Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 8

The 104th session of the United Sacred Harp Musical Association was held at Mount Pisgah Primitive Baptist Church at Stroud, Alabama, on the second Sunday and Saturday before in September. The class was called to order by Max Berueffy leading 36b. Danny Creel offered the morning prayer. Karen Clark welcomed all the singers and visitors to the convention.

Leaders: Elene Stovall 99; Nora Parker 317; Charlene Wallace 283; Danny Creel 456; Bud Oliver 145t; Joyce Walton 192; Bridgett Hill 440; Jeff Sheppard 388; Rodney Ivey 564; Andy Morse 313b; Nell Estes 454; Phil Summerlin 65; Karen Rollins 143; Matt Hinton 31t; Amanda Denson and Mandy Brady 378t; Tom Malone 550; Harrison Creel 512; Michael Thompson 384.

RECESS

The class resumed singing with Rodney Ivey leading 81t. Leaders: Syble Adams 145b; Lonnie Rogers 97.

A business session was held with the following officers elected or appointed: Chairman—Karen Clark; Vice Chairman—Floy Wilder; Secretary—Nora Parker (Permanent); Assistant Secretary—Donna Bell; Chaplain—Ed Thacker; Arranging Committee—Richard DeLong, Cindy Tanner, and Gaylon Powell. The business session was closed.

Leaders: David Carlton 272; Helen Bryson 411; Bob Simmons 344; Edna Phillips 480; Jean Payne 560; Emily Creel 532; Phillip Langley 522; Marilyn Burchett 29t; Keith Willard and Jenny Willard 318; Sandra Wilkinson 311; Ron Harper 375; Richard Mauldin 358; Beth Branscome 569b; David McGukin 137; Kathy Lee 374; Nate Green and Norma Green 418.

RECESS

The class resumed singing with Floy Wilder leading 313t. Leaders: Lela Crowder 445; Karen Clark 159; Nathan Rees 436; Don Clark 397; Cassie Allen 328; Warren Steel 422; Buell Cobb 409; Gaylon Powell 444; Henry Johnson 141; David Ivey 383; Donna Bell 87; Louis Hughes 448t; John Plunkett 271b; Kelsey Sunderland 76b; Ed Thacker 460; James Wagner 457; Wade Kotter 122; Helen Brown 542; Caleb Dillehay 280.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Karen Clark leading 34b. Leaders: Judy Caudle 151; Tim Reynolds 573; Sarah Smith 340; Robert Chambless 84; Karen Ivey 182; Sandie Scott 408; Daphene Causey 174; Donna Rogers 224; Richard DeLong 396; Judy Chambless 168; JonathonSmith 270; Marilyn Bradley and Stanley Edwards 124; Denise Kania 114; Joan Aldridge 150; David Richardson 473; Reba Windom 546; Carolyn Thompson 505; Cindy Tanner 198; Carol Buche 209.

RECESS

The class reassembled with Floy Wilder leading 30t. Leaders: Eddie Mash 538; Gary Smith 565; Lee Rogers 474; John Seaton 47t; Matt Wells 163t; Laura Densmore 370; Mike Hinton 426b; Jesse Pearlman-Karlsberg 428; David Lee 74b; Lauren Bock 70b; Judy Mincey 503; Andy Anderson 479; Frank Strickland 100; Geraldine Rice 222.

Announcements were made. Karen Clark led 323t as the closing song. Ed Thacker dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, September 9

The Sunday session was called to order by Karen Clark and Floy Wilder leading 59. The morning prayer was offered by Ed Thacker.

Leaders: Nora Parker 36b; Donna Bell 63; Ed Thacker 472; Richard DeLong 511; Mike Hinton 373; David Lee 274t; Lela Crowder 326; Nathan Rees 441; Rodney Ivey 432; Robert Chambless 225t; JonathonSmith 203; David Ivey 39b; John Plunkett 492; Jack Nelson 480; Alice Bejnar and Tor Bejnar 163b; Shane Wootten and Donna Wootten 440; Judy Mincey 571; Jenny Acton 112; Jewel Wootten and Mercy Watkins 176t; Stuart Ivey 351; Brandon Acton 53; Ernestine Pipkin 110.

