Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, May 24

The 29th annual session of the Midwest Sacred Harp Convention met at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday before Memorial Day. Ted Johnson and Marcia Johnson brought the class to order by leading 171. Ginny Landgraf offered the invocation.

Leaders: Susan Matthews and Anita Shaperd 84; Gillian Inksetter 77t; Bess Fitzgerald and Will Fitzgerald 411; Maurice York 547; Susan Geil 565; Nathan Berry 56t; Grace Scrimgeour 276; Gary Alexander 155; Clarissa Fetrow 222; Mark Clague 47b; Julie Vea 269; Jim Solheim 372; Sheila Patterson 528.

A business meeting was held to elect the following officers: Co-chairpersons—Susan Matthews and Anita Shaperd; Vice Chairman—Ginny Landgraf; Secretary—Rochelle Lodder; Chaplain—Ginny Landgraf. The following committee members were appointed: Memorial Committee—Steve Warner and Petrina Patti; Finance Officer—Randy Neufeld; Arranging Committee—Debbie Barford, Marcia Johnson, and Anne Heider; Locating Committee—Ted Mercer, Lisa Grayson, and Jeff Breting.

RECESS

Anita Shaperd and Susan Matthews called the class to order leading 114. Leaders: Rebecca Browne 384; Jan May 344; Lori Graber 142; Doug Stapleton 440; Jenny Solheim “Glede”; John Seaton 47t; Paula Picton 391; Michael Mosley 373; Cecelia Kramer 564; Eleanor Haase 352; Dave Ressler 536; Ben Copenhaver 120; Melanie Hauff 421; Ann Missavage 362; Daniel Lee 328; Carolyn Deacy 196; Michael Appert 448t.

RECESS

Anita Shaperd and Susan Matthews called the class to order leading 274t. Leaders: Marian Mitchell 168; Joe Todd 497; Beverley Rose Enright 441; Ross Williams 31t; Marjorie Matthews 218; Larry Nothwehr 280; Tom McTighe 189; Judith McDowell 46; Daniel Gray 424; Tamara Harris 540; Shawn Fenton 428; Katie White 377; Donnie Simmet 75; Grace Patterson 436; Linda Selph 197; Len VanderJagt 102; Jim Patterson 504. Ginny Landgraf led the class in prayer to offer grace before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Anita Shaperd and Susan Matthews brought the class back to order leading 278b. Leaders: Megan Dunning 76b; Alexa Copeland 460; Patty Cuyler 383; Alec Jenkins-White and Rachael Eid-Ries 99; Wendy Wahn 546; Noelle Copeland 532; Karen Isbell 110; Kathy Williams 368; Bruce Coates 569b; Ted Johnson “Boulder”; Beth Huener 454; Robert Raymond 312b; Matt Wells 500; Anne Heider, Mollie Stone, and Chicago Children’s Choir members 45t; Paul Wyatt 464; Kay Huener 515; Melissa Kelley 214; Gerry Hoffman 415; Martha Beverly 484; Mike Hinton 480. Randy Neufeld spoke on behalf of the finance committee, and led 270.

RECESS

Rochelle Lodder called the class to order leading 313t. Leaders: Judy Hauff 434; Beverly Coates 481; Steven Schmidgall and Alex Coronado 496; Sarah Trumbore 448b (in memory of Rory Dalgleish); Aldo Ceresa 431; Beth Todd 70b; James Page 505; Christine Stevens 277; Bob Borcherding 419; Karen Swenson 475; Donna Gunderson-Rogers 228; Ted Mercer 36t; Barb VanderJagt 49t; William Gilman 89; Peter Trumbore 39t; Bill Beverly 304; Lisa Grayson 378b.

The Chairladies thanked the locating committee (Lisa Grayson, Jeff Breting, and Ted Mercer), and led 347 as the closing song. Ginny Landgraf dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 25

The Sunday session of the Midwest Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Anita Shaperd and Susan Matthews leading 479. Ginny Landgraf offered the invocation.

Leaders: Ginny Landgraf 385t (for the coup protesters in Thailand); JoDell Albi 179; Sam Sommers 492; Rachel Adelstein 268; Jim Swanson 353; Emma Winshell 49b; Dave Barford 542; Carol Ann Munro 556; Peter Bradley 538; Petrina Patti 217; Nick Pasqual 58; Anne Heider “Melanie”; Don Keeton and Shirley Tidwell 480; Ann Sleeva 50t; Sam Singleton-Freeman and Matt Wells 178; Debbie Barford 112.

