Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 26

The 114th session of the Lookout Mountain Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held at Pine Grove Church on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in August. The class was called to order by Scot Oliver leading 82t. Donnie Reed offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Rodney Ivey 129; Judy Caudle 65; Alanna Blanks 405; Donnie Reed 146; Henry Johnson 489; Cindy Tanner 139 (in memory of Johnnie Chafin); Angela Myers 436; Eugene Forbes 384; Janice Paulk 441; Robert Chambless 163b (in memory of his aunt); Mairye Bates 148; Jim Aaron 47b; Lisa Bennett and Joe Cronley 217; Philip Denney 31b (for Gayle); Elizabeth Gentry 76b; Hubert Nall 186; Jerusha Wheeler 192; Karen Rollins 402; Mary Wright 135; Bea Aaron 456.

RECESS

Scot Oliver and Eric Blanks led 496 to bring the class together. A business meeting was held and the following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Scot Oliver; Vice Chairman—Rodney Ivey; Secretary—Judy Caudle; Finance Committee—Rodney Ivey and Eric Blanks; Memorial Committee—Linda Thomas and Adrian Eldridge.

Leaders: David Ivey 332; Judy Chambless 36t; Nate Green and Norma Green 472; David Smead 442; Hayden Arp 434; Nancy Novotny 373; Christopher Schuller 133; Lilly Underwood and Loyd Ivey 454; Rebecca Over 422; Mike Richards 432; Wayne Reed 108b (in memory of S.T. and Lessie Dean Reed); Nathan Rees 187.

RECESS

Rodney Ivey led 345b to bring the class to order. Leaders: John Plunkett 268 (by request); Reba Windom 546; Darrell Swarens 341; Kevin Beirne 203; Richard Mauldin 43; Emma Rose Brown 336; Anna Hinton 455; Ed Thacker 421 (in memory of Bud Oliver); Judy Mincey 543; Justin Bowen 269; Bridgett Hill Kennedy 189; Max Berueffy and Karin Covi 155; Theresa Westmoreland 200; Doug Conn 67; Winfred Kerr 418; Shane Wootten 111b.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Scot Oliver leading 100. Leaders: Daniel Lee 411; Dennis George 57; David Gooch and Todd Hefner 128; Pat Temple and Nathan Rees 173; Paula Oliver 168; James Schuller 30b; Margie Smith 225t; Isaac Green 548 (in memory of Hugh McGraw); April Watkins 53; Adrian Eldridge 58 (for Boyd Scott); Beth Anne Clay 377; Matt Hinton 302; Jesse C. Polhemus 121; Tom George 506; Sasha Hsuczyk 272; Bob Watkins 440; Erica Hinton 141; Shawn Whelan 142; Alex Forsyth 419; Susan Cherones 349; Jackson Fleder 55; Elene Stovall 216 (for Paula Picton, Charlotte Ehrman, and Mary Ruth Stiefel).

RECESS

Richard Ivey led 343 to bring the class back together. Leaders: Buell Cobb and Myra Dalton 125; Taylor Watkins 445; Kelsey Ivey 276; Emily Stutzman 89; Marie Brandis 212; Daniel Bearden 463; Gail Doss 291; Larry Brasher and Louise Brasher 513; Cheyenne Ivey 172; Carol Went and John Went 569b; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 475; Eric Blanks 480; Linda Thomas and April Watkins 73t; Andy Ditzler 90; Pam Nunn 528; Cornelia Stanton 473.

Scot Oliver, Rodney Ivey, and Donnie Reed led 521 as the closing song. Donnie Reed dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, August 27

The Sunday session of the Lookout Mountain Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order by Scot Oliver leading 32t. The opening prayer was offered by Donnie Reed.

Leaders: Rodney Ivey 283; Judy Caudle 97; Alanna Blanks 143; Linda Thomas 85; Adrian Eldridge 389; David Brodeur 362; Emily Stutzman 49b; Shelby Castillo 318; Anita Landess 379; Chris Ballinger 84; David Light 436; Jeannette DePoy 48t (in memory of Ann Weathers); Cindy Tanner 198; Louis Hughes 512; Drew Smith 513; Linton Ballinger 314; David Carlton 538; Delone Cobbs 49t.

