Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 4

The 166th session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August at Wilson’s Chapel, Cross Plains, Georgia. The class was called to order by Sheri Taylor, who welcomed everyone, and led 56b. G.C. Waldrop offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey 178; Lisa Webb 222; Donna Duke 40; Robert Kelley 166; Lisa Bennett 84; Karen Rollins 227; Robert Chambless 72b; Jerusha Wheeler 107; Winfred Kerr 77b; Henry Johnson 375; Judy Chambless 418; Samuel Williams 315; David Smead 88b; Tony Hammock 314; Reba Windom 155; Glenda Collins 138t; Eric Tweedy 479; David Brodeur 348b; Rebecca Over 558; Philip Denney and Gayle Denney 143; April Watkins 82t; Sheri Taylor 142.

RECESS

Jenna Frey called the class to order by leading 408. Leaders: Faye Hollis 340; Jack Nelson 266; Isaac Green 381; Joseph Silva 68t; Taylor Watkins 445; Jacob Acton 277; Amber Davis 224; Alex Forsyth 197; Nicholas Thompson 189; Eva Striebeck 492; Bobby Watkins 512; G.C. Waldrep 506; Bert Collins 335; Ivy Hauser 440.

RECESS

A business session was held, and the following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplain—G.C. Waldrep; Arranging Committee—Robert Kelley and Jenna Frey; Finance Committee—Lori Goode and Mary Elizabeth Goode; Resolutions Committee—Lisa Bennett and Oscar McGuire; Memorial Committee—Rebecca Over and Karen Rollins.

Leaders: Aldo Ceresa 56t; Justin Bowen 344; Hayden Arp 405; Silva family 114; Carolyn Deacy 368; Kelly Morris 147t; Shawn Fenton 474; John Plunkett 50b; Tim Gregg 90; Kathy Williams 540; Andy Ditzler 325; Sarah Ward 86; Richard DeLong 472; Ryan Nash 128; Lori Goode 358.

LUNCH

Christian Webb brought the class to order leading 294. Leaders: Oscar McGuire 556; Marilyn Bradley 45t; Matt Hinton 485; Darolene Moak 278t; Joyce Heath 186; Erica Hinton 228; Aldo Ceresa 527; Rebecca Over 187 (for Charlene Wallace); Eli Hinton 299; Shawn Fenton 501; Amber Davis 192; Anna Hinton 383; Joseph Silva 68b; Isaac Green 488; Ivy Hauser 477; Sarah Ward 148; Kelly Morris 159; Tim Gregg 350; Silva family 296; Ryan Nash 83t; Kathy Williams 455; Eva Striebeck 30t; David Brodeur and Andy Ditzler 374.

RECESS

Leaders: Jenna Frey 47b; Hayden Arp 176b; Fred Eady 236; Gene Duke 569b; Justin Bowen 345t; Bobby Watkins 460; Nicholas Thompson 411; G.C. Waldrep 505; Taylor Watkins 388; Alex Forsyth 220; Jacob Acton 168; Jerusha Wheeler 384; Lisa Bennett, David Smead, and G.C. Waldrep 212; Samuel Williams 102; April Watkins 454; Jack Nelson 182; Winfred Kerr 500; Faye Hollis 276; Tony Hammock 196; Richard DeLong 399b; Darolene Moak 34b; Jonathon Smith 80b. Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, Lisa Webb, Riley Webb, and Jenna Frey led 323t as the closing song. G.C. Waldrep dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, August 5

The Sunday session of the Chattahoochee Convention was brought to order by Sheri Taylor leading 27. G.C. Waldrep offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Laura Frey 46, 117; Jenna Frey 408; Lisa Webb 275b, 168; Donna Duke 47b, 155; Robert Kelley 391, 217; Samuel Williams 216, 89; Jim Neal 84, 270; Judy Chambless 29t, 209; Gary Davis 565, 426t; Ellen Culpepper 426b, 72b; Dave Farmer 452, 267; Robert Chambless 503, 225t; G.C. Waldrep 81t, 269; Shawn Fenton 65, 428.

