Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, February 17

The fourth annual Ohio State Convention for Saturday was held at the Ebenezer Mennonite Old Schoolhouse near Bluffton, Ohio. Kathy Knecht called the class to order leading song on page 49t. Beth Huener offered the morning prayer. Leaders: Jim Coppock 288; Virginia Cameron 128; Eric Conrad 163t; Charlotte Wolfe 47t; Linda Coppock 38b; Nathan Barford 34b; Robert A. Meek 178; Debbie Barford 171; John Bayer, Jr. 123b; Emmie Barford 479; Kat Kinkade 528; Samuel Sommers 422; Christine Guth 77t; Loraine Bayer 501; Leyland DelRe 504; Kelly Macklin 125; Michael Hieber 37b; James Page 268; Fred Todt 38t; Jodi Liss 89.

RECESS

John Bealle called the class back by leading song on page 474, and conducted the business meeting. Co-Chairpersons—Kathryn and Charles Knecht; Vice Chair—Paul Foster; Secretary—Kay Bieszczad; Arranging—Beth Huener; Treasurer—Jo McCormick; Location Committee—John Bealle and Michael Darby; Memorial Committee—Michele Rae Biery, Beth Huener, and Kelly Macklin. Leaders: Kay Bieszczad 551; Kathy Knecht 84; Charles Knecht 29t; Paul Foster 442; Beth Huener 86; Michael Darby 350; Charles Wells 49b; Jeff Franklin 556; Ted Mercer 328; Connie Karduck 352; Marsha Johnson 434; Eloise Clark 188; Brad Oglesby 137; Ted Johnson 142; Debbie Hall 497; Elizabeth Todd 146; Melanie Hauff 421; Lorraine Sawyer 312b; Jerry Enright 370; John Bayer, Jr. 274t; Michele Rae Biery 273; Alexander Knecht and his mother, Kathryn Knecht 198; Jim Coppock 532; Michael Darby 183; Virginia Cameron 36b; Eric Conrad 39t; Kay Bieszczad 159.

While waiting for the final preparations for lunch, the class sang several familiar tunes for the ladies of the church who were serving lunch.

LUNCH

Kathy Knecht called the class back together leading song on page 46. Leaders: Judy Hauff 423; Dave Barford 168; Sylvia Thomas 455; Linda Coppock 542; Charlotte Wolfe 99; Robert Meek 143; Debbie Barford 269; Jim Coppock 485; Michael Darby 131b; Kay Bieszczad 105; Charles Knecht 500; Christine Guth 179. A collection to cover expenses was taken. Leaders: Beth Huener 236; Loraine Bayer 102; Leyland DelRe 213t; Kelly Macklin 214; Paul Foster 110; Dave Barford 147t; Linda Coppock 196; Charlotte Wolfe 192; Nathan Barford 66; James Page 216.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Charles Knecht leading song on page 42b. Leaders: Robert Meek 68 (t? b?); Emmie Barford, Regina Bayer, and Leyland DelRe 189; Debbie Barford 149; Kathryn Knecht 344; Michael Hieber 448b; Kat Kinkade 411; Samuel Sommers 426b (for his godson, Ian Samuel); Lois Hurt 59; Fred Todt 480; Jodi Liss 191; John Bealle 377; Charles Wells 569b; Jeff Franklin 300; Ted Mercer 90; Connie Kardock 34t; Marcia Johnson 33t; Brad Oglesby 503; Lorraine Sawyer 195. Announcements of upcoming sings were made, including a special sing in Chicago next weekend, and conventions in Kentucky the first Saturday after Easter, in Missouri on March 9, and the annual Midwest Convention during the fifth weekend in June. Laura Weber then lead the class in closing with the song on page 347.

