Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, June 29

The 145th session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention was hosted by Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church and held at Sweetwater Chapel, Lawrenceville, Georgia, on the fifth Sunday and Saturday before in June. The class was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Jeannette DePoy leading 59. The opening prayer was offered by Matt Hinton.

P. Dan Brittain conducted the introductory lesson leading songs on pages 147t, 504, 390, 56b, 491, 131b, 416, 123t, 345b, 158, 312t, 108t, 57, 71, 43, 214, 208, and 225b.

Leaders: Jesse P. Karlsberg 48t; Helen Bryson 411; John Plunkett 391; Erica Hinton 187; Tony Hammock 314; Matt Hinton 139.

RECESS

Jeannette DePoy called the class to order leading 99. A business session was held with the following officers elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Jesse P. Karlsberg; Vice Chairman—Scott DePoy; Secretary/Treasurer—Helen Bryson; Arranging Committee—Lauren Bock, John Plunkett, and John Kelso; Memorial Committee—Emma Rose Brown and Nathan Rees; Finance Committee—Tony Hammock, Shannon Primm, and Michael Thompson; Resolutions Committee—Marcus Whitman, Jean Seiler, and Daire O’Sullivan; Chaplain—Matt Hinton. In other business a motion was made to contact Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church about the possibility of holding the Union Convention again on the fifth Sunday and Saturday before in June, 2014. The rationale behind the motion being that having the convention in June would again be prior to camp thus perhaps draw more visitors. Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg and Scott DePoy are to speak with Faye Holbrook concerning the matter.

Leaders: Sandra Wilkinson 46; Eli Hinton 77t; Anna Hinton 282; Ellen Foster 373; Judy Chambless 549; Judy Mincey and Janie Hughes 474; Phillip Langley 564; Micah Roberts 300; Lisa Bennett 178; George Burnette 117; Shannon Primm and Liz Weaver 475; Eric Tweedy 385b; Ann Brantley 222; B.M. Smith 270; Erica Martinez 181; Faiz Wareh 365; John Kelso 543; Evangeline Schultz 143; Jonathan Smith and Touri Behrauz 428; Michael Spencer 382.

LUNCH

Lauren Bock and Daire O’Sullivan called the class to order leading 89. Leaders: Michael Thompson 436; Tarik Wareh 163t; Rachel Hall 165; Daphene Causey 196; Erik Schwab 546; Jean Seiler 217; Emma Rose Brown 517; Marcus Whitman 131t; Erin Johnson-Hill 434; Myles Louis Dakan 430; Dan Brittain 333; Rachel Carlisle 137; Ethan Schultz 284; Jackson Fleder 27; Ellen Lueck and Elise Steenburgh 441; Alvaro Witt Duarte 477; Reba Windom and Sharon DuPriest 269 (for Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard); Tim Morton 431; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 189; Wendy Futral 327.

RECESS

Scott DePoy called the class to order leading 277. Leaders: David Smead 67; Gigi Quinn and Marcus Whitman 66; Karen Olson and Dan Edwards 84; Darrell Swarens 198; Janice Paulk 337; Jesse Roberts 149; Jessica Harris 168t; Nathan Rees 140; Chris Wilhelm 308.

Announcements were made. Jesse Karlsberg and Lauren Bock led 209 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Alvaro Witt Duarte.

Sunday, June 30

The Sunday session of the Union Convention was called to order by Jesse P. Karlsberg leading 31t. Matt Hinton offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Scott DePoy 339 (in memory of Jane Hoey); Helen Bryson 454; John Kelso 397; Malinda Snow 510; Judy Mincey 180; Michael Spencer 420; Anna Hinton 40; Eli Hinton 268; Holly Mixon 142; John Plunkett 492; Lela Crowder 228; Michael Thompson and Joyce Walton 292; Lauren Bock 422; Matt Hinton 428; Tony Hammock 83b; Jeannette DePoy 392; Nathan Rees 310; Sandra Wilkinson 177; David Smead 472; Shannon Primm 115; Jonathon Smith 82b.

RECESS

Scott DePoy called the class to order leading 274t. Leaders: Tim Morton 394; Lisa Bennett 112; Jackson Fleder 208; Ethan Schultz 350; Elise Steenburgh 288; Rachel Carlisle 460; Marcus Whitman 91; Cathy White 159; Tarik Wareh 29b; Alvaro Witt Duarte 566.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Emma Rose Brown and Nathan Rees. Emma Rose led 34b for the following sick and shut-ins: Jetha Brooks, Josie Hyde, Terry Muher, Jeff Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, Rueben Ball, and Geneva Prichard.

Nathan Rees spoke and led 414 in memory of the following deceased: Violet Thomason and Nancy Yeager—Georgia; Gertrude DeLong, Lessie Reed, and Bud Oliver—Alabama; Jane Hoey—Massachusetts; Barbara Hall—New Hampshire; Langdon Smith—South Carolina; Marjorie Sommers—Indiana; Don Buswell—Arkansas. Marcus Whitman closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: P. Dan Brittain 429; Gigi Flynn 163b.

LUNCH

Jesse Karlsberg called the class to order leading 313t. Leaders: Erik Schwab 500; Daire O’Sullivan 396; Willis McCumber 318; Jean Seiler 273; Samuel Sommers 502; Emma Rose Brown 322; Tarik Wareh 523; Ellen Lueck 375; Andrew Mashchak and Daniel Miller 170; Erica Martinez 148; Darrell Swarens 324; Erin Johnson-Hill 192; Erin Mills 430; Evangeline Schultz 217; Sophie Edwards, Hannah Edwards, and Dillard Edwards 49t; Renata Pekowska 504; Alice West 47t; Micah Roberts 432; Erica Hinton 286; Jesse Roberts 536; Jean Seiler, Tarik Wareh, and Faiz Wareh 49b; Willis McCumber, Emma Rose Brown, and Alvaro Witt Duarte 276; Samuel Sommers, Jonathon Smith, and Erik Schwab 505; Erin Johnson-Hill, Elise Steenburgh, and Ellen Lueck 406; Andrew Mashchak and Tim Morton 183; Marcus Whitman, Gigi Flynn, Ethan Schultz, and Evangeline Schultz 29t; Darrell Swarens, Jeannette DePoy, Lauren Bock, Erica Hinton, and Jesse Karlsberg 39t; Laura Akerman 224.

The convention entered into a business session for the purpose of hearing reports. The Resolutions Committee reported the following: We thank God for the opportunity to meet and sing together. Thank you to all who provided the delicious food on both days. Thank you to the committees and officers for their work in keeping the convention going. Thank you to all the singers for traveling to sing together. Thank you to those who provided hospitality. Thank you to everyone who came to sing or listen. We resolve to meet again in 2014 for the 146th session at a place and date to be determined. The Finance Committee reported that convention expenses were met. The reports were approved and the business session was closed.

Announcements were made. Jesse Karlsberg, Scott DePoy, and Helen Bryson led 62 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Jesse Roberts, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Jesse P. Karlsberg; Vice Chairman—Scott DePoy; Secretary—Helen Bryson