Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 10

The 20th annual Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Gerald Clark and Stina Soderling leading 59. Jana Yeaton offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Rebecca Hawkins 171; Nathan Aldrich 187; Linda Shea 318; Ivy Hauser 39t; Chris Carlton 378b; Wendy Sibbison 99; Andrew Forsthoefel 504; Sheila Kelley 448b; Nick Maione 472; Brian Harris 271b; Miriam Delirium 271t; Laura Borrelli 153; Seth Wenger 49b; Emma Swartz 101t; Christopher Kain 565; Dan Coppock 100.

RECESS

The second session was called to order by Jeremy Galvagni leading 46. Leaders: Laura Timmerman 564; Maggie Shar 112; Charles Biada and Miriam Cohen 272; DJ Hatfield 383; Andal Sundaramurthy 270; Christina Wallin 97; Kerry Cullinan 236; Angharad Davis 96; Sunny Doyle 453; Christine Andrews 82t; Matthew Léger-Small 183; Jonathan Skeet Surrency 313b; Alison Forster 148; Jesse Vear 556; Pattie Wareh 299; Jesse C. Polhemus 197; Gabrielle Manion 126; Dean Jens 203; La Ree Delahunt and Vicki Hayes 40; Anne Kazlauskas 447; Nic Tuff 448t.

RECESS

The third session was called to order by Chris Frantz-Dale leading 89. Leaders: Becky Wright 30t; Elsa Phemayotin 70b; Mike Richards 421; Jennie Brown 349; Harold Booth 254; Ben Bath 189; Elizabeth Stoddard 422; Dann Pell 385t; Sarah Trumbore 215; Dara Weiss 32t; Chris Holley 348b; Christobal Martinez 81t; Kshama Ananthapura 400; Allison Steele 58; Tim Eriksen 36b. Glenda R. Phillips Lee-Yuk offered a blessing before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Molly Merrett leading 30b. Leaders: Peter Irvine 460; Dan Hertzler 160b; Lydia Lewallen 296; Joshua Barnett 191; Laura Hodges 227; Lisa Bennett 379; Dennis George 319; Cheri Haire 176t; Guy Bankes 481; Rachel Hall and Glenda Phillips Lee-Yuk 45t; Isabelle Gervais Chapman 198; Kyle Johnston 154; Lela Crowder 353; Anna Mays 454; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 27; Molly Ellis 512; Phillip Langley 142; Doron Henkin 377; Anya Skibbie 340; Faiz Wareh 83b; Terry Ryan 532; Gwen Gethner 328; L.H. Spencer 250; Philippa Stoddard 424.

RECESS

The last session of the day was called to order by Margaret Youngberg leading 72b. Leaders: John Holbrook 38t; Rachel Speer 208; Laura Clawson 186; Tom George 470; Peter Trumbore 480; Jean Seiler 217; David Smead 505; Robert Stoddard 492; Em Ekelund 542; Chris Geissler 430; Annie-Lou Chester 479; George Sigut 341; Krista Guerrieri 102; Jonathan Spencer 74b; Ian McGullam 113; Claire Hogan 324; Eric Sandberg 302; Sam Kleinman 123t; Tarik Wareh 90; Myles Louis Dakin 426b; Matthew Wojcik 192. Gerald Clark and Lisa Byers Clark led 339 as the closing song. Jana Yeaton offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, March 11

The Sunday session of the Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Gerald Clark and Stina Soderling leading 155. Emma deLisle offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Christine Andrews 31t; Mike Nord 60; Lily Bell 187; Crispin Youngberg 378t; Bob Mills 228; Sally Langendorf 345b; Tristan Gordon 129; MB Gowins 283; Hannah C. 315; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 432; Mary Skidmore 171; Molly Merrett 558; Liz Patton 70b; Ryan Nash 71; Leland Kusmer 42; Ron Woodland 273; Joan Frankel 414.

RECESS

The second session was called to order by Oona Coy leading 70b. Leaders: Vale Cofer-Shabica 131b; Ben Sacks-Hamilton 327; Cat Walsh 417; Sara Sandberg 77t; Liz Cantrell 186; Sara Lott 172; Ian Ludders 211; Lydia Lewallen 170; Christine Andrews 406; Barbara Swetman 64; Judy Contompasis 63; Phillip Langley 546; Mike Boudo 274t; Jenny Wright 38b; Leah Velleman 426b; Sunny Doyle 385b; Liam Keohane 95; Cora Wareh 452.

