Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Thursday, June 18

The 30th session of the National Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Mark Davis leading 42. Pastor Ed Spencer led the opening prayer and warmly welcomed the Convention to First Christian Church.

Leaders: Hubert Nall 40; Gaston White 155; Cheryl Foreman 492; Kathy Williams 108t; Helen Brown 426b; John Redman 141; Ted Brown 546; Buell Cobb 75; Henry Guthery 140; Elizabeth Stoddard 173; Sandie Scott 472; Mike Hinton 373; Ginnie Ely 349; Ian Ludders 348t; B.M. Smith 393; Henry Johnson 205; Ann Jett and Bailey Jett 108b; Bobby Watkins 454; Ruth Staples 496; Jesse Roberts 297; Chris Holley 102; Pat Temple 72b; Marlin Beasley 171.

RECESS

Buell Cobb reconvened the class leading 131b. Leaders: Carolyn Thompson 442; Chris Brown 211; Danny Creel 196; Lori Graber 510; Robert Kelly 286; Anne Eringa 159; Ian Quinn 38b; Elsie Moon 376; Micah Roberts 388; Natalie Davis and Corissa Sweatt 45t; Ainslie Allen 77t; Philippa Stoddard 168; Gene Pinion 91; Ricky Harcrow 401; Bea Carnathan 438; Steve Kick 292; Harrison Creel 111b; Robert Stoddard 550; Martha Beverly 279; Eugene Forbes 218; Cassie Allen 183; Bonnie Bayliss 210; Eddie Mash 240; Karen Swenson 193; Anita Landess 540.

The Convention went into a business session with the following officers and committees elected and/or appointed: Chairman—Mark Davis; Co-Vice Chairmen—Buell Cobb, Gaston White, Hubert Nall; Chaplain—Elder Jesse Roberts; Secretaries—Cheryl Foreman, Kathy Williams; Arranging Committee—Helen Brown, Sandie Scott, Elizabeth Stoddard; Memorial Committee—Mike Hinton, Ginnie Ely, Mary Whitehurst; Finance Committee—John Redman, Gene Pinion, Henry Johnson, Eddie Mash; Resolutions Committee—Pat Temple, Mary Wright. The business session was concluded. Elder Jesse Roberts offered the prayer for lunch.

LUNCH

Henry Guthery brought the class back to order leading 318. Leaders: Caleb Dillehay 351; Kristie Harju 107; Bailey Jett 59; Michael Walker 103; Xaris Martínez 434; Frank Strickland 480; Margaret Gillanders 384; Joyce Walton 456; Sally Langendorf and Janie Short 67; Michael Thompson 176b; Kelly House 142; Julietta Haynes 200; Carroll Lunsford 229; Kathy Robinson 192; Carol Selleck 179; Lance Phillips 283; Cindy Tanner 498; Richard DeLong 521; Marilyn Burchett 277; Jeff Sheppard 217.

RECESS

The class resumed singing with Robert Stoddard leading 32t. Leaders: Tom Ivey 562; Shannon Primm 234; Shelbie Sheppard 269; Maria Wallace 504; Ross Brand 245; Ila Ingle 436; Nancy Van Den Akker 523; Jacqui Selby-McLeod 448b; Virginia Douglas and Shirley Rand 49b; Judy Whiting 150; Mary Whitehurst 203; Richard Schmeidler 543; Sarah West 76b; Anne Chalker 146.

The officers led 46 as the closing song. Elder Ricky Harcrow closed the day with prayer.

Friday, June 19

The Friday session of the National Convention was called to order by Mark Davis leading 129. The opening prayer was offered by Elder Jesse Roberts.

Leaders: Gaston White 99; Hubert Nall 47t; Helen Brown 411; Kathy Williams 532; Buell Cobb 74b; Cheryl Foreman 481; Jesse Roberts 301; Virgil Campbell 167; Ron Harper 455; Vernelle Amason 143; Leon Ballinger 297; Karen Rollins 225t; Amber Davis 192; Kennon Smith 189; Nate Green and Norma Green 314; Joe Nall 46; Shirley Figura 28b; Larry Ballinger 528; Martha Rogers 270; Louis Hughes 512.

