Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 23

The 6th Poland Sacred Harp Convention was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in September in the Dominican Monastery—Freta in Warsaw, Poland. The class was called to order by Kuba Choinski and Justyna Orlikowska leading 49t. The opening prayer was offered by Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto. Justyna Orlikowska and Kuba Choinski welcomed the guests.

Leaders: Agata Grzybowska and Kama Dembińska 47t; Olgierd Orlikowski 101t; Jacek Borkowicz 49b; Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto 171; Justyna Orlikowska 30t; Katrin Malack 210; Deborah Mann 84; Marco Wessnigk 30b; Jasmina Graf 203; Caro Stamm-Reusch 276; Rachel Jordan 29t; Cheri Neilson 172; Werner Ullah 28b; Evelyn Saylor 31t; Edwin Macadam 180; Ellen Kennedy 290; Ulrike Tietjen 375; Cäcilia Mann 523.

RECESS

Sheila Girling Macadam called the class back to order leading 39t. Leaders: Anna Spruch 65; Kuba Choinski 270; Geoff Grainger 339; Honorata Pawlicka-Żurakowska, Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto, and Matylda Małecka 45t; Nick Hall 352; Gosia Perycz 168; Sheila Girling Macadam 569t; Jasmina Graf 448t; Deborah Mann 117; Werner Ullah 503; Katrin Malack 58; Marco Wessnigk 215; Jacek Borkowicz 70b; Caro Stamm-Reusch 440; Rachel Jordan 441; Edwin Macadam 318; Ulrike Tietjen 312t; Cäcilia Mann 344; Ellen Kennedy 445; Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto 176t; Cheri Neilson 101b; Olgierd Orlikowski 102; Evelyn Saylor 472. A blessing before the midday meal was offered by Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto.

LUNCH

Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto called the class back to order leading 76b. Leaders: Gosia Perycz 112; Nick Hall 454; Anna Spruch 142; Caro Stamm-Reusch 505; Eva Striebeck 189; Sheila Girling Macadam 269; Justyna Orlikowska 542; Cheri Neilson 319; Rachel Jordan 522; Jacek Borkowicz 288; Marco Wessnigk 216; Edwin Macadam 183; Ulrike Tietjen 411; Olgierd Orlikowski 421; Geoff Grainger 313b; Evelyn Saylor 377; Deborah Mann 282; Werner Ullah 448b; Ellen Kennedy 114; Jasmina Graf 278t; Cäcilia Mann 477; Katrin Malack 47b.

RECESS

Jacek Borkowicz called the class back to order leading 401. Leaders: Justyna Orlikowska 457; Geoff Grainger 163b; Anna Spruch 159; Cäcilia Mann 573; Marco Wessnigk 63; Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto 328; Eva Striebeck 501; Nick Hall 455; Olgierd Orlikowski 108b; Caro Stamm-Reusch 410t; Sheila Girling Macadam 277; Cheri Neilson 372; Ulrike Tietjen 321; Gosia Perycz 48b; Evelyn Saylor 67; Edwin Macadam 209; Rachel Jordan 474; Ellen Kennedy 83t; Werner Ullah 531; Kama Dembińska 504; Katrin Malack 122; Deborah Mann 274t; Jasmina Graf 385b.

Announcements were made. Kuba Choinski led 34b as the closing song. Cheri Neilson offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, September 24

The Sunday session of the 6th Poland Sacred Harp Convention was held in the Dominican Monastery—Freta in Warsaw, Poland. The class was called to order by Kuba Choinski and Justyna Orlikowska leading 101t. The opening prayer was offered by Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto.

Leaders: Kama Dembińska 37b, 34t; Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto 63, 480; Justyna Orlikowska 48t, 28t; Anna Spruch 294, 133; Ellen Kennedy 42, 100; Evelyn Saylor 131b, 134; Marco Wessnigk 313t, 77t.

RECESS

Kuba Choinski called the class back to order leading 38t. Leaders: Cäcilia Mann 287, 481; Nick Hall 444, 515; Katrin Malack 412, 285t; Jasmina Graf 29b, 399t; Geoff Grainger 156, 143; András Gryszko-Szánto and Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto 105, 425; Cheri Neilson 179, 96.

Gosia Perycz and Sheila Girling Macadam conducted the memorial lesson. Gosia Perycz spoke on behalf of the sick and shut-ins, and read their names as follows: Kerryn Neilson, Błażej Matusiak, Paula Mogensen, Alma Molędys, Inga Hübner, Concetta Branson, Jola Czeczko, and Ola Czeczko. Gosia Perycz led 58.

Sheila Girling Macadam spoke in memory of the deceased, and read their names as follows: Lyndsey Cockwell—Germany/United Kingdom; Mark Girling—Spain; June Eames, Kathleen Rowell, Michael Siefert—United Kingdom; Francesco Nazzini—Italy/United Kingdom; Janusz Borkowicz, Jerzy Grzybowski, Natalia Sosnowska, Jadwiga Zarzycka, Bohdan Matusiak, Łukasz Kondracki, and Emilia Borys—Poland; Marianne Kessel and Klaus Eichelmann—Germany; Jeanine Ulyette—USA. Sheila Girling Macadam led 340.

A blessing before the midday meal was offered by Rachel Jordan.

LUNCH

Kama Dembińska called the class back to order leading 378t. Leaders: Werner Ullah 503, 278t; Caro Stamm-Reusch 500, 528; Ulrike Tietjen 383, 309; Sheila Girling Macadam 564; Sheila Girling Macadam and Arkadiusz Szymczak 299; Eva Striebeck 280, 236; Rachel Jordan 536, 546; Edwin Macadam 538, 198; Gosia Perycz 208, 436; Olgierd Orlikowski 277, 29t; Kuba Choinski 47t.

RECESS

Gosia Perycz called the class back to order leading 330t. Leaders: Sharon Spicher and Anna Spruch 344; Edwin Macadam 200; Marta Kaczorowska 274t; Werner Ullah 501; Katrin Malack 324; Kama Dembińska 181; Nick Hall 569b; Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto 107; Marco Wessnigk 336; Cäcilia Mann 567; Justyna Orlikowska 69b; Rachel Jordan 475; Cheri Neilson 497; Jasmina Graf 332; Evelyn Saylor 186; Geoff Grainger 68b; Sheila Girling Macadam 128; Eva Striebeck 145t; Caro Stamm-Reusch 73b; Ulrike Tietjen 348b; Anna Spruch 35.

A business meeting was held for the purpose of hearing reports. The Finance Committee reported expenses for the convention were met. The Secretary reported that over the two days of singing 165 songs had been sung, led by thirty leaders from six countries (Poland, Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, Norway, and USA).

Kuba Choinski and Justyna Orlikowska thanked all the visiting singers (old friends, new friends, from far and near), committees and individuals, who helped make the convention two days of wonderful singing and friendship. Announcements were made.

Kuba Choinski and Justyna Orlikowska led 146 as the closing song. Magdalena Gryszko-Szánto offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Co-Chairmen—Kuba Choinski and Justyna Orlikowska; Secretary—Agata Grzybowska