Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 21

The 54th session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in March at Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church in Carrollton, Georgia. Karen Rollins called the class together leading 36b. Jesse Roberts offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Philip Denney 47b; Charlene Wallace 283; Angela Myers 166; Henry Johnson 289; B.M. Smith 350; John Plunkett 492; Oscar McGuire 171; Matt Hinton 448t; David Brodeur 511; Judy Mincey 180; Mary Brownlee 556; Denney Rogers 318; Steve Luttinen 387; Samuel Williams 547; Phil Summerlin 97; Wyatt Denney 100; Elene Stovall 396; Nate Green and Norma Green 133; Jack Nelson 534; Larry Ballinger 402; Eric Tweedy 270; Judy Chambless 349; Mike Hinton 475; Faye Hollis 155.

RECESS

Rodney Ivey brought the class back to order leading 111t. Leaders: Daniel Lee 497; Richard Mauldin 358; Gale Doss 540; Michael Walker 207.

A business session was held with the following officers and committee members elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Philip Denney; Vice Chairman—Matt Hinton; Vice Chairman—Wyatt Denney; Secretary/Treasurer—Charlene Wallace; Assistant Secretary—Lela Crowder; Arranging Committee—Richard Ivey and David Brodeur; Memorial Committee—Bridgett Hill Kennedy and David Ivey; Finance Committee—Rodney Ivey and B.M. Smith; Locating Committee—John Plunkett and Oscar McGuire; Chaplain—Michael Walker; Resolutions Committee—Mike Hinton, Eva Striebeck, and Alison Brown.

Leaders: Erica Hinton 64; Jane Spencer 315; Daryl Chesney 454; Phillip Langley 564; Judy Whiting 176t; Jason Stanford 548; Faith Wright 72b; Mike Richards 188; Louis Hughes 408; Lisa Bennett 374.

RECESS

Richard Ivey called the class back to order leading 113. Leaders: Judy Caudle 411; Shelby Castillo and Reba Windom 436; Virginia Dyer 472; Mike Spencer 191; Susan Cherones 300; Ann Riley Gray 178; Leigh Cooper 189; Chuck Reese 551; Pat Temple 232; Roberta Strauss 269; Shannon Primm 103; Winfred Kerr 89; Charles Woods 26.

LUNCH

Riley Lee brought the class back together leading 345b. Leaders: John Kelso and Dave Whitling 328; Kathy Williams 440; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg and Lauren Bock 428; Ann Jett 88t; Amanda Parkes 434; Mark Godfrey 377; Cindy Tanner 220; Gwen Gethner 216; Susan Fetcho 474; Daphene Causey 196; Eva Striebeck 217; Loyd Ivey and Shane Wootten 426t; Alison Brown 142; Sharon DuPriest 212; Rene Greene 546; Kevin Kennedy 367; Bridgett Hill Kennedy 500; David Fetcho 532; Edmund Richardson 193; Jennifer McDaniel 354b; David Smead 506.

RECESS

Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg brought the class back together leading 129. Leaders: Jesse Roberts 365; Drew McGuire 70b; Rebecca Over 483; David Ivey and Karen Ivey 156; Reba Windom 542; Anne Grosse and Debora Grosse 503; Pam Nunn 218; Chris Brown 168; Mary Wright 35; Cheyenne Ivey 182; Daniel Williams 74t; Tony Hammock 148.

Philip Denney led 62 as the closing song. Michael Walker dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, March 22

The Sunday session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was brought to order by Philip Denney leading 63. Eddie Mash offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Matt Hinton 32t; Wyatt Denney 300; David Brodeur and Richard Ivey 391; Charlene Wallace 167; Earlis McGraw 389; Cecil Roberts 284; Daniel Lee 102; Helen Bryson 299; Roberta Strauss 209; Pat Temple 33t; Michael Spencer 382; Richard Mauldin 168; Faith Riley 215; Eli Hinton 146; B.M. Smith 28b; Judy Mincey 367; Anna Hinton 142; Gail Doss 107; Oscar McGuire 485; Cheyenne Ivey 432.

