Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, January 25

Jane Cannon, a fourth-generation shape-note singer from North Carolina taught a singing school on Friday evening. She introduced the seven shapes, the history of the Christian Harmony, its revisions, and the various styles of music that are found in the Christian Harmony. Since seven-shape hymns are also traditional to the local Mennonites and Brethren of Lancaster County, Jane’s singing school was well received.

Saturday, January 26

The 21st annual Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in January, at the Sonlight River Brethren School in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. Nancy Tkacs called the class to order by leading 350. Tarik Wareh offered the opening prayer.

A business session was held and the following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Molly Sauder; Vice Chairman—Sarah Sauder; Treasurer—Ben Cocchiaro; Secretaries—Carolyn Dries and Jeff Shenk; Arranging Committee—Ruth Wampler, Rachel Hall, and Joel Bassett.

Molly Sauder led 178, after welcoming the class and making a few announcements. Leaders: Jeff Shenk 59; Joyce Forry and Sarah Bowen 354b; Lamar Matthew 35; Krista Guerrieri 107; Guy Bankes 352; Kathy Carluzzo 384; Craig Wiley 72b; Doug Kurtze 474; Ben Cocchiaro 287; Matt Roberts 74b; Maria Cramer 444; Leon Pulsinelle 498; Katie White 547; Benjamin Nissley 102; Shani Aviram 505; Douglas Fower 203.

RECESS

Alex Forsyth called the class back to order leading 204. Leaders: Sue Peters 274b; Joan Nagy 504; Doron Henkin and Dann Pell 392; Anna Melton 388; Eli Roberts 215; Laura Densmore 282; Julian Bender 84; Claire Simon 472; Ben Cocchiaro 123t; Dan Hunter, Katy Hunter, and Yona Hunter 76b; Terry Ryan 198; Charlotte Ehrman 486; Brian How 183; Elsa Phemayotin 376; Merv Horst 99; Susan Bingham 455; Ernest Chamberlain 56b; Tom Stokes 440; Gina Balestracci 524.

RECESS

Ted Stokes brought the class back together by leading 67. Leaders: Joanne Fuller 460; Lari Jalbert 210; Dan Coppock 100; Evan Landon and Elizabeth Stoddard 288; Ryan Nash 83t; Alice Beattie 430; Brenda Dunlap and Steve Ness 271b; Kyle Johnston 61; Laura Hodges 379; Frank Griggs 189; Judy Contompasis 39t; Nathan Aldrich 302; Claire Hogan 148; Charles Biada 272; Emma Swartz 200; Robert Stoddard 534; Em Ekelund 89; Jonathan Smith 428. Myron Sauder offered the lunch blessing.

LUNCH

Katy Hunter opened the afternoon session leading 30b. Leaders: Mary Skidmore 500; Mike Richards 362; Corinne Ducey and Brenda Dunlap 501; Elene Stovall 142; Andy Ditzler and David Brodeur 396; Kathy Williams 300; Chris Affolter 113; Barbara Swetman 383; G.C. Waldrep 260; Darlene Dalton 448t; Timothy Morton 330b; Nicole Collins 313b; Jonathan Spencer 539; Becky Wright 292; Tim Gregg 91; Jane Cannon and Ian Quinn 478; Jean Seiler 299; David Rosenberg 34b; Carol Huang 434; Robin Banerji 324; Suzanne McFate 86; Jason Steidl 417; Lilly Israel 112; Gwen Gethner 506.

RECESS

Ruth Wampler called the class back into session by leading 393. Leaders: Crispin Youngberg 313t; Lydia Lewallen 283; Tarik Wareh 33t; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 546; Michael Nord 394; Nathan Rees 348b; Rebecca Hawkins 451; Gerry Hoffman 77t; Jasmine Mendoza 268; Kerry Cullinan 372; Ivy Hauser 181; Chris Holley and Kathe Pilibosian 129; Sam Kleinman 399b; Jim Glaser 322; Rachel Hall 328; Hal Kunkel 315; Hollie Long 454; Ian Quinn 371; Elizabeth Patton 76t; Toino Dumas 445; Harry Scott 280; Bob Wheeler 40; Joel Bassett 228.

Molly Sauder led 155 as the closing song. Tarik Wareh dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, January 27

The Sunday session of the Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Molly Sauder leading 569b. Tarik Wareh offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Jeff Shenk 290; Elizabeth Patton 30t; Guy Bankes 556; Joyce Forry 480; Harry Scott 77b; Emily Reed 282; Lamar Matthew 156; Ruth Wampler 279; Sandy Cryder 150; Eli Roberts 168; Hollie Long 159; Tom Stokes 165; Laura Densmore 522.

RECESS

Joel Basset led 103 to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Kathy Carluzzo 448b; Jim Glaser 285t; Claire Simon 358; Barbara Swetman 350; Terry Ryan 532; Becky Wright 125; Charlotte Ehrman 365; Ben Cocchiaro 170; Suzanne McFate 63; Mary Skidmore 51; Evan Landon 457; Erin Kelly 298; Jonathan Spencer 458; Elsa Phemayotin 419; Nathan Aldrich 411; Jasmine Mendoza 142; Ted Stokes 456.