RECESS

Rodney Ivey led 111t to bring the class back together. Leaders: Jamey Wootten 475; Ann Jett 317; Larry Ballinger 50b; Sarah Trumbore 204; Jackie Tanner 298; Chris Cotter 57; Thomas Smith 535; Isaac Lloyd 95; David Hufstetler 277; Cassie Allen 419; Gavin Blakeley 196; Havilah Lloyd and Elyssa Lloyd 448b; Christopher Schuller 361; Marie Brandis 328; Jesse C. Polhemus 488; Winfred Kerr 516; Emma Rose Brown 145t.

RECESS

Cindy Tanner brought the class together by leading 123t. Leaders: Joel Bassett 200; Ainslie Allen 29t; Rebecca Over 380; Darrell Swarens 507.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Linda Thomas and Adrian Eldridge. Adrian spoke on behalf of the sick and shut-ins. Linda read the following list of names: Boyd Scott, Concetta Branson, Charlotte Ehrman, Lance Phillips, Velton Chafin, Anne Chalker, Verlon Stiefel, Mary Ruth Stiefel, Jewel Wootten, Charlene Wallace, Greg Allred, Susan Allred, Michael Appert, and Chris Holley.

Adrian spoke about the first time he witnessed a memorial lesson, and related some of his experiences in subsequent lessons. Linda read the following list of names of the deceased: Eloise Wootten, Gravis Ballinger, Kenneth Fannin, Caleb Allred, Johnnie Chafin, Levon Wootten, Calvin Phillips, and Edna Ruth Phillips—Alabama; Hugh McGraw, B.M. Smith, and George Snyder—Georgia; Don Fahrbach—Michigan; Michael Sensor—Florida; Edith Owen—Texas; John Bayer—Ohio. Adrian Eldridge closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Mike Richards 134; Erica Hinton 105; Shawn Whelan 481; Jack Nelson 399b; Jackson Fleder 400; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 396; Chris Ryan 515; Susan Cherones 564.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Scot Oliver leading 68b. Leaders: Lottie Hinton 32t; Amelia Jett 132; Taylor Watkins 335; Ezra Lloyd 472; Emma Blanks and Eric Blanks 388; April Watkins 53; Malachi Lloyd 47b; Anna Hinton 383; Arleigh Beard and Alanna Blanks 405; Gideon Lloyd 421; Coy Ivey 465 (CB), 384; Kevin Beirne 208; Mark Carroll 299; James Schuller 77t; Pat Temple 59; Nathan Rees 193; Sasha Hsuczyk 348b (in memory of Oliver Kindig-Stokes); Nancy Novotny 542; Cornelia Stanton 87; Alex Forsyth 522; Daniel Lee 28b; Justin Bowen 426b; Mary Wright 477; Matt Hinton 460; Nate Green and Norma Green 479; Andy Ditzler 340; Scott Ivey and Isaac Green 56t (in memory of Barrett Ashley).

RECESS

Rodney Ivey and Jackson Fleder led 101t to bring the class together. Leaders: Hayden Arp 181; Henry Johnson 230; Bridgett Hill Kennedy 304; Lilly Underwood and Loyd Ivey 426t; Tom George and Dennis George 182; Shane Wootten, David Ivey, and Jackie Tanner 47t; Elizabeth Gentry and Shawn Whelan 338; Paula Oliver 430; Beth Anne Clay 270; David Gooch and Richard Ivey 567; Elene Stovall and Rodney Ivey 411 (for Barrett Patton); Ed Thacker and Larry Ballinger 112 (in memory of Gravis Ballinger); Bob Watkins 546.

Announcements were made. The Secretary reported that 132 leaders representing twelve states and five countries registered and led 189 songs during the convention.

Scot Oliver, Rodney Ivey, and Donnie Reed led 146 as the closing song. Donnie Reed offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Scot Oliver; Vice Chairman—Rodney Ivey; Secretary—Judy Caudle