Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, May 25

Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford opened the Saturday session of the 34th meeting of the Midwest Convention at Pulaski Park Fieldhouse by leading 34b. Jim Swanson offered the invocation.

Leaders: Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford 49b; Rochelle Lodder 22b (ShH); Steve Warner 283 (in honor of Don Bowen); John Seaton 47t; Lyda Jackson 277; Matthew Siefert 216; Jim Swanson 418b (ShH); Susie Kauffman 312b; Shana Wenger 170 (ShH); Jerry Gripshover 538; Lisa Grayson 140b (ShH); Randy Neufeld 146 (ShH).

A business meeting was convened to elect the following officers: Chairmen—Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford; Secretary—Rochelle Lodder.

RECESS

Debbie Barford called the class to order leading 171. Leaders: Susan Geil 264b (ShH); Nora Miller 422 (ShH); Erik Schwab 50t; Cecelia Kramer 444; Michael Darby 392; Gerald Shoultz 320; Grace Patterson 278t; Peter Bradley 169; Christine Stevens 551; Michael Magree 178; Mark Dawson 496; Ginny Landgraf 423 (ShH); Hans Guttmann 37b; Michael Mosley 550; Sheila Patterson 404t (ShH) (in memory of John and Loraine Bayer). Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford announced the appointed officers and committees.

RECESS

Mary Rogel called the class to order leading 36b. Leaders: Barb Patterson 69 (ShH); Bob Borcherding 122; Jael Roy and Em Ekelund 171 (ShH); Jeanette Nelson 475; Wren Hyde 101t; Lari Jalbert 83t; Steve Schmidgall 477; Shawn Fenton 474; Sigrid Patterson 65; Anne Missavage 217; Hannah Lutz 168; Amritpal Singh and Evelyn Lamb 112; Paul Wyatt 266 (ShH). Jim Swanson offered grace before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford leading 128. Leaders: Dave Ressler 278 (ShH); Ted Johnson 142; AnnaLeigh Smith 36 (ShH); Jacob Kiakahi 80 (ShH); Marcia Johnson 348b (in memory of E.C. Bowen on his birthday); Michael Hinton 534; Dick Patterson 417 (ShH); Mary Rose O’Leary 378b; Cathy Lutz 432; Presley Barker 310 (ShH); John delRe 227 (ShH); Kevin Kennedy 573; Evelyn Lamb 214; Ted Mercer 297 (ShH); Karen Isbell 384 (for Coy Ivey and Melanie Hauff); Laura Ann Russell 428; Barbara Chopin 209; Laura Mae Noble 31t; Jonathon Smith 226 (ShH).

RECESS

Rochelle Lodder called the class to order leading 35. Leaders: Myles Louis Dakan 429 (ShH); Ann Heider 236; John Bealle 442; Joel Menk 86 (ShH). Steve Warner spoke on behalf of the Finance Committee and led 40. Leaders: Marian Mitchell 86 (for her sister, Peggy Redman); Tim Morton 145 (ShH); Ben Cocchiaro 408b (ShH); John Wiens 100; Noah Feeman and Jacob Kiakahi 84; Fred Wilkey 99; Em Ekelund 375; Evan Druce 315; Paul Foster 163t; Myles Alexander 328; Eileen Ferguson 344; Jeanine Oakes Dougherty 159; Dave Barford 260b (ShH). Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford led 347 as the closing song, and Steven Schmidgall dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 26

Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford opened the Sunday session at the Irish American Heritage Center by leading 1b (ShH). Evelyn Lamb offered the invocation.

Leaders: Jerry Gripshover 497; Cecelia Kramer 157; Michael Mosley 340; John Seaton 63; Christine Stevens 254 (ShH); Paul Foster 158b (ShH); Marian Mitchell 528; Ben Cocchiaro 78 (ShH); Peter Bradley 556; Randy Neufeld 242 (ShH); Steven Schmidgall 338 (ShH); Hugh Thomas 264b (ShH); Jeanette Nelson 455.

RECESS

Debbie Barford called the class to order leading 344. Leaders: Erik Schwab 336; Shana Wenger 72b; Sigrid Patterson 284; John Bealle 200; Em Ekelund 382; Bill Beverly 191; Megan Dunning 159; Hans Guttmann 448b; Lisa Grayson 364b (ShH); Myles Louis Dakan 243 (ShH); Hanna Brolander 200 (ShH); Fred Wilkey 474; Jacob Kiakahi 165 (ShH); John Wiens 403 (ShH); Susan Geil 369; Amritpal Singh and Dick Patterson 363 (ShH).

