Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 6

The 159th session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August at Wilson’s Chapel, near Carrollton, Georgia. John Plunkett brought the class to order by leading 52t. Matt Hinton offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Sheri Taylor 142; Donna Duke 209; Matt Hinton 31t; Robert Kelley 159; Molly Ellis 188; Aldo Ceresa 56t; Michael Walker 205; Jeannette DePoy 387; Nathan Rees 93; Helen Bryson 454; Robert Chambless 145b; Jonathan Smith 298; Joyce Walton 428; Hayden Arp 456; John Kelso 24b; Charlene Wallace 349; Stephanie Fida 485.

RECESS

John Plunkett called the class to order by leading 175. A business session was called to order. The following officers were elected for the 2011 session: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairman—Aldo Ceresa; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplain—Blake Sisemore; Arranging Committee—Robert Kelley and Laura Frey; Finance Committee—Rachel Rudi and John Kelso; Resolutions Committee—Deidra Montgomery and Michael Walker; Memorial Committee—Jeannette DePoy, Henry Johnson, and Oscar McGuire.

Leaders: Dan Brittain 399b; Judy Chambless 146; Phillip Langley 430; Laura Frey 503; Ed Thacker 498; Andy Morse 455; Amy Armstrong 40; Wendy Futral 491; Mike Spencer 382; Darrell Swarens 81t; Ellen Lea 195; Mike Hawkins 29t; Scott Ivey 182; Rachel Speer 187; Natalia Cecive 37b; Leigh Cooper 432; Bryan Black 362; Buck Lea 562; Jenna Strizak 138b; Karen Rollins 406; Earlis McGraw 284; Charles Woods 283; Oscar McGuire 573; Sandra Whittle 549; Kelly Kennedy 532; Faye Hollis 299; Jenna Frey 445; Eli Hinton 268; Scott DePoy 74b; Henry Johnson 418; Eddie Mash 321; James Baumgartner 217.

LUNCH

Lori Goode and Mary Elizabeth Goode bought the class to order leading 358. Leaders: Oliver Kindig-Stokes 197; Sarah Kahre 335; Richard Ivey 564; Blake Sisemore 411; Rachel Rudi 460; Doron Henkin 192; Taylor Rambo 272; Dean Jens 174; Reba Windom 168; Richard DeLong 522; Michael Mosley 214; John Cole “Wilson Chapel”; Sheila Brassel 282; Michael Thompson 512; Deidra Montgomery 470; Tony Hammock 102; Kathy Smith 47b; George Burnette 101t; Mark Godfrey 542; Mark Plunkett 112; Jeff Gauthier 35; Alan Lambert 35; Sonia Chin 42; Kramer Klein 67.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor and Laura Frey led 178 to bring the class to order. Leaders: Kiri Miller 442; Ian Quinn 224; B.M. Smith 225t; Dave Farmer 267; Catherine Grisso 108b; Dean Jens and Rachel Speer 278t; Richard Ivey and Scott Ivey 422; Stephanie Fida and Darrell Swarens 341; Ed Thacker and Henry Johnson 472; Jonathan Smith and Wendy Futral 36b; Eric Saylor 551; Gene Duke 421; Kramer Klein 274t; Kathy Williams 108t; Sheila Brassel 535; Sonia Chin 451; Doron Henkin 53; Deidra Montgomery 303; Michael Mosley 348b; Kiri Miller and James Baumgartner 39t; Kelly Kennedy 380; Sarah Kahre 117; Jeff Gauthier 124; Caroline Byrd 107.

Sheri Taylor and Aldo Ceresa led 323t as the closing song. Blake Sisemore closed the Saturday session with prayer.

