Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

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Garden State Sacred Harp Singing Convention

Montclair, New Jersey

May 14-15, 2004

Friday, May 14

The twelfth annual session of the Garden State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held at the Montclair Friends Meeting House in Montclair, New Jersey on Friday and Saturday before the third Sunday in May. The class was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Gina Balestracci leading 59. Diane Mennella offered the opening prayer.

A business meeting was held with the following officers elected or appointed to serve: Chair—Diane Mennella; Vice Chair—Claire Simon; Secretary—Sue Hanson; Treasurer—Dick Levine; Arranging Committee—Laura Densmore; Memorial Committee—Guy Bankes and Richard DeLong; Housing—Susan Bingham.

Leaders: Roland Hutchinson 34b; Sue Hanson 49t; Claire Simon 31t; Diane Mennella 300; Susan Bingham 107; Michael Kaye 480; Ron Bornick 178; Donna Abrahams 475; Tom Metzger 350; Laura Timmerman 52t; Ellie Soler 277; Chris Noren 445; Mary Ann Daly 383; George Seiler 183; Margaret Bornick 209; Guy Bankes 352; Patricia Geritz 503; Bill Holt 128; Aldo Ceresa 99; Barbara Swetman 368; Joe Todd 58; Jean Seiler 299; Dan Hertzler 319; Beth Todd 82 (t? b?); Dennis Leipold 186; Bob Parr 318; Eric Hildebrant 551; Laura Densmore 384.

RECESS

The singing resumed with Gina Balestracci leading 28t. Leaders: Bill Dunn 37b; Eileen Metzger 379; Diane Mennella 362; Kelly House 442; Roland Hutchinson 515; Michael Kaye 448b; Ann Broome 76b; Susan Bingham 198; Ron Bornick 454; Donna Abrahams 189; Claire Simon 106; Thom Metzger 547; Laura Timmerman 215; Ellie Soler 143; Chris Noren 32t; Mary Ann Daly 36t; George Seiler 168; Margaret Bornick 276.

Announcements were made. Laura Densmore led 228 as the closing song. Susan Bingham offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Saturday, May 15

Guy Bankes called the class together at 10:00 a.m. leading 350. Claire Simon offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Patricia Geritz 47t; Dennis Leipold 47b; Eileen Metzger 179; Diane Mennella 77b; Claire Simon 472; Sue Hanson 473; Dick Levine 66; Beth Todd 335; Gina Balestracci 29b.

Diane Mennella introduced Richard DeLong to the class. Richard led a singing school which included singing all or part of: 176b, 36b, 36t, 57, 31t, 392,197,375, 296, 168, 542, and 318.

RECESS

The singing resumed with Thom Metzger leading 34b. Leaders: Inga Knetz 29t; Rick Johnson 172; Shaffiq Welji 217; Molly Sayvetz 501; Dick Levine 84; Gerry Hoffman 61; Paula Picton 216; George Pomfret 535; Charlotte Ehrman 340; Berk Meitzler 496; Victoria Bolles 112.

Guy Bankes conducted the memorial lesson, reminding us of the Quaker teachings that ‘God is in every man’ and that the Spirit of Christ resides in each of us.

Richard DeLong read the following list of the deceased and led 390 in their memory: Joy Wheeler, Agnes Jeannopoulos, John Jeannopoulos, Stanley Brown, Linda Crump-Stenberg, and Thomas Savage—New York; Terence Pamplin and Bob Cooper—United Kingdom; Donald Lipp—Florida; Helen Snowberg and Earl Homuth—Wisconsin; Jake Jacobson—Connecticut; Judy Wagner—New Hampshire; John Sheldon and Howard Northrup—Vermont; Betty Nikelsky—New Jersey; Ruth Pomfret—Pennsylvania; Wayne Rasmussen—Massachusetts; Mike Nickles, Robert Kendrick, Barbara DePoy, Ben Brady, and Estelle Flowers—Georgia; Jon Eklund and Anne Marie Serio—Virginia; Lee Stewart—Colorado.

Guy Bankes read the list of the sick and shut-ins and led 70t in their honor: Marilyn Darch—California; Margaret Peckman—Florida; Cheryl Doehler—New Jersey; Susan S. and Jennifer P.—New York; Mado Venier—France; Jane Roman—Maryland; Gihon Jordan—Pennsylvania and Bruce Randall—Massachusetts. Richard DeLong closed the memorial with prayer.

Leaders: Bradford West 245; Karen Snowberg 532; Patrick Giles 319; Hal Kunkel 179. George Seiler offered the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

The singing resumed with Dan Hertzler leading 39t. Leaders: Nicola Collett 455; Frank Evans 87; Doron Henkin 278b; Kitty Kagay 111b; Tom Malone 99; Clarice Kjerulff 358; Richard DeLong 436; Katherine Collett 155; Joe Todd 373; Brenda Pena 229; Bill Holt 377; Kelly House 430; Dan Hertzler 218; Jean Seiler 200; Bob Parr 272; Rick Johnson 203; Molly Sayvetz 49b; Shaffiq Welji 276; Lynne deBenedette 142; Hal Kunkel 47b.

RECESS

Bill Dunn called the class together with 34b. Leaders: Barbara Swetman 372; Gerry Hoffman 68t; Anne Broome 312b; George Pomfret 163b; Victoria Bolles 299; Berk Meitzler 426 (t? b?); Gina Balestracci 300; Aldo Ceresa 198; Paula Picton 269.

A business session was held to hear committee reports.

The Secretary reported attendees were from 12 states; and 59 leaders led 120 tunes.

The Treasurer reported that expenses had been met with a small surplus to begin planning for next year.

Barbara Swetman gave the Resolutions Committee Report, thanking everyone who made this convention possible.

Announcements were made. The officers led 62 as the closing song, and Diane Mennella dismissed the class with prayer.

Chair—Diane Mennella; Vice Chair—Claire Simon; Secretary—Sue Hanson.