Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, July 20

The 29th annual Rocky Mountain Convention, Colorado Session, was held on the third Sunday and Saturday before in July at the Highland Recreation Center in Denver, Colorado. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—David Schmitt; Treasurer—Erik Mason; Co-Secretaries—Julia Zaffarano and Brian McKee.

Corrie Van Duzer brought the class to order leading 171. The opening prayer was offered by Jim Brown. Leaders: David Schmitt 276; Erik Mason 350; Gabriel Kyne 187; Sharon Kermiet 84; Bonnie Dolan 33b; Julia Zaffarano 217; Judy Van Duzer 315; Stina Soderling 312b; Ginnie Ely 228; Lizzy Van Blerkom 300; Brian McKee 40; Cathy Van Blerkom 464; Mike Chaffin 122; Stephanie Fida 272; Paul Lindholm 203; Betsy Jeronen 460; Karen Rollins 327; Abbie Sorg 472; Thom Fahrbach 224; Tim Gregg 99.

RECESS

Sharon Kermiet called the class back to order leading 48t. Leaders: Jeff Begley 83b; Virginia Eldridge 61; Micah Bechard 178; David Wright 196; Chris Nicholson 34b; Marie Brandis 204; Leslie Alperin 268; Steve Cackley 498; Claire Singleton 82t; Jan McCulloh 500; Rodman Campbell 488; Tristan Gordon 142; Dave Farmer 267; Amandeep Boyer and Rajbir Athwal 98; Kirk Boyer and Naveen Boyer 448b; John David Thacker 344; Lydia Lewallen 318.

RECESS

Corrie Van Duzer called the class back to order leading 155. Leaders: Sally Gwylan 421; Will Sims 277; Karen Willard 497; Pat Coghlan 444; Evelyn Lamb 446; Mike Hinton 534; Adrian Eldridge 283; Liz Bryant 547; Jeff Begley and Arieta Santinelli 562; Stina Soderling 328; Bonnie Dolan 440; Abbie Sorg 131t; Ginnie Ely 269; Betsy Jeronen 392; Chris Nicholson 212. Jim Brown offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

David Wright called the class back to order leading 87. Leaders: Julia Zaffarano 102; Cathy Van Blerkom 68b; Thom Fahrbach 475 (for brother Dan); Micah Bechard 107; Tim Gregg 540; Erik Mason 381; Marie Brandis 352; Lizzy Van Blerkom and Joel Igli 278t; Karen Rollins 227; David Schmitt, Ken Schmitt, and Kate Schmitt 146; Rodman Campbell 65; Tristan Gordon 88t; Virginia Eldridge 113; Karen Willard 145t (in memory of Barbara Willard); Judy Van Duzer 173; Mike Hinton 456.

RECESS

Stephanie Fida called the class back to order leading 28b. Leaders: Erik Mason 77b; Sally Gwylan 326; David Wright and Meg Wright 282; Lydia Lewallen 30t; John David Thacker 504; Claire Singleton 124; Steve Cackley 279; Corrie Van Duzer and Judy Van Duzer 112; Leslie Alperin 320; Pat Coghlan and Sharon Kermiet 550; Gabriel Kyne 434; Evelyn Lamb 37b; Joel Igli 198; Will Sims 38b; Liz Bryant 542; Adrian Eldridge 564; Tristan Gordon 499. The Chairman made final remarks. Jim Brown offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, July 21

The Sunday session of the Rocky Mountain Convention, Colorado Session was held at the Highland Recreation Center and song selections were from the B.F. White Sacred Harp, Cooper Revision. David Schmitt brought the class to order leading 30t (CB). The opening prayer was offered by Erik Mason. Leaders: Stephanie Fida 67 (CB); Bonnie Dolan 38t (CB); Erik Mason 31b (CB); Lizzy Van Blerkom 163t (CB); Gabriel Kyne 385t (CB); Cathy Van Blerkom 271b (CB); Ginnie Ely 196 (CB); Mike Chaffin 442t (CB); Brian McKee 505 (CB); Tristan Gordon 36b (CB); Paul Lindholm 555 (CB); Betsy Jeronen 46 (CB); Judy Van Duzer 571 (CB); Corrie Van Duzer 518 (CB) (for Pete and Susie Mathewson); Virginia Eldridge 133 (CB); Chris Nicholson 264t (CB); Abbie Sorg 430 (CB).

