Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Find in all years, or only checked years:




Or, view 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 or all years.

Song use statistics are also available.

Ohio Sacred Harp Convention

Cleveland and Lakewood, Ohio

February 14-16, 1997

Friday night, February 14

The fifth annual Ohio Sacred Harp Singing Convention opened Friday evening, February 14, 1997 at Lakewood Baptist Church in Lakewood, Ohio, with a singing school led by P. Dan Brittain.

Saturday, February 15

The Saturday session met in the Cathedral Hall of Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio. Paul Foster called the class to order by leading song on page 59. Canon Gary Mitchener of the Cathedral gave a short welcoming talk and offered a prayer.

New officers were elected as follows: Chairman—Paul Foster; Vice Chairman—John Bealle; Secretary—Charles Wells; Treasurer—Virginia Benade.

Leaders were called as follows: Paul Foster 481; John Bealle 54; Charles Wells 47b; Virginia Benade 56b; Beth Todd 99; Joe Todd 373; Chris Sepic 479; Barbara Swetman 171; Walter Hartley 24b, with some additional verses not in the book; Catherine Siciliano 120; Anna Taylor, accompanied by her mother, Katharine Manning 354b; Michael Darby 312b; Lois Hurt 40; Jeffrey W. Bell 217; Connie Karduck 456; Luther Olson 299; James Page “County K” (his composition); Laura Densmore 228; Eloise Clark 313b; Katharine Manning 377; Charlotte Wolfe 47t; Dan Brittain “Scott” (his composition); Ginny Landgraf 538; Chandler York 229; Robert A. Meek 209; Bobbie Goodell 148.

RECESS

Paul Foster called the class back to order leading song on page 85. Leaders: Charles Knecht 42; Sharon Kermiet 474; Jean Seiler 530; Brad Oglesby 45t; Roland Hutchinson 250; Virginia Cameron 147b; Ted Mercer 216; Gina Balestracci 112; John Bayer 123 (t? b?); George Seiler 455; Kay Bieszczad 126; Peter Pate 396; Michele Biery 273; David Wright 361; Janet Shipman 198; Fred Todt 155; Christian Haller 184; Kacy Pate 38b; Chris Kermiet 324; Seth Houston 454; Kathryn Knecht 380. Canon Mitchener dismissed the class with prayer.

LUNCH

Fred Todt called the class back to order leading song on page 350. Leaders: Paul Foster “Ohio” (by Dan Brittain); Beth Todd 200; Alexander Knecht 29b; Laura Densmore 528; Richard Overturf 323 (t? b?); Virginia Benade 497; Laura Weber 34b; Lois Hurt 551; Jeffrey W. Bell 501; Luther Olson “Miller” (his composition); Walter Hartley 178; Barbara Swetman 188; John Bayer 68b; Connie Karduck 368; Eloise Clark 524; Robert Meek 236; Virginia Cameron 81 (t? b?).

RECESS

Paul Foster called the class back to order leading song on page 114. Leaders: Anna Taylor 274t; Chandler York 535b; Ginny Landgraf 163b; John Puskar 35; Charlotte Wolfe 196; Dan Brittain 444; Bobbie Goodell 218; John Bealle 80t; James Page 268; Jean Seiler 147t; David Wright 159; Kacy Pate 384; Roland Hutchinson 358; Charles Wells 96; Gina Balestracci 143; Ted Mercer 106; Chris Sepic 362; Janet Shipman 344; Brad Oglesby 133; Joe Todd 122; Christian Haller 267; Kathryn Knecht 322; George Seiler 146; Seth Houston 168; Katharine Manning 546; Charles Knecht 566; Peter Pate 572; Michele Biery 189; Michael Darby 480.

Chris Sepic led the class in a closing prayer, and Paul Foster led song on page 323 (t? b?) for the closing song.

Sunday, February 16

The Sunday session met in Lakewood Women’s Pavilion, Lakewood, Ohio. Paul Foster called the class to order by leading song on page 72b, and Chris Sepic offered an opening prayer.

