Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 6

The 164th session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August, at Wilson’s Chapel, Cross Plains, Georgia. Sheri Taylor called the class to order by leading 142 and 430. Aldo Ceresa offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey 47b, 358; Donna Duke 300; Aldo Ceresa 56t; Robert Kelley 164; Jesse Roberts 229; Karen Rollins 227; Jenna Frey 178, 408; Lisa Webb 224; Philip Denney 448t, 535; Lisa Bennett 130, 134; Rebecca Over 197, 196; B.M. Smith 30b; Faye Hollis 171, 276; John Plunkett 540, 541.

RECESS

David Brodeur called the class to order by leading 80t. Leaders: Michael Walker 135; Judy Chambless 475; Henry Johnson 271b; Winfred Kerr 36b; Jason Stafford 548; Reba Windom 436; Jeannette DePoy 89; Dave Farmer 532; Robert Chambless 569b; Charles Woods 483; Buck Lea 351; Debora Grosse 68b; Jack Nelson 318; Daniel Williams 74t.

RECESS

A business session was held, and the following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplains—Jesse Roberts and Aldo Ceresa; Arranging Committee—Robert Kelley and Karen Rollins; Finance Committee—Jenna Frey and B.M. Smith; Resolutions Committee—Oscar McGuire and John Plunkett; Memorial Committee—Judy Chambless and Jeannette DePoy.

Leaders: Scott DePoy 339; Daniel Lee 566; Leigh Cooper 176b; Laura Silva 354b; Michael Spencer 113; Tony Hammock 556; Ellen Lea 114; Clarissa Fetrow 500; Johnathon Kelso 39t; Calum Woods 225t; Susan Cherones 564; Lottie Hinton 47b.

LUNCH

Laura Frey brought the class to order leading 163b. Leaders: David Smead 275b; Jeff Begley 83b; Eva Striebech 216; Brian Harris 214; Linda Berkemeier 480; Wade Kotter 64; Isaac Green 146; Matt Hinton 284; Joe Vickers 460; Ben Shirley 191; Kathy Williams 344; Mark Godfrey 303; Edmund Richardson 517; Richard DeLong 296; Oscar McGuire 573; Joyce Walton 456; Andy Ditzler 225b; Erica Hinton 432; Michael Thompson 392; Charlene Wallace 155; Calum Woods 117; Molly Silva 45t; Celeste Silva 99; Gene Duke and Michelle Morgan 345b; Fred Eady and Tony Colpini 236; Joyce Heath 220.

RECESS

Leaders: Sheri Taylor 503; Clarissa Fetrow 172; Rebecca Over 77t (for Earlis McGuire); Joe Vickers 565; Eva Striebech 373; Robert Kelley and Melanie Boyd 67; Aldo Ceresa 522; Jeff Begley 68t; Calum Woods 100; Brian Harris 144; Michael Walker 35; Ben Shirley 139; Wade Kotter 97; Dave Farmer 473.

Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, and Lisa Webb led 323t as the closing song. Jesse Roberts offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, August 7

The Sunday session of the Chattahoochee Convention was brought to order by Sheri Taylor leading 29t. Aldo Ceresa offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey 159, 37b; Donna Duke 46; Karen Rollins 168; Cecil Roberts 129, 285t; John Plunkett 275t; Laura Silva 115; Robert Chambless 225t; Rebecca Over 208; Linda Berkemeier 106; Oscar McGuire 485; Winfred Kerr 314; Jeannette DePoy 67; Brian Harris 101b; Joe Vickers 131t; Eva Striebech 213t; Jeff Begley 410b; David Smead 505; Ellen Ray 345b.

RECESS

Leaders: Eric Tweedy 195; Judy Chambless 472; Hayden Arp 434; Leigh Cooper 40; John Hollingsworth 186; Isaac Green 421; Leanne Carter and Lori McDurmon 63; Amy Wells 215; Esther Williams 278b; Eddie Mash 428; Jim Neal 496; Lori Goode 358; Samuel Williams 91; Helen Bryson 172; Andrew Wells 504; Michael Walker 138b; Ellen Culpepper 329; Donna Bell 455.