RECESS

Mark Davis reconvened the class by leading 76b. Leaders: Shirley Berrey 373; Paul Figura 155; Laurin Harrison 178; Nell Estes 560; Travis Keeton 475; Geraldine Sharpton 542; Lomax Ballinger 546; David Carlton 377; Rene Greene 217; John Merritt and Kate Merritt-Davis 376; Beth Anne Clay 354b; April Watkins and Ainslie Allen 146; Micah Roberts 119; Natalie Davis and Corissa Sweatt 145b; Audrey Presnell, Shelby Presnell, and Georgeanna Presnell 87; SuNell Ellis and Cindy Tanner 452; Charlene Wallace 365; Pam Nunn 220; Mary Wright 290; Charles McCravy 428; Cornelia Stanton 318; Caroline Parsons 335; Loyd Ivey 97; Lou Cotney 218; Louise Holland 81t; Ray Ryan 400. Ron Harper returned thanks for lunch.

LUNCH

Aldo Ceresa reconvened the class leading 114. Leaders: Beth Branscome 276; Benjamin Bath 362; Matt Hinton and Helen Brown 212; Sonya Berrey, Saddlar Berrey, and Eugene Forbes 480; Terry Barber 564; Eric Tweedy 200; Elene Stovall and Coy Ivey 384; Thom Fahrbach 556; Judy Caudle 195; Arlon Gardner and Peth Gardner 277; Rodney Ivey and Eddie Mash 500; Delone Cobbs 147t; Bridgett Hill 440; Drew McGuire 569b; Randy Webber 66; Judy Hauff 250; Shelby Sampson 63; Linda Selph 456; Henry McGuire 490; Mark Davis 236.

RECESS

The singing resumed with Ted Brown leading 111b. Leaders: Ann Ballard 57; Dorothea Maynard 304; Sonny Erwin 441; Charlotte Ehrman 157; Janet Fraembs and Anita Buswell 385b; Wade Kotter 35; Cathryn Bearov 372; Becky Griggs 460; Hal Eisen 501; Kathy Folsom 47b; Sarah Smith and Cora Sweatt 312b; Aldo Ceresa and Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 302; Warren Steel 370.

The officers led 378t as the closing song. Elder Jesse Roberts closed the day with prayer.

Saturday, June 20

The Saturday session of the National Convention was brought to order by Mark Davis leading 37b. Eric Tweedy offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Hubert Nall 84; Gaston White 186; Kathy Williams 437; Cheryl Foreman 354t; Buell Cobb 69b; Helen Brown 436; Jesse Roberts 447; Ted Brown 43; Pat Temple 232; John Redman 38b; Mary Wright 328; Rick Foreman 535; Robert Chambless 145b; Ginnie Ely 196; Lauren Hall 424; Janie Short 426b; Julietta Haynes 192; Chris Brown 113; Judy Mincey 474.

RECESS

Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg reconvened the class leading 82t. Leaders: Nancy Van Den Akker 499; Michael Walker 477; Ariella Perry 142; Micah Roberts 389; Georgeanna Presnell 45t; Shelby Presnell and Audrey Presnell 335; Natalie Davis and Corissa Sweatt 79; April Watkins 354b; Sue Bunch 28b; Pierce Phillips 99; Carroll Lunsford 162; Ruth Johnson 172; Daphene Causey 236; Stanley Smith 273; Karen Clark 534; Tim Cook 174.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Mike Hinton, Mary Whitehurst, and Ginnie Ely. Mike Hinton made remarks on behalf of the Sacred Harp community. Mary Whitehurst spoke for the sick and homebound and their caretakers, and then led 566.

