Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, October 1

Ian Quinn called the class to order leading 56t. LaRee Delahunt offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: John Gambell 38b; Charles Biada 40; Philippa Stoddard 42; Jesse C. Polhemus 370; John Klaess 37b; LaRee Delahunt 34b; Holly Laws 29t; Keillor Mose 200; Wendy Sibbison 477; Vicki Hayes 48t; John Hughes 171; Gabriel Kastelle 95; Angharad Davis 70b; Sharon Lehr 315; Sam Kleinman 313t; Corey Walters 192; Mary Jane Wilkie 332; Mike Richards 129.

RECESS

Solon Gordon called the class to order leading 105. Leaders: Stina Soderling 451; Ian Ludders 132; Joanne Fuller 335; Leonard Spencer 250; Andre Kuney 472; Molly Bledsoe 76b; Robert Dove 474; Mary Andrews 108b.

The Resolutions Committee honored Neely Bruce for his role in founding the New England Sacred Harp Convention in Middletown, Connecticut, forty years ago. Ina Shea led 484. Nathan Rees presented Mr. Bruce with a letter from Hugh McGraw that thanked him for his service to the community.

Leaders: Jesse Flynn 208; Liz Patton 299; Tom Padwa 133; Elizabeth Stoddard 57; Yuka Oiwa 270; Nancy Mandel 440; David Rosenberg 503; Ian Davis 227; Sylvia Martin 107; Bill Holt 377.

RECESS

Brian Harris called the class to order leading 89. Leaders: Sally Langendorf 314; Gary Ryan 271 (t? b?); Jeremy Galvagni 330t; Kassie Urban-Mead and Charlie Urban-Mead 547; Nathan Aldrich 80t; Sara Lott 216; Ron Trial 63; Margaret Youngberg 362; Sharon Strong 524; Andrew Forsthoefel 32b; Gwen Gethner, Carol Huang, and Jasmine Mendoza 546; Sarah Underhill 53; Anne Kazlauskas 532; Ben Bath 528. LaRee Delahunt offered the blessing, and the class was dismissed for lunch.

LUNCH

Becky Wright called the class to order leading 114. Leaders: Robert Stoddard 384; Corinne Ducey and Gerald Clark 501; Anya Skibbie 56b; Elene Stovall 500; Jonathon Smith 214; Allison Steel 564; Dan Hertzler 324; Jean Seiler 142; Holly Mixon and Jeannette DePoy 475; Ivy Hauser 423; Joel Bassett and Sasha Hsuczyk 383; Asa Horvitz 436; Aldo Ceresa and Alvaro Witt Duarte 411; Tom Ivey 217; Philippe Doyle and Jesse Vear 430; Leah Velleman and Dan Coppock 196; Liz Cantrell 466; Peter Golden 350; Micah John Walter 352; Al McCready 113; Krista Guerrieri 396; Isabelle Gervais Chapman, Masti Denise Mayrand, Brenda Louise Cleary, and Tássia Camöes Araujo 82t; Anna Mays 455; Neely Bruce 298.

RECESS

Nathan Rees called the class to order leading 35. Leaders: Terry Ryan 280; Chris Frantz-Dale 99; Christine Andrews and Hannah Coyle 445; Scott Luscombe 549; Tristan Gordon 375; Linda Shea 168; Corrone Bryant and Barb Ames 77b; Mary Skidmore, 65; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 367; Ben Fink, Evan Druce, and AuCo Lai 448t.

A business session was held to discuss the current formula for the New England Convention. Elizabeth Stoddard introduced a motion to change the formula to be more consistent with the practices of the wider community. Lynne deBenedette and Dan Hertzler presented arguments for and against the motion, and when unanimous consent could not be reached, the motion was tabled until Sunday.

Leaders: Gedney Barclay 73t; Anayis Wright 189; Joanne DeVoe 31t; John Holbrook 354t; Laura Hodges and Patrick Friesen 306; Lynne deBenedette 186; Justin Geyer and Bryan Rote 319; Brian Harris and Zoe Madonna 376; Michael Nord 336; Charlotte Ehrman 486; Jonathan Spencer 365; Rashad Ullah 47b; Joan Frankel and Philippa Stoddard 414; Brooks Chupp 101t.

Ian Quinn, John Gambell, and Charles Biada led 323t to close the day’s singing. LaRee Delahunt dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, October 2

Ian Quinn called the class to order leading 32t. Leaders: John Gambell 38t; Charles Biada 83t; Angharad Davis 90; Holly Laws 49t; John Klaess 131b; Brian Harris 59; Philippa Stoddard 155; Anya Skibbie 171; Jason Steidl 278t; Vicki Hayes 547; Jonathan Spencer 148; Carol Huang 573; Jesse Vear 172; Sarah Underhill 280; Micah John Walter 292; Robert Stoddard 187; Yuka Oiwa 288; Molly Merrett 54; Anna Mays 371.