RECESS

Karen Clark led 76b to bring the class to order. Leaders: Scott DePoy 410t; Lauren Block 455; Sonya Sipe 565; Jesse Pearlman-Karlsberg 387; Jenny Willard, Keith Willard, and Thomas Willard 106; Laura Densmore 542; Jim Pfau 171; Sandie Scott and Marilyn Burchett 551; Oscar McGuire 371.

The memorial lesson was held with Mike Hinton speaking on behalf of the sick and shut-ins. He read the list of names and led 527 in their honor. Those remembered were Julietta Haynes, Bill Tanner, Hilda Morrison, Reba Norton, Milton Oliver, Edith Tate, Genny Whitworth, Raymond Hamrick, Felton Denney, Josephine Denny, Nora Roberts, Ted Mercer, Pauline Childers, John Penn, Ophelia Matthews, Myra Palmer, Stanley Shaw, Joan Mattock, and Phil Godwin.

Floy Wilder spoke about the recent death of LaRue Allen. David Lee spoke, and led 48t in memory of the following deceased: LaRue Allen, Flarce Creel, Heath Jett, Opal Tanner, Marie Guthrie, Wilton Donaldson, B.J. Harris, Chester Lacy, Dick Mauldin, John Hyde, Herby Bailey, Cecil Wakefield, Jim Ellis, Carolyn Plunkett, Eldora Moody, Leonard Price, Julian Murphy, Kenneth Walton, Mirjana Lausevic, Alice Watkins, Doris DeSpain, Dr. Fred Becker, Verna Powell, Mary Ballinger, Janeanne Beverly, Marcia Hendrickson, and Brian Walsh. The memorial was closed with prayer.

Leaders: Bobby Watkins 434; Helen Brown 430; Tim Reynolds and Chloe Webb 146; Jo Schultz 481; Matt Wells 49b; Jeannette DePoy 392; Jenna Frey 401; John Seaton 47b; Eddie Mash 105; Carol Buche 217; David Richardson 345b; Lisa Webb 369; Wade Kotter 35.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was opened by Karen Clark leading “Mercy Seat”. Leaders: Sheri Taylor and Laura Frey 178; Cassie Allen and Emily Creel 273; Matt Hinton and Erica Hinton 186; Carolyn Thompson 125; Ted Price and Brittany Price 290; Amanda Denson and Shane Wootten 505; Cheyenne Ivey and Paige Gilbert 128; Reba Windom 216; Coy Ivey and Karen Ivey 475; Stanley Edwards 188; Daphene Causey and Sharon DuPriest 304; Bridgett Hill and Judy Caudle 377; Gary Smith and Sarah Smith 145b; Joyce Walton, Rodney Ivey, and Michael Thompson 89.

A business session was held for the purpose of hearing committee reports. Nora Parker gave the Finance Report on behalf of the Finance Committee (Rodney Ivey, Robert Chambless, and Jonathon Smith). Collections for the two days exceeded expenditures for minutes, paper goods, food, and church.

The Resolutions Report was made by Lela Crowder and Nathan Rees, who thanked everyone who made the convention possible through their work and energy.

John Plunkett gave the following report on behalf of the Locating Committee. The 2008 session of the United Sacred Harp Musical Association will be held at Pleasant Hill Church (Johnson School House) in Fayette County, Alabama. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Max Berueffy 211; Denise Kania 68b; Donna Rogers 77b; Ted Brown 406; Caleb Dillehay 134; Elene Stovall and Linda Thomas 192; Kelsey Sunderland 142; Louis Hughes 208; Geraldine Rice 454; Henry Johnson 96; Nate Green and Norma Green 98; Richard Maudlin 312t; Lee Rogers 489; Judy Chambless 40; Don Clark 99; Stanley Smith 77t; David Lee and Kathy Lee 299; Cindy Tanner and Cassie Allen 436.

Announcements were made. Karen Clark, Floy Wilder, and Don Clark led 347 as the closing song. Ed Thacker dismissed the class with prayer.

Chairman—Karen Clark; Vice Chairman—Floy Wilder; Secretary—Nora Parker