Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, October 30

The 142nd session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held at Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church, Dunwoody, Georgia, on the fifth Sunday and Saturday before in October. The class was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Jane Spencer leading 47t. The opening prayer was offered by Elder Edward Cagle.

Shannon Primm conducted the introductory lesson leading songs on pages 569t, 36b, 385b, 86, 435, 370, 69b, 250.

Leaders: Helen Bryson 227; Mike Spencer 289; Matt Hinton 501; Ted

Mercer 123b (in memory of Uncle Jack Corley); Jonathan Smith 171; Sandra Wilkinson 288; Jeannette DePoy 384 (for Horace DeLong); Phillip Langley 546; Molly Ellis 345b; Jesse Roberts 149; Janice Paulk 478; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 541; Judy Mincey 475; John Kelso 113.

RECESS

Jane Spencer called the class to order leading 61. Leaders: Lauren Bock 31t; Rachel Carlisle 145t; Lee Cooper and Mike Godfrey 503; George Burnette 222.

A business session was held with the following officers elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Ted Mercer; Vice Chairman—John Plunkett; Secretary/Treasurer—Helen Bryson; Arranging Committee—Nathan Rees and Shannon Primm; Resolutions Committee—Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg and Darrell Swarens; Finance Committee—Eddie Mash and John Kelso; Memorial Committee—Jeannette DePoy and Judy Mincey; Chaplains—Matt Hinton and Aubrey Hemminger.

Leaders: Robert Chambless 312b; Charlene Wallace 269; Micah Roberts 389; Ian Ludders 228; Tony Hammock 111b (for Mr. Lonnie Rogers); John Plunkett and visitor Alessandro Portelli 361; Debora Grosse 344; Ellen Lee 198; Judy Chambless 527; Violet Thomason 189, 112.

LUNCH

The class was called to order by Ted Mercer leading 106. Leaders: Eddie Mash 420; Buck Lee 383; Bob Meek 340; Blake Sisemore 411; Nathan Rees 355; Reba Windom 225b; Robert Strauss 300; Darrell Swarens 542; Erica Hinton 534; Aubrey Hemminger 142; Daniel Bearden 432; John Kelso 302; Phillip Langley 110; Jesse Roberts 550; Ian Ludders 468; Ellen Lee 94; Micah Roberts 388; George Burnette 282; Lee Cooper and Mike Godfrey 335; Ted Mercer, Charlene Wallace, Hugh McGraw, Eddie Mash, Aubrey Hemminger, and Bob Meek 155.

RECESS

John Plunkett called the class to order leading 516. Leaders: Roberta Strauss 569b; Buck Lee 339; Reba Windom and Blake Sisemore 216; Susan Posey 270; Edward Cagle 306; Daniel Bearden 412; Violet Thomason 192.

Announcements were made. The class sang 46 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Matt Hinton.

Sunday, October 31

The Sunday session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention was brought to order by Ted Mercer leading 27. The morning prayer was offered by Aubrey Hemminger. Ted Mercer led 28t.

Leaders: John Plunkett 60,130; Helen Bryson 312t, 568 (in memory of

Kenneth DeLong); Tony Hammock 321, 303; Erica Hinton 102,108t; Charles Woods 197, 203; Jeannette DePoy 494, 108b (for Margie Dietz); Molly Ellis 65, 39t; Vaudie Sherer 143,145t; Reuben Ball 497; Dianne O’Shields 82t; 452; Faye Holbrook 67, 380.

RECESS

Ted Mercer called the class to order leading 168. Leaders: Junie Wooten 503, 268; Roberta Strauss 32t, 496; Scott DePoy 277; Ann Drexler 87, 350; Billy Hollingsworth 376, 236; Catherine Grisso 37b, 276; Oscar McGuire 336, 441.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Jeannette DePoy and Judy Mincey. Jeannette led 129 for the following sick and shut-ins: Charlotte Powell, Lonnie Rogers, Julie Vea, Aaron Wootten, Gertrude DeLong, and Richard DeLong.

Judy Mincey led 320 for the following deceased: Mary Evelyn King and Emily Calhoun—Georgia; George Seiler—New York; Jerry Enright—Illinois; Eugene D. Swarens—Indiana; Japeth Jackson—Alabama; Molly MacDougall—New Hampshire; Johney Kelso—Florida. The memorial lesson was closed with prayer by Aubrey Hemminger.

LUNCH

Ted Mercer called the class to order leading 101t. Leaders: John Hollingsworth 100, 136; B.M. Smith 556, 318; Michael Thompson 61, 146; Joyce Walton 456; Bob Meek 287, 135; Darrell Swarens 81t, 189; Eddie Mash 263, 111b; Aubrey Hemminger 84, 178; Blake Sisemore 510, 532; Alice West 566, 516.

RECESS

John Plunkett called the class to order leading 74b. Leaders: Violet Thomason 112, 189, 192; Janice Paulk 337; Judy Mincey 474; Jane Spencer 382; Sandra Wilkinson 283; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 45t; Shannon Primm 367.

The convention entered into a business session for the purpose of hearing reports. The Resolutions committee reported the following: We, the Resolutions Committee of the 142nd Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention hereby resolve: To thank the members of Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church and their pastor, Elder Edward Cagle, for their hospitality and for graciously permitting us to the this church. We further resolve to thank the officers of this convention for their work to make this convention a success. We also thank the committee members for helping to ensure the smooth running of this convention. We thank the singers and listeners who have supported this convention through the years and are helping to pass our traditions on to future generations. Lastly, we resolve to meet again on the first fifth Sunday after Labor Day and the Saturday before, October 29 and 30, 2011, for the 143rd session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention to be held at Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church.

The finance committee reported that convention expenses had been met. A motion was made by John Plunkett and seconded by Helen Bryson that the donation to the hosting church be increased from $100.00 to $150.00 for the two-day event. The motion carried. The reports were approved, and the business session was closed.

Announcements were made. Ted Mercer and John Plunkett led 62 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Aubrey Hemminger.

Chairman—Ted Mercer; Vice Chairman—John Plunkett; Secretary—Helen Bryson