Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 24

The 46th session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was held at Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in March. The convention was called to order by John Plunkett leading 59. John Hollingsworth offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: John Plunkett 52t; Jeannette DePoy 318 (for Pauline Childers); Charlene Wallace 283; Lela Crowder 30b; Richard DeLong 57; Scott DePoy 277; Kathy Williams 437; Judy Mincey 481; Helen Bryson 428; Tony Hammock 42; Don Bowen 510; Phillip Langley 192; Charles Woods 197; Andy Morse 210; Debora Grosse 33b; John Redman 236; Ellie Soler 155; George Burnette 101t.

RECESS

The class was called together by Jeannette DePoy leading 300. Leaders: Oscar McGuire 485; Leanne Carter and Elizabeth Carter 53; Eric Tweedy 327; Susan Posey 198; Reuben Ball, Jr. 497.

The class went into a business session. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairlady—Jeannette DePoy; Vice Chairman—Richard DeLong; Secretary/Treasurer—Charlene Wallace; Chaplain—John Hollingsworth; Arranging Committee—John Plunkett, Lela Crowder, and Michael Haverty. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Junie Wootten 268; Opal Holloway 171; Kelly Morris 47b; Joan Durdin 45t; Michael Thompson 384; Jane Spencer 149; Robert Chambless 145b; Russ Hansen 299.

RECESS

Richard DeLong called to class to order leading 278b. Leaders: Cathy White 84; Erin Mills 76b; Sandra Wilkinson 448t; Judy Chambless 159; John Hollingsworth 230; Faye Holbrook 67; John Shippee 117; Mary Brownlee 556; Faye Hollis 340; Mike Spencer 77b.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called together by Jeannette DePoy leading 567. Leaders: Anita Landess 314; Sharona Nelson 270; Louis Hughes 512; Henry Johnson 138b; Kelly Macklin 564; Bud Oliver 73t; Emily Creel 269; Michael Haverty 183; Pat Temple 34b; David Ivey 528; Judy Caudle 151; Ted Mercer 353; Reba Windom 542; Violet Thomason 434; Aldo Ceresa 360; Rachel Speer 430; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 222; Janice Paulk 75; Coy Ivey 172; Dean Jens 328; Jeff Sheppard 444; Jonathon Smith 282.

RECESS

The class was called together by Richard DeLong leading 285t. Leaders: Martha Harrell 39t; Nathan Rees 329; Mary Wright 376; Ed Thacker 316; Billy Hollingsworth 56b; Virginia Douglas and Eryn Killian 49b; Bobby Watkins 475 (for Mercy Watkins); Eddie Mash 532; John Holbrook 480; Jerry Creason 503; Erica Hinton 410t; Mike Castleberry 401; Laura Akerman 362.

Announcements were made. Jeannette DePoy and Richard DeLong led 323t as the closing song. John Hollingsworth offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, March 25

The convention was called to order by Jeannette DePoy leading 32t. John Hollingsworth offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Richard DeLong 345t; Cathy White 31t; Scott DePoy 448t; Malinda Snow 472; Matt Hinton and students from Morehouse College 112; Robert Chambless 72b; Erin Mills 480; Andy Anderson 282; Oscar McGuire and Katy McGuire 515; Jane Spencer 494; Bobby Watkins 512; Faye Hollis 168; Helen Bryson 522; Faye Holbrook 455; Lee Bradley 40; Judy Chambless 490; Erica Hinton 133; Vaudie Sherer 460; Mike Spencer 207; Bentley McGuire 421; Judy Mincey 180.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Richard DeLong leading 109. Leaders: Tony Hammock 283; Wesley Haley 198; Anita Landess 569t; Don Bowen 466; Daryl Chesney and Sylvia Aldridge 114; Susan Posey 344; Sharona Nelson 276; Eddie Mash 163t; Shelbie Sheppard 183; Rita Haley 479; Dean Jens 556; Lela Crowder 273; Charlene Wallace 333; Nathan Rees 426b; John Plunkett 74b; Aldo Ceresa 218; Michael Haverty 208.

RECESS

Jeannette DePoy called the class together leading 201. Leaders: Billy Hollingsworth 551; Rachel Speer 500; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 417; Laurin Harrison 236.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Matt Hinton and Faye Holbrook. Matt Hinton led 146 in memory of the following deceased: Bobby Jackson, Mary Hackney, Runelle Crawford, Helen Plunkett, Ruth Wills, Rawson Haverty, Sr., Rowan Asha, Albert Bryson, Palmer Higgins, and Bridgett Gardner—Georgia; Flarce Creel—Alabama; Marcia Tucker—California; Mary Ballinger—Texas; Mary Morse and Sue Smathers—North Carolina; Rita Lambert—Florida.

Faye Holbrook led 335 in honor of the sick and shut-ins. Those remembered were Gertrude DeLong, Loy Garrison, Dorothy Garrison, Herby Bailey, Milton Oliver, Pauline Oliver, Carolyn Puckett, Myrtle Smith, Josephine Denney, Felton Denney, Jimmie Denney, William Hurst, Mary Nelson, Ed Nelson, Sherry Lovvorn, Wendy Karlsberg, and Mario Reda. The memorial was closed with prayer offered by John Hollingsworth.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Richard DeLong leading 176b. Leaders: Phillip Langley 411; Kelly Macklin 433; Ted Mercer 174; Hugh McGraw 413; Kathy Williams 142; Dennis George 430; Mary Wright 148; David Ivey 422; Reba Windom 216; Rodney Ivey 564; Judy Caudle 195; Jeff Sheppard 250; Virginia Douglas 38b; John Holbrook and Greta Holbrook 339; Coy Ivey and Morehouse College students 384, 137; Pat Temple 373; Jerry Creason and Ann Sibole 225t.

RECESS

Jeannette DePoy and Rodney Ivey called the class together leading 328. Leaders: John Hollingsworth 489; Andy Morse 454; Sandra Wilkinson 394; Ellie Solar 504; John Redman 143; Mike Castleberry 354b; Anita Landess 540; Kelly Macklin and Nathan Rees 187; Rachel Speer and Dean Jens 82t; Aldo Ceresa and Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 354t.

The convention went into a business session to hear reports from various committees. The Finance report was given by Charlene Wallace. The Resolutions Committee (Helen Bryson and Sandra Wilkinson) submitted their report, expressing thanks to everyone who helped make the singing a success. The Locating Committee (Phillip Langley and Karen Rollins) reported that the 2008 session of the Georgia State Convention will be held at Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church, south of Carrollton, Georgia. All reports were accepted. The business session was closed.

Announcements were made. Jeannette DePoy and Richard DeLong led 62 as the closing song. John Hollingsworth offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairlady—Jeannette DePoy; Vice Chairman—Richard DeLong; Secretary—Charlene Wallace