RECESS

The third session was called to order by Mary Andrews leading 29t. Leaders: Kitty Kagey 163b; Isabelle Gervais Chapman and Theresa Cooper-Gordon 318; Krista Guerrieri 434; Dennis George 224; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 548; Lisa Bennett 567; Annie-Lou Chester 410t; Doron Henkin 399b; Kyle Johnston 105; Guy Bankes 304; Lela Crowder 230.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Kshama Ananthapura and Matthew Léger-Small. Kshama read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins before leading 270 in their honor: Concetta Branson, Verlon Stiefel, Sarah Bankert, Linda Brazeau, Mark Dowling, Keith Brown, Rose Zaney, David McCumber, Walt Colteryan, Captain Michael Appert, Jean Ayotte, Don Bowen, Rosemary Vequist, Evelyn Silvia, Michael Kaye, Lynne deBenedette, Ron Bornick, Margaret Bornick, Ursula Hirschi, Baron Collins-Hill, Idy Kiser, Terry Gesulga, Chris Brown, Merv Horst, Nancy Castle, Pat Lezon, Ellia Schumann, Henrietta Soard, Freddie, Shania, Josiah, and Chloe Rombach.

Matthew read the following list of names of the deceased before leading 445 in their honor: Hugh McGraw and Louise Holland—Georgia; Darrell Swarens—Indiana; Henri Sparrow, Erica Zissman, Kirsten Tarnowski, Iris Gomes, Arlene Dextraze, Russ MacLeod, and Linda Leslie—Massachusetts; Edward Swetman, Collette Miller, and Charles Wells—Minnesota; Herbert Eriksson, Barbara Bell, and Corinne Goodman—New York; Wayne Jens—Iowa; Steve Helwig—Oregon; Daphne Causey, Arthur Gilmore, and Susie Denson—Alabama; Edith Owen and Jane Goforth—Texas; Jeremiah Crompton, Tracey Dennis, and Heidi Ballantine—Vermont; Kathryn Appleton—Virginia; Winter Acorn—Pennsylvania; Jim Keefer, Skip Pendleton, and Jo Pendleton—Maine; Michael Sensor—Pennsylvania and Florida; Chris Warrenburg—Ohio; Cynthia Mesa—Mexico; John Byrne Cooke—Wyoming; Rhoda Ann Wilde—New Jersey; David More—Colorado; Michael Siemon—California; Tom Hansen, Jane Yaple, and Bob Morrison—Canada; Ruth Hooke—Massachusetts and New Hampshire; and Marnie Lee. Tim Eriksen offered a prayer.

Eliza Cavanaugh led 277 as the last song of the session. Emma deLisle offered a blessing before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Nathan Aldrich leading 30b. Leaders: Lilly Israel 128; Robert Stoddard 39b; Sasha Hsuczyk 411; Glenda Phillips Lee-Yuk and Jennie Brown 58; Kelly House 198; Tom George 384; Matthew Wojcik and Maurice Lee 176b; Peter Trumbore 76b; Dara Weiss 276; Alex Forsyth 398; Erik Dardan Ymeraga 444; Jean Seiler 106; David Smead 550; Laura Clampitt 500; Ian Quinn 488; Rachel Speer 300; Myles Louis Dakan 408; Claire Hogan and Em Ekelund 159; Sarah Trumbore 177; Sam Kleinman 442; Angharad Davis 419; Emma Swartz 208; Joanne Fuller 460; Dann Pell 381; Chris Holley 480.

RECESS

The last session of the day was called to order by Ben Wetherbee and Tim Eriksen leading 89. Leaders: Micah John Walter 274b; Elizabeth Stoddard 487; Becca Mandel 504; Rachel Hall 45b; Corey Walters 505; Ruby Francis and Devereux Fuller 196; Dave DiLorenzo 162; Margaret Youngberg and Crispin Youngberg 212; Dean Jens and Donald Roberts 47b; Patrick Friesen 426t; Cassie Lang 475; Jesse Vear and Cheri Haire 34t; Laura Hodges and Mike Richards 73t; Jonathan Skeet Surrency 146; Chris Frantz-Dale 288; Anna Mays 441; Miriam Delirium 29b; Peter Irvine and Tim Eriksen 112; Dan Hertzler and Laura Timmerman 503; Philippa Stoddard 539.

A short business meeting was held. Emma deLisle offered the closing prayer. Gerald Clark, Stina Soderling, and Rebecca Hawkins led 62 as the closing song, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Gerald Clark; Vice Chairman—Stina Soderling; Secretary—Rebecca Hawkins