RECESS

Robin Banerji called the class back to order leading 42. Leaders: Gwen Gethner 270; Susan Bingham 340; Mike Richards 196; Nicole Collins 217; Tarik Wareh 511; Dan Coppock 304.

Don Jantzi conducted the sick and shut-in lesson. He spoke about the man by the pool of Bethesda, who had an infirmity for thirty-eight years, and told Jesus he had no one to carry him to the pool for healing. He explained that the sick and shut-in lesson is our way of carrying our friends to the pool. Don read the names of the following sick: Keillor Mose, Edwina Unrath, Ron Bornick, Margaret Bornick, Phil Shapiro, Marion Silton, Sasha Hsuczyk, Marcia Willsie, Lucie Walton, Charlene Wallace, Norma Mincey, Judy Mincey, Susan Slotow, Corrone Bryant, Ruth Ann Bryant, Karen Keller, Ericka Poppell, Peter Golden, Molly Rose Sweetser, Margaret Youngberg, Steve Hoyt, Concetta Branson, Dorothea Maynard, Mel Maynard, Marilyn Murata, Julie Horst, Ryden Nelson, Katherine Reier, Karen Hohenstein, David Swartley, Louise Swartley, Judy Clum, Leonard Spencer, and Rose Gregoire. Don Jantzi led 34t in honor of the sick. He prayed and asked the Lord for healing and strength for those named on the list.

Fred Steinruck spoke about the human enemy of death and that our lives are meant to prove what sort of people we are. He recalled his Father’s passing and the encouragement he gave his family with his final words. He said one moment his father was standing by his bed and the next moment he was standing in heaven. Fred led 231 in memory of the following: Eugene Forbes, Mike Jones, Alex Priskos, Doug Wyers—Alabama; Stacy Phillips—Connecticut; Cathy Ward—Delaware; Margaret Peckman—Florida; Louise Holland—Georgia; Pat Doerfler and Gregory Ketcham—Illinois; Elizabeth Shea—Maine; Anita Belliveau, Francis “Mickey” Culver, and Katherine Glatter—Massachusetts; Loretta Blaul, Tom Cuite, Hal Ehrenfreund, Jean Fleming, Michael Kaye, Laurie Lambie-Wallace, Harry Roy, Mary Ellen Shrock, and Bill Steele—New York; Steve Helwig—Oregon; Mabel Bankes, Virginia Buchmann, John E. Hess, Daryl R. Horst, Eugene H. Horst, Barbara Mastronardi, Larry Nuskey, Sam Slothour, Cora Hertzler Umble, Aspen Wampler, Elvin Weber, and Mildred Gingrich Wert—Pennsylvania; Keith Land—South Carolina; Adelaide Vaughn and Doug Webb—Texas; Don Denette and C.C. McKegny—Vermont; Nicholas Cameron and Tom Siess—Ontario. Tarik Wareh closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Ivy Hauser 277; Robert Stoddard 542; Jane Cannon 548; Chris Holley 278t; Kathy Williams 273; Andy Ditzler 339; Tim Gregg 423; Darlene Dalton 47b; Kerry Cullinan 133; Alice Beattie 410b; Michael Nord 319; Crispin Youngberg 538. Judy Contompasis offered prayer to bless our luncheon meal.

LUNCH

The class was called back for the afternoon session by Rachel Hall and Judy Kaplan leading 39b. Leaders: Jesse Beller 505; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 320; Kyle Johnston 105; Emma Swartz 564; Chris Affolter 192; Nathan Rees 193; Frank Griggs 442; Elene Stovall 436; Ian Quinn 300 (for Paula Picton); Elizabeth Stoddard 422; David Brodeur 225b; Joanne Fuller 400; Laura Hodges 318; Jonathan Smith 126; Em Ekelund 447; Sam Kleinman 202; Judy Contompasis 421; Charles Biada 397; Jean Seiler 106; Gerry Hoffman 68t; Claire Hogan 367; Lydia Lewallen 27.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Ryan Nash leading 128. Leaders: Kay Cramer and Maria Cramer 38t; Toino Dumas 274t; Timothy Morton 269; Katie White 171; Lari Jalbert 313b; Joan Nagy 36b; Matt Roberts 82t; Lilly Israel 155; Rebecca Hawkins 335; Ernest Chamberlain 209; Gina Balestracci 472; Alex Forsyth 336 (for Barrett Patton); Douglas Fower 474; Brenda Dunlap 157; David Rosenberg 52t; Leon Pulsinelle 176b; Brian How 114; Jason Steidl 227; Sue Peters 82b; Alex Forsyth, Rachel Hall, Ted Stokes, and Jerusha Vanderbosch 340; Merv Horst 236; Carol Huang 176t.

The secretary reported that two hundred seven songs were led by one hundred twenty-one leaders from fifteen states, Washington D.C., two provinces in Canada, and Norway. The Resolutions Committee, Chris Holley and Darlene Dalton, expressed gratitude to all who supported this convention, and resolved to meet again next year for the Keystone Convention on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in January, 2020. Molly Sauder, Sarah Sauder, and Jeff Shenk led 62 as the closing song. Tarik Wareh offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Molly Sauder; Vice Chairman—Sarah Sauder; Secretaries—Carolyn Dries and Jeff Shenk