RECESS

David Brodeur led 82t. The memorial lesson was conducted by Judy Chambless and Jeannette DePoy. Jeannette read the following list of names of the deceased: Robert DePoy, Zachery Thomas Hart, Curtis Hamrick, Earlis McGraw, Pete Shinn, Harlin Williamson, Geneva Pritchard, Delores Moore, and Tallmadge Horsley—Georgia; Hester Edwards, Gary Smith, S.T. Reed, Toney Smith, and Elder Neal Prichard—Alabama; Carolyn Harris—Michigan; Janelle Davis—Illinois; Lewis Bennett and Betty Jo Bennett—South Carolina; Donnie Raburn—Florida; Oliver Kindig-Stokes—Pennsylvania; Ron Huss—California; Ann Henry—New York; Walter Hartley—North Carolina. Jeannette led 549 in their memory.

Judy read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Ruth Steggles, Margaret Keeton, Alford Caldwell, Lois Bowman, Susan Harcrow, Ed Thacker, Margaret Thacker, Tom Hanson, and Lucy Garner. Judy led 318. Michael Walker closed the memorial session with prayer.

Leaders: Wade Kotter 108t; Caleb Silva 36t; Andy Ditzler 379; Robert Kelley 283; B.M. Smith 101t; Molly Silva 268.

LUNCH

Laura Frey and Jenna Frey brought the class back to order by leading 87. Leaders: Lisa Bennett 181; Edmund Richardson 292; Scott DePoy 179; Leigh Cooper 348b; Judy Mincey 516; Ben Shirley 338; Zachary Silva 117; Richard DeLong 211; Marilyn Bradley 124; Mark Godfrey 70b; Christian Webb 294; Kathy Williams 222; Laura Akerman 224; Jason Stanford 405; Fred Eady 192; Jenna Frey 178; Lisa Webb 528; Mark Eirich 74b; Michael Thompson 411; Joyce Heath 340; Aldo Ceresa 182.

A business session was held for the purpose of hearing committee reports. The Finance Committee reported collections and expenses. The Secretary reported that there were sixty-eight leaders on Saturday and sixty-six leaders on Sunday. Oscar McGuire and John Plunkett, the Resolutions Committee, gave the following report: “On behalf of the 164th session of the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Musical Convention, we offer our thanks to God for the gift of music and for the gift of this tradition. Our thanks to all those who have gone before who have supported and maintained this tradition and this convention since it began. In particular, we recognize and offer our thanks to the Wilson family who created this home for the convention and have maintained it for so many years and the year in/year out devotion of time and energy in preparing for the annual convention. We thank the many singers who have come to support our convention this year—those that have driven a few miles and those that have come a good distance, especially those that have come a great distance—from all over this continent and from across the ocean. Additionally, we offer our thanks to all those that have prepared a bounty of food for the convention as well.”

Oscar read the following tribute to the Chattahoochee Convention with phrases from the Sacred Harp: We thank the Lord of Heaven and earth who hath preserved the Chattahoochee Convention from its birth; Our God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come is that the Chattahoochee Convention will continue for all of those years to come; O for a thousand tongues to sing; With songs and honors sounding loud!; O come loud anthems let us sing! (emphasis on loud); Come let us raise our voices high! (emphasis on high); One family we dwell in Him; One army of the living God; Come let us join in one accord (around this hollow square); And if you meet with troubles and trials on your way, just cast your care on Jesus and don’t forget to pray. Let us all resolve to come all my dear brethren (and sisters) and help me to sing, every first Sunday and Saturday before in August at the Chattahoochee Convention! Respectfully submitted, Oscar McGuire and John Plunkett. A motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted as read, and added to the convention’s minutes.

Announcements were made. Sheri Taylor led 62 as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by Michael Walker.

Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke