Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 27

The 49th session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was held at Sweetwater Chapel in Lawrenceville, Georgia, on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in March. The class was called to order by Sarah Jenkins leading 101t. The morning prayer was offered by Henry Johnson. Sarah Jenkins led 59.

Leaders: Michael Thompson 32t; Charlene Wallace 63; Lela Crowder and Eli Hinton 421; Richard DeLong 57; Oscar McGuire 171; John Plunkett 52t; B.M. Smith 420; Judy Chambless 494; Mary Wright 35; Charles Woods 26; Harry Eskew 128; Roberta Strauss 56b; Ron Harper 428; Mary Brownlee 280; Matt Hinton 318; Nate Green and Norma Green 77b; Karen Rollins 34b; Pat Temple 473; Syd Caldwell 464; Justin Levi 170; Sharona Nelson 270; Elise Sparks 384.

RECESS

Phillip Langley brought the class back to order leading 172. Leaders: Jane Spencer 151; Ellie Soler 277; Chris Brown 28b; Daniel Lee 155; Hayden Arp 340; Jeff Sheppard 472; Helen Brown 436.

A business session was held with the following officers and committee members elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Michael Thompson; Vice Chairman—Richard DeLong; Secretary/Treasurer—Charlene Wallace; Assistant Secretary—Lela Crowder; Chaplains—Henry Johnson, David Lee; Arranging Committee—Helen Bryson, Judy Mincey; Memorial Committee—Kathy Williams, Sharona Nelson; Resolutions Committee—Joanna Lampert, Julian Damashek; Locating Committee—John Plunkett, B.M. Smith, Jeannette DePoy; Finance Committee—Laurie Allison, Justin Levi.

Leaders: Robert Kelley 104; Robert Chambless 39b; Malinda Snow 510; John Redmond 361; Andy Morse 349; Kelly Morris 535; Frances Carnell 192; Sara Lynch-Thomason 40; David Ivey 540; Sandra Wilkinson 125; Karen Swenson 217; Wade Kotter 103; Eschol Hughes 56t; Daryl Chesney 454; Ed Thacker 492; Bennet Butler 107; Joanna Lampert 283; Leon Carnell 163b; Cecil Roberts 285t; Reba Windom 542; Faye Hollis 373; Ted Brown 546; Don Bowen 503.

LUNCH

Michael Thompson called the class together leading 82t. Leaders: Violet Thomason 112; Kathy Williams 142; Julian Damashek 475; Raymond Hamrick 415; Faye Holbrook 380; Henry Johnson 439; Michael Walker 477; George Burnette 282; Judy Whiting 354t; Ann Mashchak and Andrew Mashchak 148; Jeannette DePoy 362; Ben Bath 411; Judy Mincey 538; Shelbie Sheppard 481; JoDell Albi 29t; Helen Bryson 522; Lauren Bock 126.

RECESS

Richard DeLong brought the class to order leading 399b. Leaders: Louise Holland 273; Max Berueffy and Karin Covi 220; Daphene Causey 196; Rachel Rudi 290; Lilah Anderson and Ben Bath 111b; Richard Ivey 182; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 302; Sharon DuPriest 189; Judy Caudle and Sandy Smith 500; Erica Hinton, Bobby Power, and Robyn Power 534; Louis Hughes 408; Buck Lea 344; Shannon Primm 83t; Tony Hammock 303; Molly Ellis 455; John Hollingsworth 434; Michael Spencer 289; Bill Hollingsworth 236.

Announcements were made. Michael Thompson, Richard DeLong, and Charlene Wallace led 323t as the closing song. Henry Johnson closed with prayer.

Sunday, March 28

The Sunday session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was brought together by Michael Thompson leading 60 and 144. David Lee offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Richard DeLong 67; Helen Bryson 176t; Don Bowen 283; Karen Rollins 225t; John Hollingsworth 186; Shannon Primm 163t; Michael Spencer 386; Jeannette DePoy 300; Charlene Wallace 85; Andy Morse 284; Erica Hinton 270; Molly Ellis and Erin Kranz 95; Daryl Chesney and Jeff Sheppard 198; John Plunkett 447; Sharon DuPriest 222; Lela Crowder 68b; Louis Hughes 512; Buck Lea 287; Daphene Causey 451; B.M. Smith, Linda Mosley, and Doyle Mosley 548; Robert Kelley 291; Rachel Rudi 564.