RECESS

Cathy Van Blerkom brought the class back to order leading 528b (CB). Leaders: Thom Fahrbach 464 (CB); Julia Zaffarano 210 (CB); Tim Gregg 391 (CB); Sally Gwylan 393 (CB); Evelyn Lamb 416t (CB); Leslie Alperin 392 (CB) (for Corinne Serfass); Jeff Begley 54t (CB); Marie Brandis 511t (CB); Liz Bryant 98 (CB); Rodman Campbell 411 (CB); Claire Singleton 270 (CB); Mike Hinton 544 (CB) (for Curtis Owen); Karen Willard 570 (CB); Adrian Eldridge 586 (CB).

RECESS

Mike Chaffin brought the class back to order leading 31t (CB). Leaders: Sharon Kermiet 344 (CB); Steve Cackley 55 (CB); Lydia Lewallen 567 (CB); Karen Rollins 365 (CB).

The memorial lesson was conducted by Corrie Van Duzer and Erik Mason who led 283 (CB) for the following sick and shut-ins: Norma Rupitier, Ed Stevens, Steve Hoyt, Jennifer “JJ” Jones, Charlene Wallace, Curtis Owen, Andrew Fida, Suzanne Zaffarano, Pat Ann Dawson, Pete Mathewson, and Suzie Mathewson.

The memorial list was read and 337 (CB) was led in memory of the following deceased: Rodney Willard and Barbara Willard—Arizona; Patricia Ann Law—Colorado; Eugene Forbes—Alabama; Concetta Branson—Oregon; George Snyder and Susan Roberts—Georgia; Doug Webb—Texas; Barbara Losse and Gary “Doc” Taylor—Utah; Paul Luther Wilson—Minnesota; Michael Kaye—New York; Steve Helwig—Oregon.

Leaders: Chris Nicholson 95b (CB); Tim Gregg 410 (CB); Claire Singleton 40 (CB); Liz Bryant 587 (CB); Leslie Alperin 126 (CB); Ginnie Ely 140 (CB); Thom Fahrbach 590 (CB). Erik Mason offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

David Schmitt called the class back to order leading 288 (CB). Leaders: Brian McKee and Michael Kirk 500 (CB); Julia Zaffarano and Allie Koszewski 543 (CB); Stina Soderling 155 (CB); David Wright and Meg Wright 514 (CB); Gabriel Kyne 575 (CB); Stephanie Fida, Cheryl Waskiewicz, and Elisa Snyder 48b (CB); Virginia Eldridge 287 (CB); Judy Van Duzer 48t (CB); Jeff Begley 156 (CB); Evelyn Lamb 315 (CB); Steve Cackley 583 (CB); Rodman Campbell 273 (CB); Tristan Gordon 522 (CB).

RECESS

Sharon Kermiet called the class back to order leading 465 (CB). Leaders: Erik Mason 49t (CB); Lydia Lewallen 450 (CB); Mike Chaffin and Addi Fyhrie 497 (CB); Mike Hinton 573 (CB); Adrian Eldridge 563 (CB); Karen Willard 380t (CB); Marie Brandis 482 (CB); Abbie Sorg 132 (CB); David Wright 192 (CB).

A business meeting was held to hear committee reports. The Resolutions Committee thanked the officers and all those involved in making singing possible. The Chairman made final remarks. Sharon Kermiet led 527 (CB) as the closing song, offered a closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—David Schmitt; Co-Secretaries—Julia Zaffarano and Brian McKee