RECESS

Leaders: Christian Webb 294; Karen Rollins and Matt Hinton 365; Winfred Kerr 318, 516; Rebecca Over 466, 283; Helen Bryson 522, 313b; John Hollingsworth 220, 82t; Chrissy Clemons 63, 39t; Michael Spencer 420, 370; Cecil Roberts 31t, 48t; Darolene Moak 107, 376.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Rebecca Over and Karen Rollins. Rebecca read the following for the sick and shut-ins: At this time in our singing, we pause to think about those who are sick and unable to be with us today, and about those who are caring for them. The other day I was driving to Bremen from Cleburne County listening to my favorite country music radio station, when a Brad Paisley song came on. I had heard it a lot during my 2017 visits, but listening to it this time I was deeply moved. It’s called “Last Time for Everything”. The chorus begins: Last call, last chance/Last song, last dance/Sometimes you just don’t know when that’s gonna be and it ends, as do all the verses, “There’s a last time for everything”. Of course, it reminded me that I am coming to the end of this trip, that I am doing so many things I love for what could be the last time. I thought about a friend, Willodean Barton of Alabama, who died less than two weeks ago. When we talked at a singing not so many years ago neither of us knew that it would be our last time. Then I remembered how earlier in this trip I was fortunate enough to be one of a group of singers who went to sing for Velton Chafin, who has been sick and shut-in at his home in Jasper, Alabama, for some time. We went after a singing and we were a Father’s Day present from his daughter, Brenda. When we arrived, Velton was very tired and seemed to be very unwell. Then as we sang songs that we knew he enjoyed he perked up, smiled, sang, talked with us and requested a lot of songs. It was a joy to see that. It may be the last time I see him, but what a wonderful time we all had that day. Many of the people on our list today will hopefully be back singing with us, or at singings in other states and countries, very soon. But others may not. Back in England I am way too good at postponing things. So I know it’s all too easy to put off making that phone call to a friend who is sick, to think ‘well, I can send that card next week’ or ‘I’ll go visit next time I’m driving that way’. But if we put things off too long we might miss that last chance, that last time to let those sick singing friends know that we are thinking of them and that we miss them, that last time to bring them some comfort and joy. So as we hear the names on the list today let us remember to do what we can while we can: sooner rather than later. Those we hold in our hearts today are Velton Chafin, Ottis Sides, Don Bowen, Allen Lambert, Charlene Wallace, and Zanda Sveda. Rebecca led 471 for the sick and shut-ins.

Karen Rollins read the following list of names of the deceased: Willodean Barton, Johnnie Chafin, Daphne Causey, and Mike Jones—Alabama; Florice Akin, Herstein Bussey, Louise Holland, Wawena Entrekin Miles, Agnes Roberts, and Mike Taylor—Georgia; Darrell Swarens—Indiana; Steve Helwig—Oregon. Karen led 146 in memory of the deceased. G.C. Waldrep closed the memorial session with prayer.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Sheri Taylor leading 169. Leaders: Oscar McGuire 515, 163b; John Plunkett 108t; Anders Wells and Corinne Wells 354b, 99; Erica Hinton 105; Billy Hollingsworth 173, 91; Silva family 480; Laura Ackerman 499; Mark Plunkett and Oscar McGuire 384 (for Allen Lambert); Dorothea Maynard 442; Amy Wells 272; Kathy Williams 300; Philip Denney 101t; Justin Silva 69t; Jonathon Smith 110; Lisa Bennett 186; Lori Goode 45t; Fred Eady 240; David Smead 459; Anna Hinton 142; Matt Hinton 172, 399b; Gene Duke 421; Eli Hinton 299; Dick Plunkett 159; Shawn Fenton 70b; Rebecca Over 74t; Dorothea Maynard 383; Chrissy Clemons 162.

The convention was motioned into a business session. Lori Goode gave the finance report. We thank everyone for being led to give generously Saturday and Sunday. May the Lord richly bless every one. Lisa Bennett and Oscar McGuire, Resolutions Committee, gave the following resolution: We thank the Lord of Heaven and Earth who hath preserved us to return and sing at this 166th session of the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Singing Convention. We give thanks for the opportunity to raise our voices together, and for our singing ancestors who preserved this tradition for us. We thank those who keyed, the arranging committee, and the singers who travelled from near and far to make this convention a success. We thank all of the cooks and providers of the wonderful meals we have shared. We thank all the committee members and those who work quietly in the background, and who made this convention run so smoothly. We especially thank the Wilson family for graciously hosting us and all they do in preparation for this convention. We hereby resolve to return for the 167th session of the Chattahoochee Singing Convention the first Sunday and Saturday before in August, 2019. Motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted as read, and added to the convention’s minutes.

Announcements were made. Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, Lisa Webb, and Jenna Frey led 62 as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by G.C. Waldrep.

Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke