Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, June 28

The 146th session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention was hosted by Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia, on the fifth Sunday and Saturday before in June. The class was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Jesse P. Karlsberg leading 31t. Matt Hinton offered the morning prayer.

Jonathan Smith directed the introductory lesson leading 410b, 159, 235, 271t, 204, 74b, and 355. Leaders: Scott DePoy 277; Helen Bryson 522; John Plunkett 175; Lauren Bock 228; John Kelso 490 (for friend, Virginia); Matt Hinton 131b; Nathan Rees 32b; Tony Hammock 430; Marcus Whitman 118; Faye Holbrook 376; Jeannette DePoy 306; Junie Wooten 503; Chris Tweedy 156; Jerusha Wheeler 53; Phillip Langley 564.

RECESS

Jesse P. Karlsberg led 75 to bring the class back together. A business session was held with the following officers elected or appointed to serve: Chairman-Scott DePoy; Vice Chairman-Lauren Bock; Secretary/Treasurer-Helen Bryson; Chaplain-John Kelso; Arranging Committee-Jesse P. Karlsberg, Amy Armstrong, and David Brodeur; Resolutions Committee-Eimear Cradock, Calum Woods, and Faye Holbrook; Finance Committee-B.M. Smith and Riley Lee; Memorial Committee-Marcus Whitman and Nathan Rees.

Leaders: John Hollingsworth 308; Eric Tweedy 174; Roger Keane 284; Janice Paulk 540; Dan Harper 268; Daniel Whelan 47b; Amy Armstrong 383; Cora Wareh 167; Rebecca Over 436; Richard DeLong 234; Edmund Richardson 534; Jenna Strizak 111t; B.M. Smith 163b; Gwen Gethner 203; Diane O’Shields 497.

LUNCH

Scott DePoy began the afternoon session by leading 274t. Leaders: Riley Lee 101b; Nate Green 77t; Pattie Wareh 89; Guy Bankes 157; Carol Huang 328; Natalie Sims 335; Jeff Begley 144; Eimear Cradock 134; Rachel Rudi 406; Tarik Wareh 212; Shawn Whelan 49b; Calum Woods 100; Faiz Wareh 95; Darrell Swarens 198; Jackie O’Reily 97; Henry Johnson 515; Deborah Marsh and Isabelle Lamarre 34b; David Brodeur 362; Hayden Arp 553; Sandra Wilkinson 313t.

RECESS

Jeannette DePoy brought the class to order by leading 99. Leaders: Erica Hinton 492; David Smead 137; Jessica Kelso and John Kelso 205; Lisa Bennett 83t; Rebecca Over, Calum Woods, and Edmund Richardson 102; Carol Huang, Gwen Gethner, and Jackie O’Reily 270; Jeff Begley and Dan Harper 84; Shawn Whelan, Natalie Sims, and Daniel Whelan 340; Tarik Wareh and Faiz Wareh 412; Guy Bankes and Anna Bowen 315; Marcus Whitman 29b; Roger Keane 122; Eimear Cradock 448t; Pattie Wareh and Cora Wareh 33b.

Announcements were made. Scott DePoy and Lauren Bock led 347 as the closing song. John Kelso offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, June 29

The Sunday session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order by Scott DePoy leading 101t. Marcus Whitman offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Lauren Bock 87; Helen Bryson 176t; Jesse P. Karlsberg 439; David Brodeur 556 (in memory of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard); Jeannette DePoy 448b; Faye Holbrook 392; Tony Hammock 303; Matt Hinton 234; John Plunkett 541; John Kelso 283; Richard DeLong 123b; John Hollingsworth 291; Anna Bowen and Guy Bankes 481; Erica Hinton 428; David Smead 500; Robert Chambless 84; Andy Ditzler 36b; Lisa Bennett 374.

RECESS

Lauren Bock led 108t to bring the class to order. Leaders: Malinda Snow 510; Judy Mincey 367; Faiz Wareh 228; Judy Chambless 540; Bill Hollingsworth 320; Daniel Whelan 38b; Rebecca Over 465; Cora Wareh 339; Jackie O’Reily 340; Sandra Wilkinson 345t; Jeff Begley 42; Darrell Swarens 507; Riley Lee 407; Jerusha Wheeler and Cherri Ciepiela 217.

Nathan Rees and Marcus Whitman conducted the memorial lesson. Nathan Rees read a portion of a note he’d received from Carroll Lundsford prior to his death. In it, Carroll wrote of how much the music CDs Nathan had sent meant to him. Nathan encouraged all of us to take the time to make a phone call or send a card to those who are sick or shut-in. A small effort on our part can mean so much to the recipient. Nathan led 30t for the following sick and shut-ins: Don Bowen, Ollie Tetloff, Evelyn Harris, S.T. Reed, and Betty Wright.

Marcus Whitman read the following scriptures: John 11 verses 32 (t? b?)-35, and Romans 8 verses 8-23. Marcus led 285t in memory of the following deceased: Jeff Sheppard, Shelbie Sheppard, Lou Cotney, Hobert Ivey, Josie Hyde, and Bill Aplin—Alabama; Diane Mennella and Dean McNeil—New York; Teenie Moody, Reuben Ball, Jetha Brooks, Carlene Griffin, and Anita Jones—Georgia; Mark Ferguson and John Cradock—Ireland; Somen Goodman—Quebec; Andy Jones—Connecticut; Tools Lawson—New Zealand; Carroll Lundsford—California; Sharon Kellam—North Carolina; Jim Hearne—Missouri. John Kelso closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Henry Johnson 82b; J.R. Hardman 504.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Scott DePoy leading 277. Leaders: Aldo Ceresa 430; Jonathon Smith 189 (in memory of Violet Thomason); Natalie Sims 300; Samuel Sommers 502; Reba Windom 546; Nathan Rees 442; Calum Woods 349; Richard Ivey 222; Carol Huang 76b; Marcus Whitman 48b; Gwen Gethner 480; Edmund Richardson 210; Shawn Whelan 209; B.M. Smith 438; Tarik Wareh 220; Rachel Rudi 465; Eimear Cradock 269; Pattie Wareh 168; Gideon Dresdner 89; Susan Posey 58; Amy Armstrong 112; Rebecca Over 373; Jackie O’Reily 86; Jeff Begley 99; Gwen Gethner and Carol Huang 411; Edmund Richardson and Calum Woods 343; Tarik Wareh, Pattie Wareh, Faiz Wareh, and Cora Wareh 542; Shawn Whelan, Natalie Sims, and Daniel Whelan 40; Jonathon Smith, Aldo Ceresa, Nathan Rees, and Richard Ivey 138t; Rachel Rudi and Riley Lee 475; Darrell Swarens, Samuel Sommers, and John Hollingsworth 36t; Eimear Cradock 344.

The convention entered into a business session for the purpose of hearing reports. The Resolutions Committee reported the following: As we meet to form the 146th session of the Union Musical Sacred Harp Singing Convention, our hearts are full and rejoicing. God has richly blessed us once again with a wonderful class and memories to share in the days to come. We thank God for the attendance, the weather, the food, and the fellowship. Thank you to all who helped in any way. We hope to meet again in 2015 at the Sweetwater Chapel, Lawrenceville, Georgia, on November 28 and 29. May God see each of you safely home and bless you to return again.

The Finance Committee reported that convention expenses were met. The reports were approved, and the business session was closed. Announcements were made.

The officers led 62 as the closing song. Marcus Whitman offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Scott DePoy; Vice Chairman—Lauren Bock; Secretary—Helen Bryson