Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The 8th annual Boston All-Day Sacred Harp Singing was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Saturday before the second Sunday in May. The class was called to order by Laura Borrelli leading 33b. Alvaro Witt Duarte offered the opening prayer.

A business session was held and the following officers were elected or appointed: Chairman—Alvaro Witt Duarte; Vice Chairman—Philippa Stoddard; Secretary—Christina Wallin.

Leaders: Alvaro Witt Duarte 81t; Philippa Stoddard 56t; Christina Wallin 52t; Jennie Brown 276; Emily Hale Sills 99; Porter James 33t; Bill Holt 65; Deidra Montgomery 27; Christopher Kain 496; Bob Parr 215; MB Gowins 283; DJ Hatfield 532; Brian Harris 32t; Laura Hodges 534; Micah John Walter 76b; Robert Stoddard 176t; Vale Cofer-Shabica 284; Mary Skidmore 172; John Travers 178; Liz Patton 373.

RECESS

Mike Richards called the class back to order by leading 47t. Leaders: Zoë Madonna 35; James Baumgartner 428; MB Gowins 63; Sunny Doyle 313b; Ross Parker 30b; Joanne Fuller 460; Leah Velleman 270; Jesse Vear 202; Tom Padwa 480; Keillor Mose 200; Charles Biada 440; Molly Ellis 481; Matthew Leger-Small 367; Danny Wood 67; Tom Malone 197; Joanne DeVoe 327; Richard Schmeidler 474.

RECESS

Emma Rose Brown led 111b to call the class back to order. Leaders: Jeremy Galvagni 131b; Ben Bath 362; Emily Hancock 162; Lynne deBenedette 383; Philippe Doyle Gosselin 341; Ruby Francis and Devereaux Fuller 168.

Deidra Montgomery and Joanne Fuller conducted the memorial lesson. Deidra Montgomery spoke on behalf of the following people on the sick and shut-ins list: Doris Donohue, Rachel Taylor, Robert Dove, Concetta Branson, Mike Ramsey, Arlene Dextraze, Beth Drummond, Kelly O’Rourke, Vicki Bailey-Hayes, Keith Brown, David Vaughan, Hugh McGraw, Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Karen Rollins, Jane Goforth, Christine Vitale, Ruth Wampler, and Susan Shurow. Deidra led 374 to honor these singers.

Joanne Fuller then spoke in honor of the following deceased: Michael Arden—Arizona; Bernice Gourse—Florida; B.M. Smith, David J. “Johnny” Lee, and Delorese Lee—Georgia; Rick Archer and Amanda Phillips—Massachusetts; Jennifer Stege—New York; John Bayer and Loraine Bayer—Ohio; Robert Germany—Pennsylvania; Joseph Leonard Rowe—Rhode Island; Pat Colterahn and Timothy Grannis—Vermont. Joanne led 406 in their memory. Brian Harris closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Angharad Davis 329; Becky Wright 462; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 391; George Pomfret 535. Liz Cantrell offered a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Matthew Leger-Small led 29t to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Mel Novner 564; Amy Finlay 542; Ian Quinn 269; Joanna Lieberman 216; Ivy Hauser 396; Anya Skibbie 430; Tristan Gordon 154; Elizabeth Stoddard 399t; Cheri Haire 277; Molly Merrett 214; Al McCready 472; Emma Rose Brown 432; Sheldon Finlay 189; Liz Cantrell 325; Stine Soderling 436; Sarah Stefanski and Ross Parker 446 (for Jennifer Stege); Mike Richards 278t; Michael Nord 324; Pat Callahan 176b; Patrick Friesen 44; Angharad Davis 212; Jack Sullivan 344; Vale Cofer-Shabica 312b; Jesse Vear 505.

RECESS

Mary Skidmore called the class back to order by leading 39t. Leaders: Thiago de Carvalho Rigo and Philippa Stoddard 209; Emily Hale Sills 135; Nathan Aldrich 340; Laura Hodges 572; Kerry Cullinan and Elizabeth Stoddard 466; Charles Biada and Josh Satok 102; Becky Wright 26; Sunny Doyle 300; Emily Hancock 319; James Baumgartner 142; Robert Stoddard 434; Anya Skibbie 56b; Keillor Mose 380; Philippe Doyle Gosselin 299; Ivy Hauser 330b; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 379; Christina Wallin 182; Philippa Stoddard 313t.

A business meeting was held to hear reports. The Finance Committee announced that expenses had been met. The Secretary reported that seventy-one leaders had led ninety-six songs. The Resolutions Committee thanked those who had organized and helped with the singing, and resolved to meet again on Saturday before the second Sunday in May, 2018. The business meeting concluded.

Alvaro Witt Duarte, Philippa Stoddard, and Christina Wallin led 62 as the closing song. Alvaro Witt Duarte offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Alvaro Witt Duarte; Vice Chairman—Philippa Stoddard; Secretary—Christina Wallin