Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, October 17

The 27th annual New York State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Dennis Leipold leading 61. He then offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Thom Metzger 76b; Eileen Metzger 65; Kathy Collett 38t; Tarik Wareh 39b; Mary Skidmore 81t; Barbara Swetman 107; Brian Collett 163b; Margaret Bornick 162; Ginny Huszagh 228; Melody Johnson 33b; Jeffrey Francom 148; Pattie Wareh 99; Eric Bean 270; Bob Wheeler 350; Jean Seiler 481; Faiz Wareh 466.

RECESS

Ben Fink called the class back to order by leading 34b. Leaders: Cora Wareh 122; Joanne Fuller 500; Autumn Capocci 146; Dev Crasta 86; Flip Filippi 47b; Elizabeth Stoddard 210; Michael Kaye 480; Ines Luttgen 197; Frederik (Fritz) Rasenberger 271t; Lyn Caswell 454; Philippa Stoddard 440; Terry Ryan 362; Pleasance Crawford 468; Robert Stoddard 316; Rebeka Radna-Crasta 290.

RECESS

Brian Collett called the class together by leading 68b. Leaders: Sally Langendorf 70b; Chuck Crawford 66; Laurel Dempsey 30b; Paula Picton 273; Tarik Wareh 486; George Sigut 178; Ben Fink 240; Lindsey Kruse 442; Jason Law 268; Dean Jens 379; Dan Hertzler 67; Leon Pulsinelle 70t; Elizabeth Barlow 503; Gideon Dresdner 131t. Eileen Metzger offered grace before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Dev Crasta called the class back to order by leading 155. Leaders: Dennis Leipold 224; Rachel Speer 204; Jan May 504; Laura Densmore 311; Ben Fink 522; Elizabeth Stoddard 216; Tarik Wareh 329; Dan Hertzler and Gracie Schell 282; Paula Picton 283; Jean Seiler 187; Thom Metzger 360; Ines Luttgen 160b; Dev Crasta 277; Pleasance Crawford 507; Robert Stoddard 456; Joanne Fuller 542; Philippa Stoddard 548; Chuck Crawford 114; Mary Skidmore 376; Eileen Metzger 383.

RECESS

Thom Metzger called the class together by leading 82t. Leaders: Michael Kaye 318; Elizabeth Barlow 501; Leon Pulsinelle 297; Laurel Dempsey 276; Ginny Huszagh 344; Sally Langendorf 401; Terry Ryan 198; Lindsey Kruse 432; Gideon Dresdner 217; Lyn Caswell 474; Jeffrey Francom and Laura Densmore 549; Bob Wheeler 142; Brian Collett 551; George Sigut 547; Rebeka Radna-Crasta 106; Jan May 540; Flip Filippi 200; Dean Jens 203; Melody Johnson 209; Faiz Wareh 446; Eric Bean 528; Cora Wareh 40.

Dennis Leipold led 208. Eileen Metzger offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, October 18

The Sunday session of the New York State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order by Dennis Leipold leading 59. He offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Densmore 313t; Fritz Rasenberger 101t; Barbara Swetman 335; Chuck Crawford 546; Margaret Bornick 77b; Kathy Collett 84; Dev Crasta 36b; Melody Johnson 31t; Tarik Wareh 138t; Leon Pulsinelle 64; Pattie Wareh 171; Joanne Fuller 182; Faiz Wareh 26; Mary Skidmore 564; Ben Fink 63; Paula Picton 180; Terry Ryan 218; Ginny Huszagh 195; Michael Kaye 72b.

RECESS

Kathy Collett called the class to order by leading 159. Leaders: Laurel Dempsey 66; Elizabeth Stoddard 411; Tarik Wareh 138b; Denise Morris 147t; Rachel Speer 421; Cora Wareh 178; Rebeka Radna-Crasta 47t; Thom Metzger 374; Eric Bean 532; Ines Luttgen 396; Jan May 313b; Jean Seiler 312b; Robert Stoddard 192; Pleasance Crawford 556; Eileen Metzger 58; Philippa Stoddard 112.

RECESS

Pleasance Crawford led 29t to bring the class back together.

Joanne Fuller and Jean Seiler conducted the memorial lesson. Joanne Fuller spoke, and led 72b for the following sick and shut-ins: Mabel Bankes, Julie Vea, Melanie Hauff, Skip Trout, Claudene Townson, Virginia Glass, Toni Strother, Edward Swetman, Bob Whittle, Susan Bingham, and Ronald Yearger.

Jean Seiler spoke, and led 86 in memory of the following deceased: Philip Wootten, Olivia Allen, and Robert DuPree—Alabama; Kathy Eastwood and Dan Adams—Connecticut; George Benedetto, Eileen Kelly, Ann Henry, Jean Novelli, Veronica Gilheany, Marion Fisher, Stephen Whitlock, and Steven Jalso—New York; David Strother and David Hanson—Maine; Dwight Speer—Arkansas; Raymond Hamrick—Georgia; Doyle Brubaker and Maxine Brubaker—Iowa; David Wampler and Jane Brooks—Pennsylvania; James Wells—New Jersey; Juliette Ayotte—Florida. Eileen Metzger offered a prayer to close the memorial service.

Leaders: Dan Hertzler 315; Dennis Leipold 380; Denise Morris 405; Gracie Schell 122 (dedicated to the memory of Dan Adams); Laura Densmore 384; Margaret Bornick 472; Fritz Rasenberger 117; Dean Jens 126; Laurel Dempsey 49b; Rebeka Radna-Crasta 38b; Pattie Wareh 89. Eileen Metzger offered grace before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Margaret Bornick called the class back to order leading 106. Leaders: Candis Bailey 454; Rachel Speer 340; Ben Fink 417; Elizabeth Stoddard 196; Eric Bean 56b; Barbara Swetman 542; Dan Hertzler 189; Paula Picton 436; Ginny Huszagh 155; Robert Stoddard 477; Jan May 479; Pleasance Crawford 476; Ines Luttgen 349; Thom Metzger 29b; Pattie Wareh 373; Philippa Stoddard 434; Eileen Metzger 269; Joanne Fuller 134; Jean Seiler 236; Kathy Collett 245.

RECESS

Dan Hertzler called the class back to order leading 87. Leaders: Dev Crasta 299; Faiz Wareh 484; Michael Kaye 217; Dean Jens 278t; Gracie Schell 146; Leon Pulsinelle 378b; Melody Johnson 475; Chuck Crawford 300; Terry Ryan 473; Mary Skidmore 319; Fritz Rasenberger 276; Tarik Wareh 278b.

There was a short business meeting and announcements were made. Chuck Crawford and Pleasance Crawford offered the resolutions. Tarik Wareh announced that expenses had been met. Eighty-five singers attended; fifty-one leaders led 185 songs. Next year’s convention will be in Ithaca, New York.

Dennis Leipold, Barbara Swetman, Tarik Wareh, Laura Densmore, and Kathy Collett led 62 as the closing song, and the class took the parting hand. Eileen Metzler offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Dennis Leipold; Secretary—Kathy Collett