Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 8

The 23rd annual Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s United Church of Christ by Bill Caldwell leading 36b, and then offering the opening prayer.

The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Bill Caldwell; Secretary—Dave Ressler; Arranging Committee—Rebecca Browne; Finance Committee—Paul Figura and David Lloyd; Memorial Committee—Dan Brittain, Aubrey Hemminger, and Rebecca Browne.

The following song books were used during the convention: The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition and The Missouri Harmony 2005.

Leaders: Bill Caldwell 99; Rebecca Browne 29t; Jo Dell Albi 8 (MH); Pattie Doss 112; John Uhlemann 212; David Kaeser 277; Lisa Bulawsky 276; Presley Barker 162 (MH); Roberta Strauss 480; David Lloyd 370; Carla Pepmiller 59; Barbara Uhlemann 299; Gary Gronau 38t; Penny Kujawinski 200; Shirley Figura 47t; Mark Bruns 178; Michelle Stremmel 146; Lou Kujawinski 64; Emily Gruber 383.

RECESS

Pattie Doss called the class to order leading 102. Leaders: Wendy Hofmann 74b; Heather Nehre 503; Karen Isbell 411; Chuck McMannis 28b; Tommy Schultz and Donna Schultz 268; Paul Figura 122 (MH); Jan Ketelle 89 (MH); Susan Green 13 (MH); Hans Bayer 455; Syd Caldwell 446; Johanna Fabke 236; Martha Beverly 31 (MH); Jubal Bayer 168; Dave Ressler 118 (MH).

RECESS

David Lloyd led 84 to call the class together. Leaders: Carol Munro Mosley 485; Ted Mercer 468; Rhonda Machlan 452; Berkley Moore 14 (MH); Loraine Bayer 448t; Jeff Breting 163t; Ted Johnson 113 (MH); Wayne Dell 159; Sandra Wilkinson 300; Pete Ellertsen 32t. Dan Brittain offered the blessing for lunch.

LUNCH

Annie Grieshop called the next session together by leading 82t. Leaders: Rebecca Browne and Jeanne Lisher 198; John Plunkett 71 (MH); Marcia Johnson 434; Joan Aldridge 486; Darrell Swarens 335; Reba Windom 436; John Seaton 62 (MH); Shelbie Sheppard 481; John Bayer 177 (MH); Eddie Mash 126 (MH); Stephanie Tingler 35; Jeff Sheppard 97; Melanie Hauff 80 (MH); Bill Beverly 19 (MH); Janet Fraembs 217; Anita Buswell 496; Peggy Brayfield 188; Ethan Schultz 68b.

RECESS

Marcia Johnson began this session leading 31t. Leaders: Jim Page 149 (MH); Lori Graber 368; Aubrey Hemminger 171; Karen Swenson 138 (MH); Dan Brittain 175 (MH); Jim Solheim 134 (MH); Julie Vea 362; Annie Grieshop 142 (MH); Matt Meacham 182; Ryan Wheeler 139 (MH); Judy Hauff 128 (MH); Jim Hearne 34b.

Announcements were made. Bill Caldwell led 45t as the closing song. Jeff Sheppard closed the day with a prayer.

Sunday, March 9

Bill Caldwell opened the second day of the convention at 9:30 a.m. by leading 49t. John Bayer offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Bill Caldwell 66; David Lloyd 201; John Uhlemann 135 (MH); Jo Dell Albi 211; Barbara Uhlemann 13 (MH); Penny Kujawinski 128; Paul Figura 127 (MH); Roberta Strauss 56b; Bill Rintz 51 (MH); Lisa Bulawsky 288 (MH); Lou Kujawinski 551; Shirley Figura 145b; David Kaeser 163b; Kathy Kaiser 36 (MH); Presley Barker 133 (MH); Carla Pepmiller 40; Wendy Hofmann 39t.