Leaders: John Bealle 46; Charles Wells 31t; Virginia Benade 49b; George Seiler 66; Christian Haller 551; Connie Karduck 212; Kathryn Knecht 151; Jeffrey W. Bell 290; Barbara Swetman 127; Eloise Clark 145b; Anna Taylor 278b; James Page 421; Roland Hutchinson “Richmond” (by William Billings); Joe Todd 337; Ted Mercer 275t; Peter Pate 51; Michele Biery 65; Dan Brittain “Steel” (his composition).

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Paul Foster leading song on page 117. Leaders: Bobbie Goodell 300; Nancy Maguda 28b; Gina Balestracci 389; Brad Oglesby 192; Seth Houston 95; Jean Seiler 142; Charles Knecht 32b; Chris Sepic 24b; Ginny Landgraf 224; Michael Darby 201; Janet Shipman 268; Beth Todd 58; Chandler York 189; Laura Weber 523; Katharine Manning 73t; Alexander Knecht 346; David Wright 183; Joe Keehner, Jr. 147t.

The Memorial Committee read the names of the sick and shut-in: Alabama—Virgil and Ruby Phillips; California—Patricia Pate, Marilyn Wassall, and Rodney Willard; Maryland—John Holmes; Ohio—Josh Farthing and Tammy Webster; Virginia—Kat Kincaid. Dan Brittain led song on page 452 for the sick and shut-in.

Then the Committee read the names of those who died: Alabama—Johnnie Sue Beasley, Tom Harper, and Delta Wooten (mother of Syble Adams); California—Gail Rich; Ohio—Kevin Walters; West Virginia—Bill Heinikie. Chris Sepic led song on page 107 for those who died.

LUNCH

Paul Foster called the class back to order leading song on page 29t. Leaders: Barbara Swetman 472; Virginia Benade 45t; Kacy Pate 440; Jeffrey W. Bell 383; Beth Huener 86; Christian Haller 351; Michele Biery 186; Jean Seiler 415; Seth Houston 203; Katharine Manning 556; Janet Shipman 178; Brad Oglesby 365; Ginny Landgraf 378b; Charles Wells 547; Kathryn Knecht 184; Roland Hutchinson “Glocester” (by William Billings); Beth Todd 280; Eloise Clark 48t; George Seiler 480.

RECESS

Paul Foster called the class back to order leading song on page 148. Leaders: Chandler York 165; Laura Weber 49t; Peter Pate 436; Michael Darby 334; David Wright 163t; Bobbie Goodell 287; Charles Knecht 419; Chris Sepic 63; Gina Balestracci 352; James Page 408; Joe Keehner 39t; Nancy Maguda 89; FB 504; Lois Hurt 40. The Resolution Committee moved to acknowledge and thank the following committees and officers: Paul Foster (Chairman); John Bealle (Vice Chairman); Charles Wells (Secretary); Virginia Benade (Treasurer); Canon Gary Mitchener and Chris Sepic (Chaplains); Joe Todd (Resolutions Committee); Beth Todd (Chairman of Arranging Committee); Nancy Maguda and Jane Wells (Cochairmen of Food Committee); Bobbie Goodell and Chris Sepic (Memorial Committee); We also thank Beth Todd for hosting the Saturday night social. We thank Lakewood Baptist Church, Trinity Cathedral, and the City of Lakewood for providing meeting facilities.

The Secretary reports that the 1997 Ohio Sacred Harp Convention drew singers from 13 states. Besides singers from Ohio, singers traveled from Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In all, there were 108 (t? b?) registered singers. On Saturday, 97 songs were led, and on Sunday, 75 songs were led. Over the two days there were 55 different leaders.

The Treasurer reported that we had met our expenses.

The Vice Chairman reported that the 1998 Ohio Sacred Harp Convention will be held in Cincinnati.

Chris Sepic led the class in a closing prayer. Chairman Paul Foster called the other officers to the center of the square to lead the class in singing “The Parting Hand” on page 62. Chairman—Paul Foster; Vice Chairman—John Bealle; Secretary—Charles Wells.