RECESS

Michael Mosley called the class to order leading 82t. Leaders: Mary Rogel 198; Eric Sailor 117; Larry Nothwehr 242; Wendy Wahn 495; Sarah Trumbore 318; Carolyn Deacy 224; Martha Beverly 430; Daniel Gray 517; Clarissa Fetrow 111b; Noelle Copeland 290; Ann Missavage 157; Linda Selph 527; Ted Mercer 182; Gerry Hoffman and Katie White 203; Alexa Copeland 399b; Carol Ruth Kimmel and Rachel Adelstein 504; Orwin Youngquist 38t.

RECESS

Rochelle Lodder called the class to order leading 34b. Leaders: James Page 188; Robert Raymond and William Gilman 285t; Dave Ressler 215.

Petrina Patti spoke on behalf of the sick and shut-ins. She led 340 for the following sick and shut-ins: Bob Scorgie, Johanna Fabke, Nick Fabke, Jane Feierabend, Donna Orr, David Hoffelt, Loraine Bayer, Gary Gronau, Leslie Phillips, Evelyn Harris, Nadine Wakefield Willis, Hobert Ivey, Lee Dexheimer, Carolyn Mason, Jim Helke, Eh Paw, Don Bowen, and Doris Hanks.

Steve Warner directed the memorial lesson. He read the following list of names of those who are deceased: Ray Hansen, Donald Nothwehr, Mary Nothwehr, Dave Jauch, Judy Dellenbach, and Elizabeth Berry—Minnesota; Helen Matthews, Lawson Smith, and A.A. Smith, Jr.—Texas; Harold Ramis, Peter Thompson, Patrick Maslanka, and Mary Martin—Illinois; Somen Goodman—Quebec, Canada; Jim Hearne—Missouri; Edie Klein—Florida; Lessie Reed, Genny Whitworth, Jeff Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, Josie Hyde, Tat Bailey, Lou Cotney, Voncile Nall, Bill Aplin, C.T. Williams, Mike Nunn, and Mary Kitchens Gardner—Alabama; Tom Deacy—Kansas; Diane Mennella—New York; Teenie Moody, Carlene Griffin, and Reuben Ball—Georgia; Carroll Lunsford and Dean McNeil—California; Hugh Bill McGuire-Mississippi; Sharon Kellam—North Carolina; Stephen Murdock—Oregon; Dale Jackson—Virginia; Susan Gilchrist—Ohio; Dorothy Katz—New Jersey. He led 122 in their memory. Ginny Landgraf offered prayer to close the memorial lesson.

Leaders: Cecelia Kramer and Marian Mitchell 287; Joe Todd 125; Eleanor Haase 272; Sheila Patterson, Jim Patterson, and Grace Patterson 73t. Ginny Landgraf offered grace before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Anita Shaperd and Susan Matthews brought the class back to order leading 384. Leaders: Matt Wells 348t; Beverly Coates and Bruce Coates 472; Reba Windom and Shelby Castillo 216; Mike Hinton and Aldo Ceresa 534; Christine Stevens, Donna Gunderson-Rogers, and Paul Wyatt 551; Steven Schmidgall 149; Marcia Johnson 485; Kathy Williams 300; Bob Borcherding 148; Ben Copenhaver and Ellen Ray 400; Paula Picton and Daniel Lee 497; Beth Todd 32t; Tamara Harris and Tom McTighe 442; Nathan Berry and Elise delMar 189; Shawn Fenton 163t; Peter Trumbore 277; Judy Hauff and Melanie Hauff 411; Melissa Kelley 522; Barb VanderJagt and Len VanderJagt 146; Randy Neufeld and Susan Geil 369.

RECESS

Ted Johnson called the class to order leading 79. Leaders: Lisa Grayson and Matthew Lind 192; Alec Jenkins-White 350; Marjorie Matthews 193; Steve Warner 99 (in honor of Don Bowen); Donnie Simmet 176t; John Seaton 147t; Bruce Coates and Beverly Coates 176b (in honor of her parents); Beverley Enright and Aldo Ceresa 535; Kathy Williams 273; Sue Kessel 365; Reba Windom and Shelby Castillo 196; Dave Ressler 444; Mike Hinton 456; Sam Sommers 24b; Colin Duggan 64; Carolyn Deacy 95; Nathan Berry 319; Ann Missavage 66.

A business session was held for the purpose of hearing reports. Thanks were offered to Judy Hauff, Aldo Ceresa, and Matt Wells for pitching; to the Park District and its staff; to Cate Baker and Meredith Nicholas for kitchen help; to Jeff Breting for beverages; to Kris Richardson for hosting the social; to the arrangers and officers; to Grace Scrimgeour for coordinating housing; to the hosts, and all who brought food; and to visitors from near and far. The Finance Committee reported that expenses were met.

The officers led 62 as the closing song, and those who wished took the parting hand. Ginny Landgraf offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Co-chairpersons—Susan Matthews and Anita Shaperd; Secretary—Rochelle Lodder