Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, January 24

The W. L. “Bill” Green Memorial and Baldwin County Sacred Harp Convention was held in Bay Minette, Alabama, on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in January. Bill Hogan called the class to order by leading 59, and then gave a warm welcome to all in attendance. He led 36b, and offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: J.A. Mosley 491; Nicole Bowman 67; Mary Whitehurst 401 (in memory of Frank Hataway); Nancy Hogan 464; Alice Mosley 484; Nate Green and Norma Green 44; Rodney Ivey 98; B.M. Smith 287; Ken Kelley 497; Wynette Smith 282; Robert Chambless 145t; Wayne Jones 29b; Elam Eddins 288; Ryan Bowman and Farrell Stearns 518; Sue Bunch 585; Kevin Eddins 42.

RECESS

The class was brought back together by Bill Hogan leading 101b. Leaders: John Kelley 405; Elene Stovall 140; Evie Eddins and Dawn Van Iderstine 384; Tim Taylor 344; Morgan Bunch 504t; Eli Eddins 507t; Buna Mae Purvis and Willonease Webb Trauner 408; Billy Kelley 100; Nancy Van Dan Akker 168; Scott Ivey 514; Emily Eddins 184b; Jane Spencer 273; Carolyn Thompson 583; Lloyd Jones 45t.

The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Bill Hogan; Vice Chairmen—J.A. Mosley and Nicole Bowman; Arranging Officer—Nancy Hogan; Secretary—Mary Whitehurst; Memorial Committee—Ryan Bowman and Adam Brasich.

RECESS

Nicole Bowman led 63 to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Adam Brasich 150; Shannon Primm 210 (in memory of Ernestine Pipkin); Sarah Beasley 572; Tim Royappa 77t; Regina Derstine 162; Samuel Wright 559; Russ Scholz 283. The Southwest Mobile County Vocal Choir led by Cleo Murphy sang “As for Me and My House” and “In the Days of Noah”.

The class sang 369. Adam Brasich offered the blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was brought to order by Adrian Nall leading 96. Leaders: Jackson Fleder and Erica Martinez 450; Ezra Eddins 463; Judy Caudle 567; Willonease Webb Trauner 500; Loretta Jones 516; Ken Sundberg 116; Ewin Eddins 573; Adrian Nall 505; Anne Royappa 543; Tommie Spurlock 594; Becky Briggs 129; Alice Sundberg 501; Crystal Menas and J.A. Mosley 478; Ethan Eddins 146; Hubert Nall 212; Elizabeth Royappa 148; Nathan Bergmann-Dean and Katie Miller 272; Dana Eddins 99; Stanley Smith 120; Bridgett Hill Kennedy 38t; Bill Hogan and New Orleans visitors 155; Royappa family 380t; Eddins family 186, 30b; Seth Holloway 571; Victoria Aplin 76b.

Following announcements, Bill Hogan, Nicole Bowman, and J.A. Mosley led 72 as the closing song. Adam Brasich closed the session with prayer.

Sunday, January 25

The Sunday session of the W.L. Green Memorial and Baldwin County Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Bill Hogan leading 383. Afterwards, he gave a short devotional reading from Ephesians 1. Bill then led 82. The opening prayer was offered by Danny Creel.

Leaders: J.A. Mosley 572; Nicole Bowman 211; Mary Whitehurst 356; Nancy Hogan 84; Alice Mosley 343; Nate Green and Norma Green 558; Rodney Ivey 133 (for Wilburn Ellison); B.M. Smith 573; Brian Kelley 112; Wayne Jones 513t (for the Sam Schofield family); Bridgett Hill Kennedy 276; Dana Eddins 31t; Danny Creel 404; Nathan Bergman-Dean 74b; Mary Amelia Taylor 385t; Ewin Eddins 484.

RECESS

Nicole Bowman brought the class back together by leading 49t. Leaders: Hubert Nall 563; Ethan Eddins 282; Ateven Snderson 504b; Tommie Spurlock 464; Jim Goetz 159; Adrian Nall 401; Stanley Smith 590; Gray Ipswitch and Mya Elliot 370; Ann Jett 503; Lloyd Jones 465; Syble Adams 541; Judy Caudle 355; Ben Fox 272.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Bill Hogan leading 189. Leaders: Regina Derstine 575; Becky Briggs 384; Jackson Fleder 400; Loretta Jones 497.

The memorial committee was recognized to present the memorial lesson. Ryan Bowman said it’s nice to be a part of a community that remembers those who are sick and shut-in. He read the following list of names: Aubrey Barfield, Jeanett Barfield, Evelyn Harris, Wilburn Ellison, Willodean Thrash, Joe Nall, S.T. Reed, Wayne Reed, Elsie Moon, Jane Tate, Floy Wilder, Reba Windom, and Bill Windom. Ryan then led 127 for the sick and shut-in.

Adam Brasich remembered the deceased, and read from Micah 7. He spoke of death as the last suffering act we have to go through as humans and we wonder sometimes why our loved ones are taken from us and we hear the accusation of Satan saying “where is God”? But God has given us the victory over death. We can rejoice that our loved ones see in fullness what we only see now by faith. He then read the following list of names of the deceased: Bill Aplin, Billy Hawthorne, Hobert Ivey, Olivia Wootten Allen, Donna Ruth Durdin, William R. Dixon, Betty Wright, Alicia Williams, Philip Wootten, and Sammie Oliver—Alabama; Ben Smith and Helen Beadle—Florida; Raymond Hamrick—Georgia. He led 49b in their memory. Bill Hogan offered prayer to close the memorial lesson.

Singing continued with the following leaders: Nancy Van Dan Akker 494; Shannon Primm 357; Adam Brasich 375; Jane Spencer 78. The class sang 369. Nancy Hogan offered the blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The class was called back to order for the afternoon session by Bill Hogan leading 216. Leaders: Scott Ivey 292b; Emily Eddins 277; Willonease Webb Trauner 367; Carolyn Thompson 578; Erica Martinez 522; Billy Kelley 442t; Mya Elliot 67; Eli Eddins 507t; Morgan Bunch 428; Katie Miller 300; Tim Taylor 131t; Evie Eddins 499; Elene Stovall 137 (in memory of Virgil Phillips); Kevin Eddins 65; Sue Bunch 269; Elam Eddins 348t; Wynette Smith 139; Ryan Bowman 432; Jim Goetz 132; Jane Spencer and Shannon Primm 336b; Nathan Bergman-Dean and Katie Miller 29t; Regina Derstine and Nancy Van Dan Akker 138t; Nancy Hogan, Mary Whitehurst and Stanley Smith 392.

Announcements were made. Bill Hogan, Nancy Hogan, Nicole Bowman, J.A. Mosley, and Mary Whitehurst led 331t as the closing song. Adam Brasich closed the convention with prayer.

Chairman—Bill Hogan; Vice Chairmen—J.A. Mosley and Nicole Bowman; Secretary—Mary Whitehurst