Kathy Williams 479, 208; Lori Goode 358, 275b; Philip Denney 120, 84; Bobby Jackson 480, 499; Sue Bunch 49b, 290; Denney Rogers 143, 345t; Mary Lambert Smith 283, 289.

RECESS

John Plunkett called the class to order leading 49t. Leaders: Stanley Edwards 101t, 340; Eunice Webb 30b, 284; Don Bowen 198, 348b.

The memorial lesson was held at the 11:00 a.m. hour. Richard Mauldin read the following list of deceased, and led 122 in their memory: Ruth Brown, Herschel Coffey, Kenneth DeLong, Everette Denney, Martha Ellis (Martha Ann Stegar’s aunt, who died last year), Doris Haley, Clarence Lambert, Beulah Reese, George Rogers, Vivian Rogers, Elaine Dean Valenti, and Revy Williamson.

Charles Woods led 566 for the sick and shut-ins: Nancy Allen, Harvey Austin, Alice Edwards, Hester Edwards, June Dean Gresham, Lebron Hinton, John Hocutt, Donnie McGraw, I.V. McWhorter, Reba Norton, Mozelle Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, Myrtle Smith, Violet Stark, Violet Thomason, Jap Walton, Joyce Walton, Cathy White, and Floy Wilder.

Richard Mauldin and Charles Woods led 566, and Lonnie Rogers closed the memorial with prayer.

Leaders: Scott DePoy 410 (t? b?), 77t; Rachel Speer 506, 440; Eric Tweedy 300, 200; B.M. Smith 99, 318.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Chairman Sheri Taylor leading 503. Leaders: Jeannette DePoy 216, 387; Andy Anderson 496, 299; Lela Crowder 168, 546; Morgan Bunch 147t, 551; Kiri Miller 430, 37b; Nick Pasqual 185, 314; D.J. Hatfield 385t, 349; Teenie Moody 441, 217; Aaron Girard 74b, 377; Oscar McGuire 276; Richard DeLong 100 (for Mrs. Cofer, who is 98 years old), 399b; Tommy McGraw 30t, 138t.

RECESS

Laura Frey called the class together leading 163b and 178. Leaders: Gene Duke and Donna Duke 345b, 45t; Earlis McGraw 163t, 271t; Jimmie Denney 68b; Louise Holland 137, 323b; Lisa Webb 454, 124; Kate Wilkins 30t; Richard Mauldin 66; John Plunkett 63.

A motion was made and seconded for the convention to go into a business session. Lonnie Rogers made a motion that a picture of Ruth Brown be put in the minutes as a memorial to Ruth’s dedication to Sacred Harp. A letter will be submitted to the Sacred Harp Musical Heritage Association Board for consideration.

Committee reports were read as follows: Finance Committee—a collection of $433 was received; expenses of $60.00 for minutes were deducted, and the remaining funds were given to Wilson’s Chapel.

Kiri Miller and D.J. Hatfield presented the following Resolutions Committee report. “This is the 151st session of the Chattahoochee Convention. Lest we take for granted the blessings of these past two days of singing, it is fitting that we reflect, with gratitude, upon those whose support this convention has sustained us.

• First, we are bound to thank our Creator, who gave to us the gifts of music, love, and fellowship in which we have so fully shared during these past two days. For the cool weather, for the break in the rain just as we recessed for dinner, and for safety in travel, may our hearts be grateful.
• Second, we thank the Sacred Harp Publishing Company, the writers of the tunes we share, and our teachers, without whom we would not have this opportunity to meet in song. We thank everyone who has committed resources to the maintenance of Wilson’s Chapel, giving the convention such a fine home. In particular, we recognize the Wilson family, whose care for this building over several generations, is an example to all those who cherish Sacred Harp singing. We would also like to thank the officers of this convention, who have organized and coordinated this session, as well as the Memorial Committee and Arranging Committees. We thank everyone who generously supplied delicious and plentiful food for dinner, fortifying the class for the entire afternoon. The Chattahoochee Convention has always been a convention that gathered singers from far away, even when far away was a day’s wagon ride from several counties over. Today, we travel by plane and automobile, but the convention’s tradition of hospitality has not changed. Those of us who come from a distance to meet here in Wilson’s Chapel are thankful for the hospitality shown to us by local singers. We resolve to continue this tradition of hospitality by opening our hearts and homes to members of this convention when they travel to our local conventions and singings.
• Finally, we resolve to meet at Wilson’s Chapel on the first Sunday in August, 2004 and the Saturday before for the 152nd session of the Chattahoochee Convention.”

A motion was made and carried that the report be accepted as read, and added to the minutes. The business session was closed.

Announcements for future singings were announced. Sheri Taylor and John Plunkett led 62 as the closing song, Lonnie Rogers offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

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