Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The annual Labor Day Singing was held at Shoal Creek Church in the Talladega National Forest, Cleburne County, near Heflin, Alabama on the first Monday in September. Jeff Sheppard called the class to order leading 32t. Lonnie Rogers offered the morning prayer.

The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Jeff Sheppard; Vice Chairman—Richard DeLong; Secretary—LaRue Allen; Arranging Committee—Judy Chambless.

Leaders: Jeff Sheppard 57; Richard DeLong 60, 74t; Ed Thacker 385t, 181; Eunice Webb 146, 283; Stanley Edwards 321, 77t; LaRue Allen 316, 36b; Winfred Kerr 89, 282; Robert Chambless 225t, 452; Donna Bell 48b, 77b; Jeannette DePoy 567, 498; B.M. Smith 318, 28b; Charlene Wallace 276, 392.

RECESS

The class resumed singing with Richard DeLong leading 333. Leaders: John Plunkett 501, 417; Henry Johnson 409, 425; Bridgett Hill, Christopher Hill, and Cynthia Pantazez 203, 209; Rodney Ivey 101b, 56b; Floy Wilder 142, 183; Les Scott 461, 155; Olivia Hill 335; Joan Durdin 148, 47t; Evelyn Harris 30t; Lonnie Rogers 33b, 348b; Bethanne Hill 101t, 39t; Phillip Langley 182, 436; Glenda Collins, Ashleigh Ratcliff, and Blake Ratcliff 45t, 81t.

Jeff Sheppard acknowledged members of the Jones family present. He called on Sonja Randle, a member of the Jones family, who spoke of all the members of the George O. Jones family who erected the present church. She gave names of many families who lived nearby and sang regularly in the church, and gave a history of the church. It was built on land bought by treaty from the Indians in 1832; in 1845 a church building was erected of logs and had a dirt floor. This building burned, and in 1889 a new church was built. Services at the church were discontinued in 1914, and the only regularly scheduled service at the church is the Sacred Harp Singing, held annually on Labor Day for the past half century. Sonja Randle closed her remarks by leading 82t.

LUNCH

The class resumed singing with Jeff Sheppard leading 176t. Leaders: Tony Hammock 83b, 441; Judy Green 317, 147t; Max Berueffy 325, 189; Louise Holland 437, 186; B.J. Harris 303, 503; Sandra Wilkinson 277, 67; Matt Hinton 42, 63; Lou Cotney 329, 401; Erica Hinton 68b, 34b; Mildred McElroy 192, 384; Scott DePoy 358, 74b; Joan Durdin 178; Bethanne Hill 76b; Les Scott 49b; Bridgett Hill 440.

Announcements were made. Jeff Sheppard and Richard DeLong led 46 as the closing song. Henry Johnson offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Jeff Sheppard; Vice Chairman—Richard DeLong; Secretary—LaRue Allen.