RECESS

Michael Thompson brought the class back together leading 100. Leaders: Phillip Langley 453; Anna Hinton and Eli Hinton 277; Reba Windom 442; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 192; Judy Chambless 460; Joanna Lampert 176b; Judy Whiting 441; David Lee 39t; Chris Brown 113; Scott Ivey 313t; Wade Kotter 426b; Judy Caudle 518; Ted Brown 111b; Rodney Ivey 550; Tony Hammock 544; Kendahl Goldwater-Feldman 42; Louise Holland 49b; Sara Lynch-Thomason 72b; John Redmond and Cheyenne Ivey 358.

Kathy Williams and Sharona Nelson conducted the memorial lesson. Sharona Nelson spoke in remembrance of loved ones. Kathy Williams led 347 in memory of the following deceased: Katherine Worthington, Jimmy Denney, Frank Block—Georgia; Marie Holloway—Maryland; Reba Norton, Clinton Ivey, Dan Greeson, Malvie Clayton, B.A. Burton—Alabama; Victoria Bolles—Massachusetts; Jim Clay—United Kingdom; Myra Palmer—Texas; Bill Ellason—Missouri; Mary Nelson—Delaware; Cindy Kissee—Minnesota; Carolyn Achata—Tennessee.

Kathy Williams led 340 in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Ben Hall, Dot Garrison, Violet Thomason, Rueben Ball, George Seiler, Evelyn Harris, Gertie DeLong, Andy Worthington, Beau Caldwell, Mary Ellen Wilkinson, and Lonnie Rogers. David Lee closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Bill Hollingsworth 365; Helen Brown 556; Oscar McGuire 229; Karen Swenson 528.

LUNCH

Richard DeLong brought the afternoon session to order by leading 123b. Leaders: David Ivey 517; Mary Wright 328; Jeff Sheppard and Mary Clare Dereuil 63; Rose Marie Yntema 36b; Loyd Ivey 496; Kathy Williams 180; Robert Chambless 176b; Jane Spencer and Eli Hinton 65; Coy Ivey and Judy Whiting 384; Sharona Nelson 209; Justin Levi 558; Pat Temple 168; Syd Caldwell, Margie Smith, and B.M. Smith 405; Matt Hinton 448t; Lauren Bock 234; Angela Myers 127; Julian Damashek 348b; JoDell Albi and Rodney Ivey 293; Cheyenne Ivey 77t; Michael Walker 329; Shelbie Sheppard and Willa Bost 327; Malinda Snow 44; Daniel Lee 84; Judy Mincey and Laine Simmons 475; Sandra Wilkinson 177; Laura Akerman 543; Eric Tweedy 292; Deborah Grosse 551; Ellie Soler.

RECESS

Michael Thompson brought the class back together leading 175. 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 (Joanna Lampert and Julian Damashek) submitted their report that thanked everyone involved in making this a successful convention. The Locating Committee (John Plunkett, B.M. Smith, and Jeannette DePoy) reported that two letters requesting to host the 50th session of the Georgia State Convention were submitted. A vote was held; 31 (t? b?) votes were cast in favor of Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church and 18 in favor of the Savannah Sacred Harp Singers. Next year’s Georgia State Convention will be held at Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church in Carrollton, Georgia. All reports were approved as given, and the business session was closed.

Leaders: Hayden Arp 383; Helen Brown 430; Chris Brown 35; Michael Walker 213t; Judy Whiting 150; Ted Brown 445; Wade Kotter 480; Syd Caldwell and Richard DeLong 74t.

Announcements were made. Michael Thompson, Richard DeLong, and Charlene Wallace led 62 as the closing song. David Lee offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Michael Thompson; Vice Chairman—Richard DeLong; Secretary/ Treasurer—Charlene Wallace; Assistant Secretary—Lela Crowder