Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 25

The 56th 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. Matt Hinton called the class together leading 32t. Bill Hollingsworth offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Phillip Langley 101t; Lela Crowder 68b; Donna Bell 64; Jeannette DePoy 39t; Andy Ditzler 204; Isaac Green 343; Winfred Kerr 225t; Philip Denney and Isaiah Horsley 300; Judy Chambless 397; John Plunkett 52t; Daniel Lee 566; Jack Nelson 504; Curtis Spivey 358; Don Bowen 494; Faye Hollis 168; John Hollingsworth 434; Samuel Williams 286; Oscar McGuire 276; Anna Hinton 155; David Smead 183; Eli Hinton 65; Louis Hughes 314; Judy Mincey 538.

RECESS

Philip Langley brought the class back to order leading 166. Leaders: Debora Grosse 288; Nicholas Thompson 120 (in memory of Gravis Ballinger); Malinda Snow 349; Robert Chambless 122 (for Hugh McGraw).

A business session was held with the following officers and committee members elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Phillip Langley; Vice Chairman—Jason Stanford; Chaplains—Bill Hollingsworth and Gillian Inksetter; Secretary—Lela Crowder; Assistant Secretary—Donna Bell; Arranging Committee—Jeannette DePoy, Andy Ditzler, Isaac Green, and Anna Hinton; Memorial Committee—Lisa Bennett and Michael Thompson; Finance Committee—Hayden Arp and Daniel Williams; Locating Committee—Philip Denney and Samuel Williams; Resolutions Committee—David Brodeur, Emma Rose Brown, and David Smead.

Leaders: Jonathan Skeet Surrency 282; Jason Stanford 348b; Michael Thompson 44; Susan Cherones 564; Richard Mauldin 446; Lydia Lewallen 290; John Kelso 135; Sandra Wilkinson 445; David Brodeur 439; Erica Hinton 215.

RECESS

Jason Stanford called the class back together by leading 345t. Leaders: Cat Walsh 271t; Andrew Forsthoefel 129; Fred Eady 236; Nate Green and Norma Green 206; Richard Delong 431; Linda Booth 273; Henry Johnson 82b; Brian Harris 430; Justin Bowen 505; Angela Myers 142; Denney Rogers 143; David Ivey 572; Lisa Bennett 476; Jesse Roberts 209.

LUNCH

Hayden Arp and Isaac Green called the class back to order leading 88t. Leaders: Karen Ivey 318; Stanley Smith 470 (in memory of Loyd Redding and E.C. Bowen); Pat Temple 373; Gillian Inksetter 214; Laura Hodges 422; Mike Hinton 475 (in memory of B.M. Smith); Mary Wright 477; Emma Rose Brown 336; Wade Kotter 303; Clarissa Fetrow 272; Pam Nunn 454; Richard Ivey, Kelsey Ivey, and Everett Ivey 309; Karen Rollins and Rodney Ivey 426b; Charlene Wallace and Jason Stanford 549; Joyce Walton and David Ivey 153 (in memory of Jap Walton); Gail Doss 148; Charles Woods 197; Judy Caudle 542; Rene Green 546; Bill Hollingsworth 56b; Cheyenne Ivey 208; Dan Edwards 497; Janet Shepherd and Vince Adams 114; Leanne Carter 73t.

RECESS

Jason Stanford brought the class back together leading 568. Leaders: Daniel Williams 567; Karis Askin 112; Dylan Feezell 340; Hayden Arp 269; Brian Harris 327; Emma Rose Brown 313t; Clarissa Fetrow 472 (for Concetta Branson); Lydia Lewallen 41; Gillian Inksetter 228; Laura Hodges 486; Wade Kotter 217; Mike Hinton 495.

Announcements were made. Jason Stanford led 62 as the closing song. Bill Hollingsworth dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, March 26

The Sunday session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention was brought to order by Phillip Langley leading 144. Gillian Inksetter offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Lela Crowder 124; Donna Bell 299; Jeannette DePoy 36b; Andy Ditzler 48t; Anna Hinton 142; Isaac Green, Hayden Arp, and Cheyenne Ivey 329 (for Sasha Hsuczyk); David Brodeur 370; Emma Rose Brown 316; Gillian Inksetter 348t; Phillip Denney and Karis Askin 100; Karen Rollins 227; Matt Hinton 275t; Amy Wells 278t; Nathan Rees 352; David Smead 338; Eli Hinton 99; Fred Eady 192; Burt Collins and Glenda Collins 45t; Erica Hinton 187; Robert Chambless 569t; Cat Walsh 326; Susan Cherones 460; Jack Nelson 518.