RECESS

Andre Kuney called the class to order leading 117. Leaders: Alvaro Witt Duarte 47b; Corrone Bryant and Al McCready 452; Gedney Barclay 448b; John Hughes 481; Charlotte Ehrman 479; Mike Richards 422; Barb Ames 37b; Chris Coughlin 138b; Scott Luscombe 181; Gwen Gethner 436.

Laura Hodges and Liz Cantrell led 33b in honor of the sick and shut-ins, and Laura spoke for the following people: Susan Harcrow, Ann Barker, Thom Metzger, Ron Bornick, Margaret Bornick, Henry Cheng, Linda Huppe, Sue Nord, Chloe Rombach, and Maciej Kaczynski.

Laura Hodges and Liz Cantrell led 267 in honor of the deceased. Liz spoke and read the following list of names: Bethany Gray, Patrick Murray, Dan Adams, Quimby Heath—Connecticut; B.M. Smith, Earlis McGraw, Lucille Grunnels, and Raymond Hamrick—Georgia; Peggy Waide, Izzy Zimmerman, Roger McCarthy, and Ann Henry—New York; Linda Barclay, Dorothy Kratz, Betty Hanf, and Oliver Kindig-Stokes—Pennsylvania; Janelle Davis—Illinois; Loraine Bayer—Ohio; Joyce Fagan and David Newton—New South Wales; Gary Smith—Alabama; Robert Kemper and Patricia Kemper—Tennessee; Francis Bliss—Maine; Joseph Leonard Rowe—Rhode Island; Joanne Coburn—New Hampshire; Timothy Grannis, Carol Bill Seaman, and Abby Haigh—Vermont; Roberta Robson—Louisiana; Márcia Tosca—Brazil; David Strother—Maryland; Tony Anderson—Massachusetts. LaRee Delahunt offered a blessing.

Leaders: Jennie Brown 564; Sam Kleinman 165; Ina Shea 145b; Elizabeth Stoddard 283; Terry Ryan 198; Dann Pell 498; Mary Skidmore 203; Aldo Ceresa 470; Isabelle Gervais Chapman 318; Joel Bassett 142. Aldo Ceresa offered the blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Corrine Ducey, Gerald Clark, and Patrick Friesen called the class to order leading 207. Leaders: Joanne Fuller 542; Michael Nord 506; Holly Mixon 183; Ellen Lueck 546; Jonathon Smith 126; Becky Wright 560; Elene Stovall 216; Tim Eriksen 129; Lynne deBenedette 300; Ben Fink 438; Rachel Hall 28b; Jeannette DePoy 460; Andre Kuney 442; Nathan Rees 380; Sasha Hsuczyk 328; Tom Ivey 480; Jesse C. Polhemus 548; M.B. Gowins 189; Sharon Strong 365; Linda Shea 400; Al McCready 68b; Jesse Flynn 421; Dan Coppock 290; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 396; Philippe Doyle 209; John Holbrook 415.

RECESS

Gwen Gethner called the class to order leading 30b. Leaders: Ian Ludders 201; Lilly Israel 89; Leonard Spencer 245; Emma Rose Brown 475; Sophie Soloway 284; Auco Lai and Ben Fink 146; George Sigut 448t; Dan Hertzler 444; Nancy Mandel 27; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 74t; Corinne Ducey 77t; Gerald Clark 511; Rashad Ullah 268; Patrick Friesen 83b; Joan Frankel 229; Paula Picton, Vicki Hayes, Chris Geissler, Holly Laws, John Klaess, Martha Murray, and Angharad Davis 168; LaRee Delahunt 178; Neely Bruce 263.

In a business session, the previous day’s motion on the formula, introduced by Elizabeth Stoddard of Maine and seconded by Lynne deBenedette of Rhode Island, was briefly discussed and was passed by a unanimous vote: right from henceforth, the New England Convention will be held on the first Sunday of October and Saturday before. The Treasurer reported that all expenses had been met. Nathan Rees and Lynne deBenedette offered the resolutions, including the new formula. Alvaro Witt Duarte of Massachusetts moved, with Anna Mays of Vermont seconding, that these resolutions be adopted, and all reports approved. The business session was closed.

Ian Quinn, John Gambell, and Charles Biada led 62, and the class took the parting hand. LaRee Delahunt offered the closing prayer, and dismissed the class.

Chairman—Ian Quinn; Vice Chairman—John Gambell; Secretary—Charles Biada