Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, February 15

The 23rd annual Pacific Northwest Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Washington Session, was called to order by Karen Willard and Susan Helf leading 46. Anne Huckins offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Clarissa Fetrow 59; Jinx McGuire 300; Darlene Simpson-Brown 527.

The class held a business session, and the following officers were approved or appointed to serve: Chairperson—Susan Helf; Rising Chairman—Kevin Barrans; Secretary—Kate Coxon; Treasurer—Karen Willard; Arranging Committee—David Wright and Clarissa Fetrow; Chaplains—Anne Huckins and Darlene Simpson-Brown. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Jim Friedrich 122; John Wiens 63; Ken Hallock 171; William Price, Caleb Price, and Luke Morton 270; Lucinda Saue 178; Marla Elliott 149; Peter Schinske 110; Marcia Stedman 479; Destiny Woods 472; Kate Fortin 424; Bruce Rowland 426b; Karen Stingle 203; Jim Van Horn 39t.

RECESS

Susan Helf and Kevin Barrans called the class back to order by leading 48t.

Leaders: Anne Huckins 503; Heidi Kissinger 27; Kate Fine 282; Ana Tighe 474; Holly Baker 448b; Chris Cotter 213t; Erika Wilson 391; Thom Fahrbach 195; Betsy Jeronen 562; Steve Helwig 29b; Linda Selph 354t; Kat Kohorst 121; Joanne Hoover 277; Steve Cackley 560; Shannon McGuire 163t; Nick Taylor 302; Kathy Vlach 475.

RECESS

Solomon Ossa led 81t to bring the class back to order. Leaders: John Carson 38b; Eric Holt 344; Karen Willard 87; Lyle Lindsey 276; Anna Stoerch 172; David Wright 327 (in memory of Shelbie Sheppard); Kevin Barrans 495; Ray Rechenberg 565; Myles Alexander 328; Bob Schinske 290; Matt Ebarb 504; Greg Saue 147t. Anne Huckins offered a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Sophia Schinske leading 335.

Leaders: Nancy Price and Christy Price 84 (for Euan Pringle); Kate Coxon 168; Dan Harper 236; Jeff Begley 240; Eva Striebeck 186; Erik Schwab 528; Lindy Groening 428; Erica Martinez 111b; Jerry Schreiber 538; Evelyn Lamb 506; Jessica Slighter 163b; Tamara Harris 568; Jack Lofton 196; Marilyn Murata 218; David Olson 313b; Mryka Hall-Beyer 350; Aubrey Hemminger 547; Peter Stenshoel 569b; Melissa Stephenson 361; Carolyn Flatley-Gilkey 86; Sara Callif and Solomon Ossa 315.

RECESS

Betsy Jeronen called the class back to order by leading 52t. Leaders: Susan Helf and Ben Smith 377; Nathalie Elam 268; Ed Wayt and Jerry Schreiber 56b; Jordan Singer 444; Eva Striebeck 440; Karl Oswald, Margaret Oswald, and Mercy Oswald 179; Jessica Slighter 134; Mother Felicitas Curti 114; Ethan Hardy 540; Cornelia Stanton 217; Ray Rechenberg 454; Clarissa Fetrow 212; Evelyn Lamb 67; Jinx McGuire 198; Solomon Ossa 500; Aubrey Hemminger 142; Myles Alexander 85; Mryka Hall-Beyer 68b; Darlene Simpson-Brown 401; Tamara Harris 271b.

At the end of the day, Susan Helf and Kevin Barrans led the song “Washington”. Anne Huckins offered a closing prayer.

Much of the class retired for the evening, but Kevin Barrans presided over a small composium for those who wished to stay. Five composers from three states led the class in singing their new compositions, and the class offered helpful feedback.

Sunday, February 16

The Sunday session of the Pacific Northwest Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Washington Session, was called to order by Susan Helf and Kevin Barrans leading 66. Darlene Simpson-Brown offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: David Wright 28t; Bob Schinske 39b; Wing Mui 107; Anne Huckins 31t; Kathy Vlach 145b; Martie Hoadley and John Carson 312b; Karen Mathews 191; Sophia Schinske and Logan Thomas 549; Emily Bittrick, Allegra Radcliffe, Savannah Wilson, Alex Gootter, Nicholas Broussard, Kylie O’Neill, Raychel Stovall, and Heather Mabson 267; Micaela Gifford, Chandra Scheschy, Brittni Cushman, Courtney Conaway, Aaron Schroeder, and Jessica Danielson 45t; Aaron Jones, Jean Nishida, Chris Lane, Colin Parks, Finnbar Face-Book, and Laurel Schumm 46; Nancy Price 224; Jeff Begley 284; Sam Bennett 410t; Mryka Hall-Beyer 352; David Olson 34b.

RECESS

Anna Stoerch led 37b to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Desirae Fendel 155; Cornelia Stanton 99; Tristan Paredes 141; Jean Murphy 38t; Peter Stenshoel 294; Erica Martinez 318; Nick Taylor 333; Linda Jweinat 229; Apollo Gott 268; Jerry Schreiber 532; Marcia Stedman 106; Peter Schinske 438; Steve Cackley 124; Mother Felicitas Curti 209 (in memory of Leta Marshall); Shannon McGuire 441; Heidi Kissinger 49t; Darlene Simpson-Brown 303; William Price 48b; Katy Kanfer 160b.

RECESS

Thom Fahrbach called the class back together by leading 123b. Leaders: Jim Friedrich 142; Julie Lee 30t; Kate Coxon and Ron Coxon 159.

Jordan Singer gave a moving memorial lesson which included a meditation on the phrase “Death, where is thy sting?” He then led 176t in memory of the following deceased: Voncile Nall, Loyal Reynolds, Jeff Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, C.T. Williams—Alabama; Dr. Hermon Price—Arizona; Dennis Carter, Polly Henniger, Carroll Lunsford, Faith Petric, Michael N. Wilson, Rachel Willard Smith—California; Susan Smith—Colorado; Walter Baldwin—Georgia; Tom Helf, Neil Stenshoel—Minnesota; Margaret Gilkey Richards—New York; Artem Nyet—Ohio; Toni Rock Garreton, Jim Rich, Margaret Via—Oregon; Fran Accetta, Evelyn Steinruck—Pennsylvania; Dotty Sutton, LB Chip Sutton—Tennessee; Amelia Hancock—Vermont; Rosemary Allen, Lina Brown, John Farris, Marilee Karnofski, Bishop Jack Tuell—Washington; Mark Reiss—Mexico; Angela Witkiss—UK.

John Wiens reminded the class how important it is to offer care for our sick and shut-ins, and led 330b for the following: Bill Aplin, Jeanette Bates, Loraine Bayer, Ruth Elliott, Jim G., Barbara Greenspan, Zdzislaw Gryszko, Marty Hayden, Greg Johnson, Dana Lunsford, Dr. and Mrs. Carl Marcus, Mary Metzger, Fumie Murata, Adrienne Papermaster, Alice Parman, Euan Pringle, Julie Pritikin, Meg Putnam, John Shaffer, Corinna Singer, Carla Smith, Harriett McKim Smith, Shisue Sugimoto, Bryna Walden, Zander Whitman, and Rodney and Barbara Willard. Darlene Simpson-Brown offered a prayer for all who were remembered during the memorial lesson.

The class resumed singing with the following leaders: Kevin Barrans 445; Marie Brandis 112; Erik Schwab 556. Darlene Simpson-Brown offered thanks for the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Kevin Barrans leading 162.

Leaders: Jack Lofton 269; Steve Helwig 192; Erika Wilson 542; Eva Striebeck 351; Chris Cotter 368; Lindy Groening 419; Marilyn Murata 274t; Thom Fahrbach and Tamara Harris 399b; Linda Selph 197; Karl Oswald 168; Evelyn Lamb 447; Solomon Ossa 302; Betsy Jeronen 573; Kat Kohorst 332; Chase Arevalo 530; Jessica Slighter 442; Karen Willard 232; Greg Saue and Lucinda Saue 143; Anna Stoerch 550; Alberta Hardy 275b; Myles Alexander 53; Jinx McGuire 148; Marla Elliott and Raychel Stovall 254.

RECESS

Steve Helwig and Susan Helf led 39t. Leaders: Clarissa Fetrow 531; Ken Cofield and Vicki Stevens 163b; Karen Stingle 49b; Lyle Lindsey 178; Kate Fortin 383; Jen Rymut 101t; Kate Fine 350; Brad Knoke 100; Destiny Woods 165; Ana Tighe 433; Joanne Hoover 485; Ray Rechenberg 480; Evelyn Lamb 228; Eva Striebeck 522; Tamara Harris 308; Jerry Schreiber 362; Jeff Begley 348t; Mryka Hall-Beyer 551; Lindy Groening 335; Jessica Slighter 73t; Linda Selph 144; Erika Wilson 275t; Ken Hallock, Karen Willard, and Julie Lee 27.

The class re-opened a business session to hear reports. The Treasurer reported that all expenses were covered by the generous offering. The Arranging Committee reported 180 total attendees from 8 US states, 3 Canadian provinces, and 2 additional countries (Germany and Norway). Leaders led 92 songs on Saturday and 95 songs on Sunday. The Resolutions Committee (Erik Schwab and Myles Alexander) thanked all who worked to make the convention a success. Announcements were made, and the business session was closed.

Kevin Barrans and Susan Helf led 62 as the closing song, and all who wished took the parting hand. Darlene Simpson-Brown closed the convention with prayer.

Chairperson—Susan Helf; Rising Chairman—Kevin Barrans; Secretary—Kate Coxon