Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, April 28

The Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Spring Session, was held at Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, McMahan, Texas, on the fifth Sunday and Saturday before in April. The class was called to order by Gary Rogan leading 330t. After a welcome, the opening prayer was offered by Elder Sonny Huckaby.

Leaders: Gary Rogan 68t, 418; Bill Bailey 101t; Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates 36b; Gaylon Powell and Kristie Powell 477; Janie Short and Jane Goforth 501; Robert Vaughn 433; Pete Mathewson 511b; Riley Owen 40; Eli Hinton 239; John Morris 170; Anna Hinton 277; Thom Fahrbach 497; Silas Huckaby 421; Erica Hinton 356; Ainslie Allen 217; Carter Cook 142; Elizabeth Stoddard 173; Garrett Powell 376; Judy Caudle 567; Robert Stoddard 54t; Eloise Wootten 224; John Beard 288.

RECESS

Bill Bailey brought the group back together leading 108b. Leaders: Sonny Erwin 464; Eric Schwab 293t; Carol Huang 183; Sarah Beasley 39; J.T. Harechmak 110; Claudene Townson, Larry Wootten, Virginia Glass, Marlon Wootten, Syble Adams, and Levon Wootten 572; Marty Wootten and Jamey Wootten 207; Laura Densmore 482; Louis Hughes 543; Jackson Cargile and John Baker 488b; Claire Singleton 82; Jon Giles 411; Kathy Manning 478; Ryan Young 414; Marilyn Murata 571; David McPherson 505; Karen Willard and Ken Hallock 552; Shane Wootten 98; Daniel Velleman 416b; Kay Sirco 511t; Matt Hinton 38t; Sharon DuPriest 229; Ron Trial 461; Karen Rollins 220; Mica Rogers 159; Paul Wilson 314.

A business session was opened by Gary Rogan, who indicated that Vice Chairman Bill Bailey would move to the Chairmanship. Jeb Owen was nominated as Vice Chairman. A motion and second was made to elect him by acclamation. The motion carried. A motion was made and seconded that Bruce and Beverly Coates be re-elected to serve as secretaries and arranging committee. The motion carried. The chairman named Mike Hinton, Jeb Owen, and Linda Booker to serve as the Memorial Committee. The business session was closed. The blessing for the food was offered by Zach Rogan.

LUNCH

Jeb Owen led 60 to bring the class together after lunch. Leaders: Mike Hinton 544; Syble Adams 559; Steve Helwig 486; Daphene Causey 304; Marlon Wootten 449; Johnny Lee and Delores Lee 46; Jeff Adcock 108t; Cassie Allen 450; Blake Sisemore 138t; David Wright 152; Tollie Lee 84; Reba Windom 192; Connie Stanton 573; Baron Powers 81; Levon Wootten 286b; Zach Webb, Abigail Webb, Josiah Webb, and Maggie Webb 127; Seth Howard 395b; Matt Hinton, Erica Hinton, Anna Hinton, and Lorraine Myles McFarland 112.

RECESS

Bill Bailey led 145t to bring the class together. Leaders: Crystal Meadows 553; Donnie Howard 507b; Cheryl Foreman 210; Ryan Ross 313; Kevin Powell, Olivia Powell, and Tammy Powell 137; Donald Ross and Diane Ross 95b; Ron Ryan 515; Katie Mahoney and Alexa Gilmore 300; Zach Rogan and Catherine Rogan 215; Tamara Harris 378; Ben Copenhaver 320; Chris Adams 422b; Vickie Cook 293; Scott Curran and Michele Rogan 558; Sonny Huckaby 400; Greg Bowles and Amanda Bowles 155; Liz Owen and Vivian Rogan 32t; Billy Huckaby and Sarah Huckaby 68t; Tom Owen and Curtis Owen 442t.

Bill Bailey led 406 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Tollie Lee.

Sunday, April 29

The Sunday session of the Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order by Bill Bailey leading 293b. Prayer was offered by Tom Owen.

Leaders: Jeb Owen and Mary Ann Owen 49b; Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates 489; Sonny Huckaby 168; Reed Coates 68b; Donnie Howard, Lynnette Howard, and David Howard 6 (The Good Old Songs); Paul Wilson 144; Johnny Lee and Delores Lee 453b; Anna Hinton 300; Rick Foreman, Cheryl Foreman, Sonny Erwin, and Jeff Adcock 465b; Ainslie Allen 76b; Linda Booker 199; Jackson Owen 401; Charles Whitmer 488b; Eli Hinton, Matt Hinton, and Erica Hinton 470; Connie Stanton 38t; Garrett Powell 522; Daphene Causey 434; Seth Howard 30b; Silas Huckaby 388; Blake Sisemore and Tom Owen 416t; Syble Adams 367; Carter Cook 63.

RECESS

Bill Bailey led 277 to bring the class back together. Leaders: Josh Rogan 319; Levon Wootten 515; Karen Rollins 136; David Wright 402; Reba Windom 505; Thom Fahrbach 404; Carol Huang 196; Eric Schwab 198; Elizabeth Stoddard 176b; Louis Hughes 463; Karen Willard 392.

Jeb Owen opened the memorial lesson, and Linda Booker read the following names of the sick and homebound: Anthony Blevins, Scott McCown, Myrl Jones, Beverly Nelms, Bud Oliver, Sammie Oliver, Harrison Creel, Don Buswell, Anita Buswell, Skip Trout, Fumie Murata, and Shi Sue Sugimoto. Jeb led 179 to remember these that are homebound.

Mike Hinton discussed the tradition of the memorial lesson, and how the records of the earliest singings always set aside such a time. He read the list of the deceased as follows: Susan Kerr, Leland Owen, Nettie Dodson, Harold Blevins-Texas; Marie Ivey, Earnie Jett, Travis Keeton, Dr. Julietta Haynes, Bill Tanner-Alabama; John Merritt-Mississippi; Joan Fritz-Minnesota; James Wyllie, Tom Mahar-Pennsylvania; John Grant-Arkansas; Venus Martinez-California; Jeanne Schaffer-Colorado; Lonnie Rogers, Nick Griffin-Georgia; Nick Edwards-Massachusetts. Mike then led 146 in memory of the deceased. Elder Sonny Huckaby offered the prayer to close the memorial service.

Leaders: Robert Stoddard 53; Kathy Manning 393t; Jon Giles 182; Sarah Beasley 572; Marty Wootten and Jamey Wootten 142; Marilyn Murata 484b; Shane Wootten 133; Kay Sirco, David McPherson, and Claire Singleton 451; Laura Densmore 527; Claudene Townson and Larry Wootten 32t.

LUNCH

Jeb Owen led 378t to bring the afternoons session to order. Leaders: Tollie Lee 283; Sharon DuPriest 172; Steve Helwig and Crystal Meadows 216; Eloise Wootten 541; Baron Powers 358; Judy Caudle 355 (for Harrison Creel); Daniel Allcock 422b; Alex Hawk 134; Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Tom Owen, Diane Ross, and Beverly Coates 343b and 47b (in memory of Leland Owen and Mary Elizabeth Owen); Ryan Young 186; Cassie Allen 292b; Ryan Ross 276; Alexa Gilmore and Leon Ballinger 270; Ron Ryan 502; Janie Short and Jane Goforth 143; Donald Ross 302; Ben Copenhaver 494; Tamara Harris and Andrea 122; Gaylon Powell, Kristie Powell, and Sue Harju 555; Katie Mahoney 88t; Tammy Powell 99; Gary Rogan and Zach Rogan 384; Kevin Powell and Olivia Powell 47t; Sarah Huckaby and Billy Huckaby 299; Catherine Rogan and Vivian Rogan 508; Amanda Bowles and Greg Bowles 543b; Michele Rogan and Scott Curran 203; Liz Owen and Riley Owen 60.

Announcements were made. The officers led 62 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Tom Owen, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Bill Bailey; Vice Chairman—Jeb Owen; Secretaries—Bruce and Beverly Coates