RECESS

Philip Langley and Debra Langley brought the class back to order leading 274t. Leaders: Karen Ivey 440; Tony Hammock 204; Justin Bowen 392; Oscar McGuire 573; Leanne Carter 49b; Winfred Kerr 516 (for Hugh McGraw); Laura Hodges 57; Faye Hollis 283; Richard Ivey 202; Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, and Riley McKibben 178; Pam Nunn 318 (in memory of B.M. Smith); Wade Kotter 426b; Richard Mauldin 43.

RECESS

Andy Ditzler and Gary Davis led 56t to bring the class back together. Leaders: Samuel Williams 269; Nicholas Thompson 186; Kelly Morris 147t.

Lisa Bennett and Michael Thompson conducted the memorial lesson. Michael Thompson spoke about homeostasis, or stability, and how the Sacred Harp community feels an imbalance when someone is missing. He read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Anne Mauldin Chalker, Eugene Forbes, Lilly Hopper, Myrline Redmond, Ottis Sides, Eloise Wootten, Jewell Wootten, Michael Arden, Hannah Mae Blair, Carla Smith, Helen Bryson; Virginia Dyer; Hugh McGraw, Robby Rivers, Michael Appert, Melanie Hauff, Ted Mercer, Paul Luther Wilson, Concetta Branson, Rachel Rogers, Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Doug Webb, Johanna Fabke, and Julie Vea. Michael Thompson led 33b in their honor.

Lisa Bennett asked everyone to remember the folks who are left behind and help care for the whole community. Lisa read the following list of names of the deceased: Azilee Adams, Kermit Adams, Steve Adams, Gravis Ballinger, Kenneth Fannin, Bernice Williams Harvey, Elsie Calvert Moon, Elder J.D. Morris, Edna Ruth Phillips, Toney Smith, and Lavoy Smith—Alabama; Joe Nall—Florida; Steve Ludlow—Arizona; James Harold DeLong, Curtis Hamrick, James Hughes, Lynn Swafford Key, Loyd Landrum, Johnny Lee, Delorese Lee, Earlis McGraw, Geneva Pritchard, B.M. Smith, Elder Ed Smith, George Snyder, and Agnes Stanford—Georgia; Janelle Davis and Les Sontag—Illinois; John Lewallen—North Carolina; Tony Conrad—New York; John Bayer—Ohio; Ralph Kotter—Utah; and Ruth Steggles—United Kingdom. Lisa Bennett led 284. Gillian Inksetter closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Nate Green and Norma Green 328; Lauren Bock 216; Jenna Frey 408; Don Bowen and Rodney Ivey 39b; Dan Edwards 547.

LUNCH

Phillip Langley called the class back to order leading 145t. Leaders: John Plunkett 451 (for Daphene Causey); Brian Harris 38b; Shelby Castillo and David Ivey 340; Judy Caudle 500; Rodney Ivey 528; Clarissa Fetrow 530; Mike Hinton 534 (in memory of Toney and Lavoy Smith); Mary Wright 312t; Jonathan Skeet Surrency 455; Elene Stovall 182 (in memory of Gravis Ballinger); David Ivey 310; Gail Doss 66; Pat Temple 59; Lydia Lewallen 330b; Drew McGuire 39t; Cheyenne Ivey and Angela Myers 430; Bryan Black 220; Kathy Williams 273; Wyatt Denney 107; Kelsey Ivey 317; Michael Thompson 89; Judy Mincey 501; Anders Wells and Mary Jasionowski 76b; Karen Edwards 282.

RECESS

Jason Stanford called the class back to order leading 472. Leaders: Ateven Snderson 313b; Daniel Williams 74t; Leanne Carter and Amy Callahan 106; Cat Walsh 448b; Coy Ivey 384; Emma Rose Brown 97; Gillian Inksetter 411; Laura Hodges 200; Kelsey Ivey, Everett Ivey, Lauren Bock, and Lucey Rose Karlsberg 222.

The convention went into a business session to hear reports from the various committees. The Locating Committee reported that the convention will meet back at Emmaus Primitive Baptist Church in Carrollton, Georgia, the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in March, 2018. Donna Bell presented the finance report. David Brodeur, Emma Rose Brown, and David Smead presented the resolutions. All reports were approved, and the business session was closed. Announcements were made.

Phillip Langley and Jason Stanford led 62 as the closing song. Gillian Inksetter offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Phillip Langley; Vice Chairman—Jason Stanford; Secretary—Lela Crowder; Assistant Secretary—Donna Bell