Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 3

The 161st session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August at Wilson’s Chapel, Cross Plains, Georgia. Sheri Taylor called the convention to order by leading 142 and 29t. Jesse Roberts offered an opening prayer.

Leaders: Aldo Ceresa 155; Donna Duke 203; Robert Kelley 161; Laura Frey 178; Michael Walker 140; Karen Rollins 227; Rebecca Over 197; Jesse Roberts 352; John Plunkett 311; Darrell Swarens 324; Jenna Frey 408; Judy Chambless 549; Amy Armstrong 312b; Thom Fahrbach 109; Robert Chambless 84; Sue Bunch 107; Peter Trumbore 277; Micah Roberts 460; Jeannette DePoy 75.

RECESS

Michael Walker called the class to order by leading 322. Leaders: Jonathon Kelso 517; Henry Johnson 88t; Clarissa Fetrow 224; David Brodeur and Andy Ditzler 183; Lisa Bennett 182; Eric Tweedy 68t; Erin Johnson-Hill 436; Leigh Cooper 176t; Nathan Rees 464; Sarah Trumbore 47b; Lori Goode 358; Jason Stanford 568; David Smead 300; Joyce Walton and Michael Thompson 192; Wendy Futral 98; Richard Ivey 111b; Matt Hinton 556.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor and Laura Frey called the convention back to order by leading 114. The convention went into a business session. The following officers were elected for the 2013 session: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairman—Aldo Ceresa; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplain—Michael Walker; Arranging Committee—Robert Kelley and Laura Frey; Finance Committee—Lori Goode and Amy Armstrong; Resolutions Committee—Erin Johnson-Hill and Daire O’Sullivan; Memorial Committee—Jeannette DePoy and Karen Rollins. John Plunkett made a motion to start the convention at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, with the business session before lunch, so anyone who wanted to attend Jeff Sheppard’s funeral on Sunday could leave after lunch. The motion was seconded and approved by the members.

Leaders: Gayle Denney and Phillip Denney 27; Karis Askin, Wyatt Denney, and Eva Grace Horsley 63; Joyce Heath 143; Morgan Bunch 489; Faye Hollis 168; Dan Brittain 417; Simon Filborne 146; Mark Godfrey 83t; Steve Kick 456; Kelsey Ivey 134.

LUNCH

Aldo Ceresa brought the class back to order leading 128. Leaders: Jesse Karlsberg 392; Earlis McGraw 475; Reba Windom 436 (in memory of Jeff Sheppard); Susan Cherones 173; Fallon Cook 340; George Burnette 101t; Tony Hammock 105; Sophie Dillard 72b; Jonathon Smith 215; Oscar McGuire 485; Harry Eskew 159; Kevin Dyess 314; Judy Mincey 474; Leanne Carter 32t; Lisa Webb and Christian Webb 294; Jonathan Wood 380; Scott DePoy 448t; Steve Kick 112; Simon Filborne and family 45t; Richard Ivey and Kelsey Ivey 425; Sarah Trumbore and Peter Trumbore 39t; Sue Bunch and Morgan Bunch 504; Wendy Futral, Jonathan Smith, and Nathan Rees 333; Susan Cherones and Kevin Dyess 481; Darrell Swarens and Reba Windom 542; Thom Fahrbach and Clarissa Fetrow 419; Dan Brittain 465; Joyce Walton and Michael Thompson 455; Erin Johnson-Hill and Michael Walker 406; Rebecca Over 42; Sophie Dillard 59; Jonathan Wood, Michael Richards, and Anya Skibbie 288; Henry Johnson 138t; Robert Chambless 303.

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

Sunday, August 4

The Sunday session of the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Singing Convention was brought to order by Sheri Taylor leading 56b. John Plunkett offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Aldo Ceresa 30b; Donna Duke 32t; Laura Frey 163b; Robert Kelley 46; Michael Walker 96; Jesse Karlsberg 275b; Nathan Rees 69t; Charlene Wallace 105; John Plunkett 50t; Michael Spencer 393; Amy Armstrong 99; Jim Neal and Jonathan Wood 472; Erin Mills 383; Jonathan Smith 126; Hayden Arp 470; Jenna Frey 231; Phil Hollingsworth 285t; Jane Spencer 454; Reba Windom 411; Oscar McGuire 229.

RECESS

Leaders: Thom Fahrbach 445; Lori Goode 137; John Hollingsworth 136; Erin Johnson-Hill 432; David Brodeur and Clarissa Fetrow 440; Steve Kick 318; Sarah Trumbore 122; Mike Richards 188; Charles Woods 197; Peter Trumbore 29t; David Smead 178; Lisa Bennett 120.

Jeannette DePoy and Karen Rollins conducted the memorial service. Jeanette DePoy read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Shelbie Sheppard, Lavoy Smith, Toney Smith, S.T. Reed, John Block, Josephine Denney, Carlene Griffin, Danny Griffin, Raymond Hamrick, Martha Ann Stegar, Maria Wallace, Brian Wilmarth, and Bess Fitzgerald. Jeanette led 32b in their honor.

Karen Rollins read Hebrews 12:1 and the following list of names of the deceased: Bufrey Dean, Gertrude DeLong, Bud Oliver, Lessie Reed, Jeff Sheppard, Charles Wright, and Willard Wright—Alabama; Don Buswell—Arkansas; Violet Thomason and Nancy Yeager—Georgia; Eva Padgett—Florida; Jane Hoey—Massachusetts; Harry Essex—New York; Evelyn Steinruck—Pennsylvania. Karen led 312t in memory of the deceased. Michael Walker closed the memorial session with prayer.

Leaders: Dan Brittain 425; Rachel Rudi 460; Rebecca Over 381; Lisa Webb 408.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor, Lisa Webb, Laura Frey, and Jenna Frey brought the convention back to order by leading 377. Leaders: Earlis McGraw 483; David Carlton 421; Nan Carter and children 354b; Matt Hinton 566; Richard Ivey and Kelsey Ivey 439; Sandra Wilkinson 168; Mark Puckett 142; Michael Thompson 283; Cecil Roberts 35; Bridgett Kennedy 319; Erica Hinton 123t; Aldo Ceresa 556; Jonathan Wood 320; Scott Kennedy 68b.

Since the majority of the singers were leaving after lunch to attend the funeral of Jeff Sheppard in Alabama, the convention held a business session at this time.

Committee reports were read as follows: Amy Armstrong, Finance Committee, reported the collection. Erin Johnson-Hill and Daire O’Sullivan, Resolutions Committee, gave the following resolution: “We, the Resolutions Committee, make the following report and recommendations: First, be it resolved, that members of the 161st Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Musical Convention thank God for his mercies in bringing friends and families together for this fellowship and singing; Second, we resolve to thank the officers of this convention and those who prepared food and all those who attended; and Third, we resolve to meet again on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August, 2014, for the 162nd Chattahoochee Convention.” Motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted as read, and added to the minutes.

LUNCH

Leaders: Robert Kelley 274b; Jane Spencer 478; Jason Stanford 548; Sarah Trumbore 76b; Oscar McGuire 276; Mike Richards 284; Peter Trumbore 107; Gene Duke 282; Mark Puckett 112; Jonathan Wood 448b; Dan Brittain 163t; Hayden Arp 206; Leanne Carter 33t; Dick Plunkett 45t; Jenna Frey 358; Michael Spencer 278t; Bill Hollingsworth 479; Jim Neal and Jonathan Wood 113; Laura Frey and Jenna Frey 63; Ellen Culpepper and Peter Trumbore 457.

Announcements were made. Sheri Taylor led 62 as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by John Hollingsworth.

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