Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 22

The 47th session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was held at Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in March. The convention was called to order by Jeannette DePoy leading. John Plunkett offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Jeannette DePoy 32t; Richard DeLong 60; Charlene Wallace 99; John Plunkett 492; Lela Crowder 421; Matt Hinton 229; Scott DePoy 47b; Helen Bryson 546; Tony Hammock 42; Phillip Langley 426b; Karen Rollins 327; Phillip Denney 86; Kathy Williams 180; Jeff Sheppard 120; Louis Hughes 408; Mott Harrell 61; Daryl Chesney 282; John Redman 397.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Jeannette DePoy leading 247 (?). Leaders: Andy Morse 163t; Lee Bradley 503; Bill Hogan 121; Mary Brownlee 182; George Burnette 81t; Linda Thomas 391; Nancy Hogan 159; Charles Woods 178; Phil Summerlin 63.

A business session was held with the following officers and committee members elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Richard DeLong; Vice Chairman—Phillip Langley; Assistant Vice Chairman—Sarah Harcrow; Secretary/Treasurer—Charlene Wallace; Assistant Secretary—Lela Crowder; Arranging Committee—Scott DePoy, Mike Thompson, and Nathan Rees.

RECESS

Phillip Langley called class together leading 328. Leaders: Jack Nelson 480; Erica Hinton 146; Mandy Brady 84; Lonnie Rogers 97, 318; Beth Branscome 29t; John Shippee 192; Judy Mincey 415; Jonathon Smith 500; Donna Bell 107; Cecil Roberts 72b; Ellie Soler 276; Eugene Forbes 203; Jesse Roberts 250; Gail Aagaard 68b.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called together by Richard DeLong leading 542. Leaders: Mike Thompson 106; Nathan Rees 558; Micah Roberts 119; Bridgett Hill 454; Joyce Walton 428; Jenna Frey 401; Richard DeLong 278b; Judy Caudle 540; Judy Chambless 34t; Lisa Webb 455; Louise Holland 37b; Elene Stovall 411; Laura Frey 163b; Joanna Lampert 560; Shelbie Sheppard 269; Justin Squizzero 214; Aldo Ceresa 569t; Jesse Perlman Karlsberg 227; Jerry Creason and Ann Sibole 472; D.J. Hatfield 188; Dean Jens 236 (for Josephine Denny).

RECESS

Phillip Langley called the class together leading 222. Leaders: Robert Kelley 263; Reba Windom and Bridgett Hill 142; Martha Beverly 504; Nathan Green 467; Joanne Fuller 129; Pat Temple 34b; Lee Rogers 218; Roberta Strauss 56b; Bill Beverly 31b; Kelsey Sunderland 460; Karen Swenson 352; Anitra Kaye 473; Neil Gary 337; Mary Wright 148; Wade Kotter 30t; Harry Eskew 128.

Announcements were made. Richard Delong led 323t as the closing song. Lonnie Rogers offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, March 23

The Sunday session of the convention was called to order by Richard DeLong leading 101t. Lonnie Rogers offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Richard DeLong 57; Phillip Langley 37b; John Plunkett 156; John Redman 38b; Jeannette DePoy 55; Tony Hammock 283; Judy Chambless 531; Scott DePoy 201; Malinda Snow 163b; Harry Eskew 31b; Robert Chambless 225t; Jerry Creason and Ann Sibole 192; Billy Hollingsworth 236; Lela Crowder and Cheyenne Ivey 186; Michael Thompson 197; Lonnie Rogers 348b, 389; Bridgett Hill 183.

RECESS

The class was called together by Phillip Langley leading 453. Leaders: Karen Rollins 405; Ed Thacker 538; Aura Lee Furgason 549; John Hollingsworth 182; Joyce Walton 451; Wade Kotter 139; Floy Wilder 227; D.J. Hatfield 498; Judy Caudle 345b; Louis Hughes 448t; Karen Clark 218; Robert Kelley 210; Nathan Green 303; Kathy Williams 506; Don Clark 542; Charlene Wallace 481; Nathan Rees 439; Gail Aagaard 155; Jonathon Smith 440; Henry Johnson 375; Reba Windom 273; Pat Temple 373; Jeff Sheppard 444.

Jeannette DePoy and Karen Rollins conducted the memorial lesson. Joanna Lampert lead 30b in memory of the following deceased: Alice Watkin, Donald Denney, Muriel Cleed Morgan, Loy Garrison, Reby Stanford, Gladys McGraw, Felton Denney, and Elder Homer Benefield—Georgia; M. B. Forbes, LaRue Allen, Amanda Denson, Edith Tate, Flarce Creel, Billy Joe Harris, Corene Laminack, Chester Lacy, and Dick Mauldin—Alabama; Jeanette Lowry and Alice Caldwell—Missouri; Minja Lausevic—Minnesota; Alex Mennella and Barry Talesnick—New York; Donald Willard, Jr.—Maryland; Edward Hatfield—Oregon.

Kathy Williams led 330b in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Violet Thomason, Frank Block, Charlie Derleth, Geneva Prichard, Mary Thomas, Amanda Puckett, Katherine Benefield, Norma Green, Bud Oliver, Myrtle Smith, and Jim Windom. Henry Johnson closed the memorial with prayer.

LUNCH

The class was called together by Richard DeLong leading 275t. Leaders: Mary Wright 274t; Rodney Ivey 316; Shelbie Sheppard 528; Anitra Kaye 532; Dean Jens 441; Martha Beverly 131t; Aldo Ceresa 550; Joanna Lampert 216; Jesse Perlman Karlsberg 110; Kelsey Sunderland 349; Justin Squizzero and Richard DeLong 419; Karen Swenson 402; Bill Beverly 547; Joanne Fuller 179; Jimmie Denney 111t; Sharon DuPriest and Reba Windom 434; Matt Hinton 99; Jenna Frey 46, 401; Erica Hinton 569t; Louise Holland 276 (for Sharona Nelson).

RECESS

Richard DeLong brought the class together leading 123t. Leaders: Mary Jo Shafer 569b; Laura Frey 178; Sheri Taylor 361; Lisa Webb and Sheri Taylor 222; Bill Beverly and Martha Beverly 300; D.J. Hatfield 385b; Randa Harris 268; Joanna Lampert and Aldo Ceresa 383; Aura Lee Furgason 344; Jesse Perlman Karlsberg and Anitra Kaye 74b; Kelsey Sunderland and Justin Squizzero 392; Dean Jens and Joanne Fuller 176b; Wade Kotter and Karen Swenson 145t; Mary Wright and Pat Temple 312b.

The convention went into a business session to hear reports from the various committees. The Finance report was given by Charlene Wallace. The Resolutions Committee (John Plunkett and David McGukin) submitted their report that thanked everyone who helped make the Convention successful. The Locating Committee (Louis Hughes, Tony Hammock, and Cecil Roberts) reported that the 2009 session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention would be held at Walker County Housing Authority Center Building in Walker County, Georgia. All reports were approved as given, and the business session was closed.

Announcements were made. Richard DeLong led 62 as the closing song. Lonnie Rogers offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Richard DeLong; Vice Chairman—Phillip Langley; Secretary—Charlene Wallace