Ginnie Ely read the names of the sick and homebound and the following deceased: Frank Hathaway, Paul King, Denson Hinton, Jess Cotney, Willard D. Frederick, Howard Precise, Otto Allred—Alabama; Janie Britton Corkett—Colorado; John Etheridge, Jane Bruner, Ellis Shanks—Florida; Elizabeth Tolbert, Frank Block, Nora Roberts, Lee Rogers—Georgia; Edward Wilson—Hawaii; Don Caranna, Betty Sue Burgess, Joe Cobb—Massachusetts; Gerald Hand—New Mexico; Katherine Ann Warren—New York; Ennis Kelley—Oklahoma; William Reynolds, Gene Shanks—Tennessee; Dick Steil, Monnie Ross, Ophelia Matthews, Dutch Owen—Texas; Lois Marrow Shanks, Marie Holloway—Washington; Roscoe Knight—Arkansas; Trevor Sanderson, Stanley Shaw, Jean Cousins, Sue Briggs—United Kingdom. She led 549 in their memory. The memorial lesson was closed with prayer offered by Elder Jesse Roberts.

Leaders: Floy Wilder 432; Margaret Gillanders 542; Ruth Steggles 112. Prayer was offered by Elder Jesse Roberts before lunch.

LUNCH

Warren Steel brought the class back together leading 297. Leaders: Eddie Mash 86; Sarah West 288; Charles Woods 178; Morgan Bunch 428; Anne Eringa 47b; Blake Sisemore 182; Maria Wallace 274t; Mary Jo Schafer 229; Nathan Rees 138t; Elisa Fairless 68b; Jacqui Selby-MacLeod 314; Drew Smith 183; Ann Simpson 445; Xaris Martínez 506; Tom Ivey and Sharon Stone 347; Mr. Gross and Seth Holloway 388; Dorothea Maynard and Mel Maynard 282; Ross Brand 312b; Judy Whiting 330 (t? b?); Robert Stoddard and Elizabeth Stoddard 522; Richard Schmeidler 66; Cornelia Stanton 350.

The Convention then went into a business session. The Finance Committee thanked the Convention for donations that were sufficient to cover expenses. The Resolutions Committee resolved to thank the following: the Lord for our voices; Pastors Ed and Mary Pat Spencer for the hospitality of the church; all the officers and committees of the Convention; Ann and Charlie Ballard for their work feeding the multitude; all who traveled to attend; Sarah and Gary Smith for their hospitality; Ginnie Ely for organizing the Alternative Singing; the many people who pitched the music for the Convention. Finally, we resolve to meet and sing again June 17, 18, and 19, 2010. The secretary reported that 788 people from 30 states, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands had registered. During the three days of the convention, 183 leaders led 244 songs. The number of people registered by state or country is as follows: Alabama—479; Georgia—31; Tennessee—29; Mississippi—15; Florida—11; Illinois—8; Massachusetts—7; Texas—7; California—6; New York—6; Oregon—5; South Carolina—5; Connecticut—4; Arkansas—4; Missouri—3; Louisiana—3; Minnesota—2; Virginia—2; Colorado—2; Rhode Island—2; Michigan—2; Hawaii—1; Vermont—1; Kentucky—1; Indiana—1; Maryland—1; Maine—1; New Mexico—1; Iowa—1; Utah—1.

Leaders: Aldo Ceresa and Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 550; Terry Barber, Shelby Sampson, Linda Selph, and Hal Eisen 497; Sonny Erwin and Cheryl Foreman 568; Mike Hinton and Anne Chalker 378t; Cathryn Bearov 222; Wade Kotter and Nathan Rees 139; Charlotte Ehrman 490; Judy Hauff 411.

Mark Davis, Buell Cobb, Hubert Nall, Gaston White, Jesse Roberts, Cheryl Foreman, Kathy Williams, and Helen Brown led 62 as the traditional closing hymn, and those who wished took the parting hand. The closing prayer was offered by Elder Jesse Roberts, and the Convention was dismissed.

Chairman—Mark Davis; Vice Chairmen—Buell Cobb, Hubert Nall, and Gaston White; Secretaries—Cheryl Foreman and Kathy Williams