Sunday, February 18

The Sunday session of the convention was held at the chapel on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. The class called itself to order by singing the song on page 153 without a leader. Leaders: Kathy Knecht 48t; Beth Huener 163b; Paul Foster 48b; Kay Bieszczad 452; Charles Knecht 32b; Joe Todd 312b; Ted Mercer 346; Virginia Benade 49b; Marcia Johnson 32t; Connie Karduck 498; Jeff Franklin 99; Charles Wells 45t; Lois Hurt 551; John Bealle 278t; Brad Oglesby 171; Samuel Sommers 543; Fred Todt 315; Kat Kinkade 215; James Page, 474; Jodi Liss 200; Kelly Macklin 464; Leyland DelRe 448t; John Bayer, Jr. 567; Loraine Bayer 313b.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Eloise Clark leading song on page 81t. Leaders: Elizabeth Todd 85; Mike Hieber 159; Christine Guth 272; Michael Darby 31t; Judy Hauff 172; Michele Rae Biery 186; Jerry Enright 383; Melanie Hauff 444; Debbie Hall 453; Ted Johnson 368; Michele Rae Biery 163b. The memorial lesson was given at this time. Messages were given by Michelle Rae Biery and Kelly Macklin. Noted especially was the relatively large number of children present, particularly the several young leaders. We hope this trend will continue. This is part of the tradition which seems to be generally absent from the northern sings. Beth Huener read the names of the deceased: Georgia—Randolph Mincey, Martha Clarke Wells (mother of Charles Wells who died on August 12, 1995. Martha Clarke Wells was the great granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin White); Tennessee—Jack Everts; Ohio—Sherrill Brandenburg (a friend of Ed and Lil Huener); Pennsylvania—Christopher Rose who died on January 18, 1996; Alabama—Hoyt Renfroe, Lessie Cates, Aver Crider, and Dewey Williams; Florida—George Klein; New York—Joe Beasley; Illinois—Jean Buck and Ron Buck. Those sick and shut-ins remembered: Jane Conrad, mother of Eric Conrad, who is recovering from a heart attack; Tammy Webster, a close friend of Paul Foster, who is battling leukemia; Virgil Phillips; Eleanor Heasley of Pennsylvania who is recovering from a December auto accident; Jack Corley, Eva Reeves, and Lissa Blood. To conclude, Kelly Macklin lead the song on page 566. Leaders: Lorraine Sawyer 114; Paul Foster 193; Kay Bieszczad 178; Michael Hieber 323b; Charles Knecht 377; Alexander Knecht 59 (with his mother Kathryn and little sister); Kathryn Knecht 376; Ted Mercer 240; Marcia Johnson “Marcia”, a 1994 composition by Judy Hauff and John Bayer; Beth Huener 547.

LUNCH

The class was called back by Paul Foster leading song on page 155. Leaders: Joe Todd 58; Jeff Franklin 351; Brad Oglesby 63; Samuel Sommers 369; Fred Todt 212; Kat Kinkade 428; James Page “Northern Court”, a 1992 composition by James Page; Kelly Macklin 372; Jodi Liss 103; John Bealle 217; John Bayer, Jr. 39b; Loraine Bayer 61; Lois Hurt 79; Elizabeth Todd 495; Christine Guth 362; Michael Darby 56b; Eloise Clark 524; Judy Hauff 546; Michelle Rae Biery 361.

RECESS

The class was called back by Eloise Clark leading song on page 107. Leaders: Jerry Enright 399t; Ted Johnson 348b; Debbie Hall 184; Melanie Hauff 536; Christine Guth 30b; Lois Hurt 49t; Kelly Macklin 208; James Page 550; Samuel Sommers 112; Marcia Johnson 288; Judy Hauff 313t; Kat Kinkade 106; John Bealle 36b; John Bayer, Jr. “Okefenokee”, a 1995 composition by John Bayer, Jr. and Judy Hauff; Charles Knecht 430; Leyland DelRe 28b; Kay Bieszczad 56t; Beth Huener 39t; Paul Foster 95. Announcements followed about the sings mentioned Saturday. Also, mentioned were an upcoming sing in Virginia and the Michiana sing in Goshen, Indiana in July. Charles Knecht led song on page 62 as the closing song. Beth Huener gave the closing prayer.

Our leaders were from 8 states: 12 from Illinois, 2 from Indiana, 2 from Kentucky, 2 from Michigan, 33 (t? b?) from Ohio, 1 from Pennsylvania, 3 from Virginia, and 1 from Wisconsin. A total of 180 songs were led, and the total number of singers averaged about 80 (t? b?).

Chairman—Kathryn Knecht and Charles Knecht; Vice Chairman—Paul Foster; Secretary—Kay Bieszczad.