RECESS

Richard Ivey brought the class back to order leading 101t. Leaders: David Smead 375; Faye Hollis 340; Janelle Davis 81t; Karis Askin 282; Richard DeLong 240; Edmund Richardson 353; Henry Johnson 206; Nate Green and Norma Green 489; Dick Plunkett 268; Leanne Carter 106; Mike Hinton 426b; Laura Frey and Jenna Frey 178; Bill Hollingsworth 236; Robert Chambless 569t.

RECESS

Rodney Ivey brought the class back together leading 73t. Leaders: Sheri Taylor 440; Riley Lee 326; David Fetcho 56b.

David Ivey and Bridgett Hill Kennedy conducted the memorial lesson. David Ivey spoke to the class about remembering health of the body, spirit, and the mind. He read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Hester Edwards, S.T. Reed, Evelyn Harris, Toney Smith, Lavoy Smith, Kermit Adams, Ottis Sides, Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Sarah Huckaby, Betty Shepherd, Edna Ruth Phillips, Bill Davis, Bess Fitzgerald, Don Brown, and Bill Stewart. David led 34t.

Bridgett Hill Kennedy spoke about three things during her lesson: expectations, uncertainty, and promise. She read the following list of names of the deceased: Josephine Denney, Bonnie Catherine Brown, Raymond Hamrick, Joyce Harrison, Inez Chandler, Kyle Akers, R. Duke Miller—Georgia; Stanly Edwards, Bill Aplin, Nadine Willis, Hobert Ivey, Betty Wright, Charles Kitchens, Eldagene Roberson, Sammie Oliver, Johnny Humber, Stella Pratt, Dawson Adams—Alabama; Vance Ervin, Dennis Beasley, Herman Allen—Florida; Carroll Lunsford, Caroline Bonnet—California; Virginia Duke—Tennessee; Danny Arms—North Carolina: Kate Davis—Ireland; Dorothy Williams, Cyril Guy—United Kingdom. Bridgett led 47b in memory of the deceased. Michael Walker closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Kathy Williams 423; Robert Rivers 480; Susan Fetcho 510; Mary Wright 71; Malinda Snow 429; Judy Chambless 527.

LUNCH

Wyatt Denney and Karis Askin brought the class back to order leading 276. Leaders: Lauren Bock 99 (for Scott and Jeannette DePoy); Shannon Primm 68t: Judy Caudle 336; Judy Whiting 521; Steve Luttinen 532; Lela Crowder 564; Larry Ballinger 528; Alison Brown 344; Reba Windom 384; Gwen Gethner 548; Pam Nunn 234; Karen Freund 77t; Daphene Causey 451; Michael Walker 292; Amanda Parkes 183; Mike Richards 362; Eddie Mash 182; Kevin Kennedy 545; Rebecca Over 562; Drew McGuire 38b; Chris Brown 447; Eva Striebeck 522; Ellen Culpepper 302.

RECESS

Cecil Roberts and John Kelso brought the class back to order leading 89. Leaders: Angela Myers 430; Karen Ivey and Hayden Arp 203; Daniel Williams 290; Sharon DuPriest 460; Christian Webb 294; Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg 495; Erica Hinton 157; Susan Cherones 40; Lisa Bennett 112.

The convention went into a business session to hear reports from the various committees. The Finance Report was presented by Charlene Wallace. The Resolutions Committee report was submitted by Mike Hinton, Eva Striebeck, and Alison Brown. The Locating Committee reported that a petition was received from Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, for the location for the 2016 session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention. On a motion, second, and vote, it was decided that Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church will hold the 55th session of the singing. All reports were approved, and the business session was closed.

Leaders: Jane Spencer 172; Bridgett Hill Kennedy and Karen Rollins 228; John Hollingsworth 415.

Announcements were made. Philip Denney and Wyatt Denney led 46 as the closing song. Michael Walker offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Philip Denney; Vice Chairmen—Matt Hinton and Wyatt Denney; Secretary—Charlene Wallace; Assistant Secretary—Lela Crowder