RECESS

Bill Beverly led 37b to call the class back together. Leaders: Dave Ressler 138 (MH); Pattie Doss 345b; Gary Gronau 384; Karen Isbell 84 (MH); Emily Gruber 70 (MH); Peggy Brayfield 46 (MH); Jubal Bayer 153 (MH); Ethan Schultz 162; Hans Bayer 504; Elizabeth Schultz 496; Wayne Dell 49b; Martha Beverly 542; Cindy Pepmiller 107.

RECESS

The class was brought to order by Darrell Swarens leading 148. Leaders: Loraine Bayer 565; Lori Graber 372; Ryan Wheeler 155; Ann Leckie “Glory Road”; John Bayer 475; Syd Caldwell and Shelbie Sheppard 365; Jim Page 179 (MH); Dan Brittain 141 (MH); Anita Buswell 473; Bill Beverly 547. Presley Barker offered the blessing for lunch.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Reba Windom leading 145t. Leaders: Judy Hauff 171 (MH); Terry Hogg 180 (MH); Catherine Pepmiller 312b; Karen Swenson 148 (MH); Annie Grieshop 167 (MH); Aubrey Hemminger 350; Darrell Swarens 45 (MH); Jubal Schultz 268; Carol Munro Mosley 142; Eddie Mash 124 (MH); Ted Mercer 189; Melanie Hauff 23 (MH).

Aubrey Hemminger read the names of the sick and shut-ins, and Dan Brittain spoke for them. They were as follows: Beau Caldwell—Arkansas; Lynn Wabble—Florida; Josephine Denney and Myrtle Smith—Georgia; Frank Kujawinski and Betty Weinert—Illinois:; Pauline Childers—Michigan; Alice Caldwell, Charlie Derleth, Roger Ecoff, and Bill Ellason—Missouri; Mary Ellen Wilkinson—Oklahoma; Bob Anderson, Bob Skorgie, and Lilia Springer—Wisconsin. Dan Brittain led 176t and offered prayer.

Aubrey Hemminger read the names of the deceased as follows: LaRue Allen, Amanda Denson, Flarce Creel, Wilton Donaldson, B.J. Harris, Heath Jett, Furn Kitchens, Elder W.G. McGough, Mamie H. Noles, Chester Lacy, Dick Mauldin, and Edith Tate—Alabama; Jo Crain, Jeanie Dickerson, and Myrle Jordan—Arkansas; Felton Denney, Loy Garrison, and Mary Lee Smith—Georgia; Martin Lakomiak and Sheldon Stremmel—Illinois; Paul Gilliland, Minja Lausevic, and Joy Swenson—Minnesota; Paul Drummond, Gilbert Groeper, and Jeanette Lowry—Missouri; Stuart Lloyd—New Jersey; Alex Mennella—New York; Madeline Steel—Mississippi; Janet Grant—Oklahoma; Mary Ballinger, Autumn Sansom, and Charlie Vaughn—Texas; Karl Pegalow—Wisconsin.

Becky Browne led 348b. She went on to speak about the loss of Jeanette Lowry, one of the founders of the Missouri group. Mike Lowry had asked her to select a song for Jeanette to “lead” from the square. Since Jeanette had started the move to revive the Missouri Harmony, Becky chose 77 (MH). “When shall thy lovely face be seen? When shall our eyes behold our God?” The memorial lesson was closed.

RECESS

Leaders: Jim Page 31t; Julie Vea 327; Jeff Sheppard 280; Joan Aldridge 546; Reba Windom 216; Jan Ketelle 269; Shelbie Sheppard 195; Jim Solheim, “Dragon”; Johanna Fabke 373; Janet Fraembs 532; Tommy Schultz 448b; Gary Gronau 137; Kathy Kaiser 203.

Announcements were made. Bill Caldwell led 346 as the closing song and offered the closing prayer. The class was dismissed.

Chairman—Bill Caldwell; Secretary—Dave Ressler