Sunday, August 7

The Sunday session of the Chattahoochee Convention was brought to order by Sheri Taylor leading 37b and 110. Henry Johnson offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Aldo Ceresa 52b; Robert Kelley 92; John Kelso 377; Rachel Rudi 500; Deidre Montgomery 131t; Michael Walker 447; Blake Sisemore 550; Jeannette DePoy 196; Oscar McGuire 344; Henry Johnson 523; Matt Hinton 65; Leigh Cooper 74b; Ellen Lea 216; Mark Godfrey 163b; Bill Hollingsworth 91; Jack Nelson 480; Malinda Snow 569t; Lela Crowder 82t.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, and Lisa Webb called the class to order by leading 566. Leaders: Stanly Edwards 329; Buck Lea 367; Sandra Wilkinson 177.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Jeannette DePoy, Henry Johnson, and Oscar McGuire. Jeannette read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: John Merritt, Lonnie Rogers, S.T. Reed, Bud Oliver, Dr. Julietta Haynes, Travis Keeton, Violet Thomason, Hillary Gravendyk, Erica Hinton, Rose Watson, Raymond Hamrick, Nick Griffin, and Carlene Griffin. Scott DePoy led 472.

Henry Johnson spoke and read the following list of names of the deceased: Bobby Cole, Mary Cole, Sammy Harlan, George Holland, and Mary Florence Smith—Georgia; Frances Ceresa—Michigan; Corine Lacy and Ernestine Pipkin—Alabama; Jeanette McCready—Connecticut; Tom Maher—Pennsylvania; Bob Meek—Kentucky; Roy Morse—North Carolina; Van Scott—Virginia; George Seiler—New York. Oscar McGuire led 411. John Hollingsworth closed the memorial session with prayer.

Leaders: John Hollingsworth 466; Christian Webb 25; Jenna Frey 445; Harry Eskew 128; Caroline Byrd 496; Molly Ellis 477; Richard DeLong 410t; Eric Saylor 354b; Sonia Chin 228; Sheila Brassel 66; Doron Henkin 105; Sarah Kahre 203; James Baumgartner 547; Scott DePoy 274t; Kelly Kennedy 481; Oliver Kindig-Stokes 285t.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Oliver Kindig-Stokes leading 145t. Leaders: Kramer Klein 208; Kathy Williams 506; Joyce Walton 570; Jenna Harmon 183; Michael Thompson 436; Dennis Lea 32t; Reba Windom 546; John Plunkett 558; Henry Johnson 390; Rachel Rudi 392; Jeff Gauthier 384; Gene Duke 319; Kiri Miller 385b; Charlene Wallace 129; Ian Quinn 182; Lori Goode 137; Jackson Harcrow 507; Lisa Webb 300; James Baumgartner 501; Lori Goode and Mary Elizabeth Goode 345t; Sheila Brassel 63; Doron Henkin 370; Sarah Kahre 330b; Sonia Chin 400; Caroline Byrd 154.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, Lisa Webb, Jenna Frey, and Christian Webb called the class together by leading 358. Leaders: Michael Mosley 434; Kathy Williams 532; Kelly Kennedy 441; Molly Scott 361; Stanly Edwards 283; Eric Saylor 84; Kramer Klein 324; Jeff Gauthier 486; Ian Quinn 76b; Jenna Harmon 457.

On motion and second, the convention went into a business session for the purpose of hearing committee reports. John Kelso, of the Finance Committee, reported that all expenses of the convention were met.

Deidre Montgomery and Michael Walker offered the following resolution: “We, the committee on resolutions, make the following report and recommendation: First, be it resolved, that members of this Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Musical Convention give humble thanks to the Creator for the blessings of life, friends, family, and Sacred Harp singing. Second, be it further resolved, that we, the members recall with gratitude the generations of singers, leaders, and composers who have handed this music down to the present day. Third, be it resolved, that the visitors express an appreciation to the church and to the descendants of the Wilson family for their generous and cordial hospitality, and to those who have graciously housed and fed us for the duration of the singing, as well as put their time and love into preparing an abundant and delicious dinner over the two days of singing. Fourth, be it resolved, that we thank the officers, the committees, and the keyers for their effort and their service to the singing. Finally, be it resolved, that we meet again the first Sunday and Saturday before in August, 2012, for the 160th Chattahoochee Convention. A motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted as read, and added to the minutes. Announcements were made.

Sheri Taylor and Aldo Ceresa led 62 as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by Blake Sisemore.

Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairman—Aldo Ceresa; Secretary—Donna Duke