Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 15

The 23rd session of the United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Catherine Roberts leading 276. Rob Mahoney offered the opening prayer.

The following officers were appointed: Chairman—Catherine Roberts; Vice Chairman—Steve Brett; Secretary—Rose Hales; Arranging Committee—Guy Hayes, Helen Brown, and Joe Vickers; Treasurer—Ron Hollman.

Leaders: Steve Brett 82t; Guy Hayes 448b; Sarah Hill 42; Helen Brown 313t; Ron Hollman 360; Joe Vickers 166; Ted Brown 523; Ian Lamb 287; Rachel Jordan 492; Steve Welch 569t; Steve Biggs 49b; Vicky Tremain 454; Seth Dickens 474; Brenda Harvey 29t; Iain Paxon 330b; Ross Adamson 86; Ewa Lichnerowicz 68t.

RECESS

Helen Brown called the class to order leading 145t. Leaders: Derek Buckland 230; Grace Scrimgeour 547; Daniel Ardern 178; Piers Blewett 477; Teresa Maguire 444; Gerben Vos 217; George Simms 171; Taylor Watkins 445; Bill Beverly 546; Mick Verrier 300; Shelby Sampson 228; Tom Greig 312b; Evelyn Saylor 410b; Ailish McMahon 500; Alec Williams 84; Ann Riley 142; Sarah West 208; April Watkins 155; Ed Johnson-Williams 539; Sue Peters 313b; Mali Dray 40; David Brodeur 387; Sophie Sawicka-Sykes 475; David Carlton 538; Lisa Bennett 234; Kate Fine 560. Hannah Land gave thanks for the midday meal.

LUNCH

Ted Brown called the class back to order by leading 111b. Leaders: Ian West 430; Laurie Burk 277; Martha Beverly 504; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 187; Idy Kiser 472; Morag Logan 66; Scott DePoy 201; Camilla Marie Widholm 550; Karen Ivey 112; David Smead 353; Cecilia Mann 567; William Cleary 355; Lauren Bock 273; Dan Brittain 375; Matthew Parkinson 434; Elene Stovall 411; Michael Walker 169; Vicki Elliott 436; Jeannette DePoy 328; Samuel Sommers 437; Gail Doss 535.

RECESS

Joe Vickers led 114 to bring the class to order. Leaders: Erin Johnson-Williams 186; Nigel Bowley 431; Greg Carson and Marcia Paz 29b; Joyce Smith 33b; Susanne Rolli and Helen Brown 122; Andy Ditzler 380; Kathy Williams 222; Francis Gaskin 495; Caro Stamm-Reusch 505; Joe Jones 489; Richard L. Schmeidler 268; Robin Bisson 299; Tom McTighe 150; Carolyn Deacy 315; Bobby Watkins 340; Nancy Novotny 214; Kerry Cullinan 123t; Vella Dailey 452; Eva Striebeck 30b; Betsy Jeronen 422; Daniel Wippermann 569b; Ron Hollman 481; Jill Thompson 344; Nick Hall 455.

Catherine Roberts led 441 as the closing song. Ed Johnson-Williams offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, September 16

The Sunday session of the United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Catherine Roberts leading 131b. Betsy Jeronen offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Steve Brett 297; Eleanor Callaghan 159; Jan Lawrence 510; Ben Whittaker (assisted by Dan Brittain) 313b; Hanka Faerber 102; Tom Gerber and Mia Gerber 448b; Mahna Nowak 569b; Thomas Sprackland 32t; Rachel Wemyss 30t; Pete Eiseman-Renyard 117; Jacoba Bruneel 81t; Chris Brown 392; Morag Logan 324; Marco Wessnigk 36t; Ron Hollman 391; Steve Fletcher 496; Richard Mayers 311.

RECESS

Joe Vickers called the class back together by leading 70b. Leaders: Edwin Macadam 183; Mella Tünnies 47b; children’s lesson 146; Josh Lant 383; Amanda Parkes 302; Johannes Sauer 108b; Emily Verrier 167; Toby Goss 127; Inga Huebner 124; Hannah Land 388; Jan Geerts 197; Eimear O’Donovan 34t.

Erin Johnson-Williams spoke for the sick and housebound, and read the following list of names: Ann Jett, Silke Kunow-Koch, Karen Rollins, David Elliott, Bob Pattern, Charlie Miller, Philip Ralls, Curtis Owen, Chris Densmore, John Williams, Ursula Trude, Janice De Menditte, Brian Morrisroe, Richard Krawiec, Hilary Plum, Adrian Hilton, Keith Pigott, Don Bowen, Norma Mincey, Breda Morrisroe, Paula Mogensen, Nicky Roland, Judi Hodgkin, Regina Contrino, Phil, Rob Burbea, and Kalari Tonga. Erin led 348b.

Steve Brett conducted the memorial lesson, and read the following list of names of the deceased: Gareth Elliot-Williams—Cardiff; Henryk Lichnerowicz and Maria Wojtuszkiewicz—Poland; Gillian Shearer—Norfolk; Rodney Willard and Barbara Willard—Arizona, USA; Steve Helwig—Oregon, USA; Darrell Swarens—Indiana, USA; Daphene Causey, Arthur Gilmore, J.A. Moseley, Glenda Hopper, Verlon Stiefel, Mike Jones, and Willodean Barton—Alabama, USA; Louise Holland, Daniel Evans, Thomas Sanders, Ruth Ayers, and Florice Akin—Georgia, USA; Freddie Briggs—Florida, USA; Susan Carr—Leeds; Reginald Brett—Sunningdale; Janet Winstanley—UK; Steve Harrison—UK; Rev Michael Pain; Julie Vea—Wisconsin, USA; Ann Sleeva and Berkley Moore—Illinois, USA; Amy Dennison and Peter Nichols—Texas, USA; Elizabeth Rechenberg—Ohio, USA; Paul; Anita; Rev. Doug Thrift—South Carolina, USA; James B Walker; Peter Golding—Derby; Toby Boyes—Market Drayton; Kit Yip; Elspeth Murray and Ben Thompson—Paisley; Jennifer Bennett—Ontario, Canada; Rollo Woods—Swanage; Andy Spence—Hove; Frank Pigott, Geoffrey Rendle, Kamila Zahno, Michael Seifert, and David Henshaw—London; Charlie Hicks—Hereford; Ivan Bainbridge—Sheerness; Mary Billington and Steve Lawson—New York, USA; Julian McAllister—Spain; Eoin Sweeney—Ireland; Clint Andrews—Nottingham; David Gasi—Australia; John Hayto—Leicester; Jürn Otten and Heinz Schinnagal—Germany. Steve led 400. Erin offered a prayer to close the memorial service.

Leaders: Sheila Macadam 286; Kate Kirwan 57; Fred Langridge 457; Samuel Turner 139; Ross Harbison 406. Ian Lamb gave thanks for the midday meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Helen Brown leading 87. Leaders: Ella Cumber 558; Karen Turner 198; Mike Morrisroe 304; Judy Whiting 105; Lisa O’Grady 528; Leilai Immel-Parkinson 67; Richard Schmeidler 254; Bobby Watkins, April Watkins, and Taylor Watkins 277; Martha Beverly and Bill Beverly 269; Nancy Novotny 138t; Andy Ditzler and David Brodeur 149; Eva Striebeck 460; Karen Ivey and David Ivey 37b; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 326; Scott DePoy and Jeannette DePoy 274t; Betsy Jeronen 440; Caro Stamm-Reusch 308; Dan Brittain 458; Cecilia Mann 192; David Smead and Lisa Bennett 522; Sue Peters 97; Kerry Cullinan 236; Lauren Bock 200.

RECESS

Guy Hayes brought the class back to order by leading 179. Leaders: Kate Fine 309; Mali Dray 47t; Gerben Vos 332; Helen Brown and Joe Vickers 282; Camilla Marie Widholm 536; Samuel Sommers 502; Ann Riley 318; Tom McTighe 368; Laurie Burk 276; Idy Kiser 34b (dedicated to Karen Rollins); David Carlton 272; Gail Doss 154; Evelyn Saylor and Marco Wessnigk 77t; Daniel Wippermann 29b; Elene Stovall 216.

Announcements were made. Catherine Roberts, thanked all who made the 23rd United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention possible. Rose Hales reported that there were =214 registered attendees from 15 countries, and 172 songs were sung.

Catherine Roberts led 62 as the closing song. Eimear O’Donovan offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Catherine Roberts; Vice Chairman—Steve Brett; Secretary—Rose Hales