RECESS

Michael Mosley called the class to order leading 97. Leaders: Paul Wyatt 464; Debbie Barford 304; Lari Jalbert 372; Steve Warner 86; Jim Swanson 186 (ShH).

Mary Rose O’Leary spoke on behalf of the sick and shut-ins, reminding us to hold them in our hearts and in our songs, and to help them in their journey. She led 547 on behalf of the following: Melanie Hauff, Christina Martin, Auralia Spann, Norman Ginsberg, Peggy Redman, Judy Mincey, Norma Mincey, Charlene Wallace, Cain Cook, Richard DeLong, Kathy Williams, Gary Gronau, Darlene Simpson-Brown, Tibby O’Leary, Stephen O’Leary, Len VanderJagt, Lloyd Winter, Donna Gunderson Rogers, Jeff Bell, Rozlyn Green, Paul Foster, Eileen Buchanan, Helen Thomas, Nico Billeam, Patrick Brady, Jenna Roy, and Leah Roy.

Lisa Grayson gave the memorial lesson. She reminded us that although the names are no longer read after a year has passed, we still remember them and keep them in a private memorial list in our hearts. She led 366 (ShH) in memory of the following deceased: Michael Appert, Julius Belser, Patrick McConville, Roger laRue, Evan Stone, Nancy Noble, Donald Noble, Fr. James Dunkerly, Ted Leeb, Judy Bertacchi, Patricia Venckus, and Anjie Holtzman—Illinois; Concetta Branson—Oregon; Elizabeth Rechenberg and Judith McDowell—Ohio; Jim Darby—Oklahoma; Mel Rosenbaum, Adelaide Vaughn, and Doug Webb—Texas; Michael Kaye, Miriam Strassberg, and Mary Ellen Schrock—New York; Barbara Losse and Gary “Doc” Taylor—Utah; Paul Wilson and Barbara Schmidgall—Minnesota; Alva Weinstein Lane—California; Barbara Willard and Rodney Willard—Arizona; Eugene Forbes, Glenda Hopper, Mike Jones, and Willodean Barton—Alabama; Cathy Barton Para—Missouri; Sharon Keele—Wisconsin; Gladys Corzine and Freddie Briggs—Florida; Dina Brazil—North Carolina; Susan Roberts—Georgia; Gord Ekelund and Patrick Colby—Canada; Nigel Thomas—United Kingdom. She closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Rochelle Lodder 162 (ShH) (in memory of Michael Appert); Mary Rogel 260t (ShH); Ginny Landgraf 390 (ShH). Sally Youngquist offered grace before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford leading 276. Leaders: Evelyn Lamb 160 (ShH); Kevin Kennedy 558; Jan Ketelle 296 (ShH); Nora Miller 154 (ShH); Michael Hinton 340; Anne Missavage 362; Shawn Fenton 543; Martha Beverly 377; Cathy Lutz 368; Mary Rose O’Leary and Ted Johnson 485; Judy Hauff, Ted Mercer, and Mary Rose O’Leary 384 (ShH); Dick Patterson and Grace Patterson 12t (ShH); Marcia Johnson 440; John delRe 137 (ShH); AnnaLeigh Smith 450 (ShH); Dave Ressler 298; Steve Warner 312b; Ben Zucker 323b; Anne Heider 424b (ShH).

RECESS

Matthew Siefert called the class to order leading 105. Leaders: Sue Kessell 365; Bob Borcherding 176b; Barb Patterson 179 (ShH); Dan Nickel 442; Ted Johnson 504; Laura Ann Russell 198; Cathryn Bearov 270 (for Len VanderJagt); June Murphy 146; Wren Hyde 500; Noah Feeman and Jacob Kiakahi 113; Joel Menk 205 (ShH); Beverley Rose Enright 441; Megan Jennings 436; Ted Mercer 236 (ShH).

Reports were presented. The Finance Committee reported that all expenses had been met. John delRe presented resolutions thanking the pitchers, chaplains, officers, those who take care of the social media and database, Megan Dunning for coordinating housing, and Michael Mosley for coordinating drinks. Kris Richardson was especially acknowledged for twenty years of hosting the social.

Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford led 62 as the closing song, and those who wished took the parting hand. Jim Swanson offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairmen—Eileen Ferguson and Dave Barford; Secretary—Rochelle Lodder