Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 11

The 163rd session of The East Texas Sacred Harp Convention met at the Henderson Civic Center in Henderson, Texas, on the second Sunday and Saturday before in August. The class was called to order by Sam Craig leading 47t. Robert Vaughn offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: David Rousseau 146; Robert Vaughn 336t; John Morris 186; Joan Smith 100; Craig Averill 49t; Findley Ross 282; Stanley Smith 268b; Alfred Jones 507b; Leon Ballinger 297; Ainsley Ross 514; Gaylon Powell 524; Abby Huckaby 159; Lauren Owen 96; Kristi Powell 67; Chris Nicholson 293b; Jackson Owen 408; Hoss Curran 388; Will Sims 277; Beverly Coates 581; Janie Short 573; Ellee Curran 367; Mike Hinton 567; Vickie Cook 142; Linda Booker 107; Silas Huckaby 522; Tom Owen 113. Pat Brack and Thomas Ward represented the city of Henderson, and Mayor Brack gave the singers a warm welcome from the city before recess.

RECESS

Sam Craig led 87 to bring class back to order. Leaders: Gary Rogan 86; Bruce Coates 575; Cory Winters 36b; Jerry Ryan 274t; Donald Ross 591; Bob McLemore 559; Vivian Rogan 331t; Reed Coates 442t; Diane Ross 132; Tammy Powell 189; Ryan Ross 98; Priscilla Wiggins 485; Nancy Price 203; Jeb Owen 112; William Price 133; Kris Wiggins 222; Sarah Huckaby 380t; Ray Quigley 82; Fred Todt 200; Scott Curran 192; Owen Ross 224. Jeb Owen asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Sam Craig led 103 to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Michele Curran 416t; Alfred Jones 264b; Linda Booker 38t; Jerry Ryan 47b; Ann Grisby 155; Bob McLemore 78; Reed Coates 68b; Jeb Owen and Rami Purdum 230; Ray Quigley 438b; Fred Todt 217; Owen Ross 216; Craig Averill 276; Beverly Coates and Anna Purdum 464; Findley Ross 72; Stanley Smith and Lilah Flynn 520; Leon Ballinger 120.

RECESS

Sam Craig led 430 to bring class back to order. Leaders: Gaylon Powell and Everett Daugherty 65; Ainsley Ross 145t; Chris Nicholson and Stanley Smith 422t; Abby Huckaby 99; Lauren Owen 39; Kristi Powell 54t; Jackson Owen 53; Mike Hinton 400; Janie Short 571; Silas Huckaby 434; Will Sims 463; Vickie Cook 38b; Cory Winters 196; Stanley Smith 210; Gary Rogan 95b; Tammy Powell 553; Bruce Coates 35; Donald Ross 402; Vivian Rogan 32t; Diane Ross 300.

Sam Craig led 395b as the closing song. Owen Ross offered the closing prayer.

Saturday night, August 11

Approximately twenty-five singers enjoyed a meal of homemade TexMex food at the Civic Center. After the meal they enjoyed singing a new composition “Yule” (written by Cory Winters), and “Highland Traveler” (written by Robert Vaughn in memory of Darrell Swarens), and several songs from the 1991 edition of the Sacred Harp book. The evening was enjoyed by all in attendance.

Sunday, August 12

The Sunday session of the East Texas Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Sam Craig leading 49t. The opening prayer was offered by Donald Ross.

Leaders: Tammy Powell 179; John Morris 98; Ryan Ross and Findley Ross 319; Ron Trial 461; Michele Curran 140; William Price 148; Ryan Bowmen 48t; Nancy Price 273; Henry McGuire 269; Nicole Bowmen 300; Scott Curran 218; Robert Vaughn 416t; David Rousseau 127; Joan Smith 341; Will McGuire 286t; Jim Lazenby 40; Jackson Owen 186; Mike Hinton 544; Ainsley Ross 96; Leon Ballinger 110; Lauren Owen 47b.

RECESS

Sam Craig and Allison Miller led 75 to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Tom Owen 299; Hoss Curran 60; Stanley Smith 584; Ellee Curran 146; Abby Huckaby 45t; Priscilla Wiggins 31t; Craig Averill 63; Silas Huckaby 198; Cory Winters 58; Vickie Cook and Everett 335; Kris Wiggins 235; Carter Cook 168; Vivian Rogan 215; Will Sims 50b; Sarah Huckaby 428; Chris Nicholson 264t; Diane Ross 183.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Mike Hinton, John Morris, and Stanley Smith. The following list of names of the sick and shut-ins were read by John Morris: Tommie Spurlock, Margaret Spurlock, Andy Worthington, Aubrey Barfield, Jeanette Barfield, Norma Mincy, Ron Bernucho, Adelaide Vaughn, Dale Redmon Jr., Curtis Owen, Doug Webb, Myrl Jones, Azalea Barnett, C.B. Anderson, Annabelle Anderson, and Charlotte Powell. They led 36b in their honor.

Stanley Smith read the following list of names of the deceased: Daphene Causey, Glenda Hopper, and Mike Jones—Alabama; Barbara Ruth Willard—Arizona; Berkley Moore—Illinois; Darrell Swarens—Indiana; Mary Ellen Schrock—New York; Claire Powel—Oklahoma; Steve Helwig—Oregon; Edith Owen, Frank Price, Nancy Marion “Mamie” Grant, Amy Denison, Mae Griffith, Mary Franklin, Deason Dunn, Peter Nichols, Geneva Harrell Buckner, Frances Ross Joplin, Rev. Bill Patterson, Julia Welch, Mel Rosenbaum, and Jack Hurosky—Texas. Mike, John, and Stanley led 410 in their memory. The memorial service was closed with prayer offered by Robert Vaughn.

Leaders: Gary Rogan 558; Janie Short 505; Gaylon Powell 239; Bruce Coates 133; Kristi Powell 383; Donald Ross 590; Beverly Coates 460. The lunch prayer was led by Robert Vaughn.

LUNCH

Sam Craig led 313 to bring class back to order. Leaders: Tammy Powell 137; Ron Trial 571; Gary Rogan 129; Michele Curran 331b; Nancy Price 125; Lilah Flynn, Ellee Curran, and Stanley Smith 348t; Jim Lazenby 361; Joan Smith 100; Craig Averill 49b; Danny Dunn 500; Will Sims 71; McKenzie Flynn 559; Vivian Rogan 343; Priscilla Wiggins 159; Henry McGuire 463; William Price 268t; Janie Short 465; Beverly Coates 176t; Cory Winters 182; Kristi Powell 64; Chris Nicholson 212; Diane Ross 392; Gaylon Powell 532; Stanley Smith 378t; Kris Wiggins 414; Bruce Coates 315; Scott Curran 32b; Donald Ross 36t; David Rousseau 447t; John Morris 155; Robert Vaughn 427; Ron Trial 594; Craig Averill 81; Ellee Curran 572; Joan Smith 574.

Sam Craig led 225t as the closing song. Bruce Coates dismissed the class with prayer.

There were =197 people from nine U.S. states and two other countries who attended this year. There were sixty-one leaders that led =174 songs. Tammy Powell served as the arranging committee on Sunday. Tommy Simpson donated his grandfather’s 1907 Cooper Edition Sacred Harp to the Convention.

Chairman—Sam Craig