Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 13

The sixth annual Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention was called to order at 9:30 a.m. by Bradford West leading 37b. Eric Morgan offered the opening prayer.

Chair Jenna Strizak welcomed everyone and turned the class over to Bradford West who led a singing school. The following songs were sung during the school: 29t, 45t, 155, 171, and 189.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Bradford West leading 34t. Leaders: Chair Jenna Strizak 276; Vice Chair Kelsey Wessels 475; Secretary Rosie Wojcik 477; Dan Hertzler 319; Linda Shea 300; Scott DePoy 410t; Inga Knets 99; Kara Morin 178; Bob Mills 160b; Bobbie Goodell 426b; Jill Accetta 131t; Henry Johnson 88t; Sheila Kelley 129; Ronald Bornick 84; Kiri Miller 442; John Brode 57; Marcia Tucker 147t; Paul Butler 218; Alexa Gilmore 270; Ginny Landgraf 26; Ruth Hooke 198; Neely Bruce 263.

RECESS

The singing resumed with Elric Elias leading 299. Leaders: Paul Gauthier 542; Charlene Wallace 314; Victoria Bolles 280; Louis Hughes 512; Jessica Holland 474; Bill Holt 352; Sarah Beasley Smith 318; Aldo Ceresa 142; Kim Bahmer 39t; Chris Noren 236; Sally House 31t; Matthew Wojcik 87; John Holbrook 339; Kshama Ananthapura 274t; Aaron Girard 383; Roland Hutchinson 543; Martha Lang 106; Elric Elias 168; Rick Johnston 392. John Plunkett offered prayer for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Kelsey Wessels called the class to order for the afternoon session with 228. Leaders: Laura Timmerman and Kelsey Wessels 550; John Plunkett 549; Laura Clawson and Rodney Ivey 186; Rodney Ivey 430; Richard DeLong 216; Allison Schofield 215; Jerry Enright 370; Mirjana Lausevic 335; Eric Morgan 53; Reba Windom 436; Tim Eriksen 448t; Liz Meitzler 245; Phillip Langley 112; Gina Balestracci 419; Paul Setford 273; Kelly House and Bradford West 347; Jeanette DePoy 566; Peter Irvine and Anna Maria Irvine 67; Lela Crowder 224; Andrew Magee 399b; Lynne deBenedette 376; George Pomfret 489.

RECESS

The class was brought to order. Leaders: Katie Mahoney 81t; George Seiler 480; Sam Amidon 48b; Claire Singleton 455; Karen Freund 278t; Tom Padwa 515; Jessica Beer 535; Ginnie Ely 349; Jean Seiler 472; Gerry Hoffman 182; Susan Loucks 454; Chloe Maher 504; Effie Cummings 344; Joanne DeVoe 327; Sally O’Brien 277; Charlie Pilzer 268; Edith Berger 547; Mary Jo Shafer 82t; Brian Collett 254; Carly Goss 114; Margaret Bornick 212; Zara Bode 272.

Jenna Strizak led 282 as the closing song. Sally House offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, March 14

Chair Jenna Strizak called the class to order for the Sunday session with 89. Louis Hughes offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Vice Chair Kelsey Wessels 171; Secretary Rosie Wojcik 30t; Barbara Swetman 203; Bill Dunn and Kelly House 312b; Charlotte Ehrman 490; Guy Bankes 556; Alice Kast 300; Charles Taylor 456; Renuka Vijayanathan and Bradford West 159; Bob Parr 304; Joanne Bowman 485; Richard Lee 146; Kate Richardson 217; Seth Holloway 274t; Rebecca Edwards 145t; Katherine Collett 155; Charles Cofone 35; Katie Mahoney 183; David Bliss 66; Patrick Giles 384.

RECESS

The class was brought to order. Leaders: Peter Irvine 59; Marcia Tucker 551; Nick Edwards 268; Paula Picton 430; Paul Setford 299; Inga Knets 148; Phillip Langley 269; Francis Bliss 84; Claire Singleton 163b; Michael Heyerman 38b; Sally House, Joseph Dunn, and Kelly House 503; Jerry Enright 77t; Michael Ryan 102; Eliza Cavanaugh 350; John Holbrook 47b; Jessica Beer 332; Louis Freilicher 376; Gary Smith 569b; Jean Seiler 217; Gerry Hoffman 458; Sheila Kelley 306; Margaret Bornick 497; Andrew Magee 215; Chloe Maher 73t.

RECESS

The class resumed singing. Leaders: Kshama Ananthapura 170; Bradford West 532; Bobbie Goodell 108b; Kitty Kagay 302; George Seiler 68b; Carly Goss 192; Paul Butler 565 (for all cancer survivors present); Jeannette DePoy 282; Paul Gauthier 499; Amy Davies and Jessica Beer 107; Louis Hughes 76b.

The memorial lesson was conducted with Inga Knets leading 33b for the following sick and shut-ins: Elsie Beasley and John Hocutt—Alabama; Barbara DePoy and Bobby Jackson—Georgia; Sheila MacLean, Helen Holland, and Tom Cavanaugh, Sr.—Massachusetts; David Bornick, Kim Milling, and Kay Milling—New York; Sharon Nygren—North Carolina; Loraine Bayer—Ohio; Jack Acceta—Pennsylvania; Kelly Beard—Texas.

Laura Timmerman reminded the class that we grieve because we have loved. This is a blessing from God as is this singing community to which we can bring our joy and suffering, struggle, and celebration. Laura led the class in singing 30b remembering the following who have died in the last year: Lamar Smith and Ruth Brown—Alabama; Tim Lull—California; Lee Stewart—Colorado; Laurette Wojcik—Connecticut; Lou Silver and Juliet Greer—Florida; Ben Brady, Robert Kendrick, Mozelle Sheppard, and Mary Bruce—Georgia; Miriam Mahler Wilson Evans—Iowa; Lawrie Wallace, Ruth Bartlett Clark, and Roland Wessels—Maine; Guy Griffen and Linda Sweeting—Maryland; Judy Wagner, Joseph Betko, and Douglas Way—New Hampshire; Ed Dowey—New Jersey; Thomas Savage, Spalding Gray, John Jeannopoulos, and Hugh Anderson—New York; Ruby Neely—North Carolina; Olivia Sole—Ohio; Ruth Pomfret—Pennsylvania; Lois Crump Smith—Tennessee; Dinah Breunig, John Sheldon and Howard Northrup—Vermont; Eugenia Fox and David Moody—Washington. Henry Johnson closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Linda Shea 448b; Dan Hertzler 162; Lela Crowder 440; Kshama Ananthapura 216; Bob Mills 410b; Sarah Beasley Smith 108 (t? b?). Dan Hertzler offered prayer for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Jenna Strizak called the class back for the afternoon session with 328. Leaders: Tim Eriksen 222; Eric Morgan 142; Susan Mampre 209; Kiri Miller 112; Richard DeLong 41; Matthew Wojcik 189; Allison Schofield 542; Reba Windom 196; John Plunkett 564; Rodney Ivey 172; Eliza Cavanaugh 137; Lynne deBenedette, Karen Freund, and Reba Windom 224; Karen Freund 56b; John Brode 375; Charlene Wallace 481; Laura Clawson 362; Aldo Ceresa 85; Duncan Vinson 229; Ginnie Ely 546; Scott DePoy 480; Henry Johnson 138t; Kara Morin 228; Alexa Gilmore 445. Jenna Strizak opened the business meeting to hear committee reports.

Finance Committee Chairman Paul Butler reported that convention expenses had been met with the donations made by singers over both days of the convention.

Arranging Committee Chair Linda Shea reported that 182 songs had been led so far by 123 leaders, and that 317 people had registered over the two days from 21 states, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

The Resolutions Committee: George Seiler, Kelly Taylor, and Dave Evans thanked everyone who helped with this year’s Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention. The business session was closed.

Chair Jenna Strizak announced that the next Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention will take place March 12-13, 2005. Announcements of other singings were made.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order. Leaders: Sheila Kelley 186; Aaron Girard 285t; Mirjana Lausevic 29t; Zara Bode and Carly Goss 131t; Rick Johnston 530; Jill Accetta 110; Elric Elias 324; Ginny Landgraf 184; Laura Timmerman 111b; Bill Dunn 37b; Lydia Vernon Jones 347; Louis Freilicher 99; Seth Holloway 145b; Rebecca Edwards 72b; Mary Jo Shafer 410t; Chris Noren 361; Guy Bankes 151; Kelly House 270; Richard Lee and Katie Mahoney 495; Joanne Bowman 191; Bob Parr 492; Charles Taylor 101t; Kate Richardson 138b.

Jenna Strizak, Kelsey Wessels, and Rosie Wojcik led 62 as the closing song. Jenna Strizak offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chair—Jenna Strizak; Vice Chair—Kelsey Wessels; Secretary—Rosie Wojcik.