Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 3

The 167th session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August at Wilson’s Chapel, Cross Plains, Georgia. The class was called to order by Sheri Taylor, who welcomed everyone, and led 56b and 77t. Eric Tweedy offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey 358, 47b; Donna Duke 32t; Robert Kelley 167; Jenna Frey 192; Helen Bryson 380; David Brodeur 462; Karen Rollins 222; Rebecca Over 347; Eric Tweedy 174; John Plunkett 175; Judy Chambless 517; Carri Grindon 107; Glenda Collins 35; Philip Denney and Gayle Denney 299; David Smead 434.

RECESS

Lisa Webb called the class to order by leading 269. Leaders: Andy Ditzler 97; Oscar McGuire 475; Fred Eady 236; Sharon Strong 522; Winfred Kerr 378t; Richard DeLong 123b; Lisa Bennett 171; Deborah Grosse 108b; Robert Chambless 560; Amber Davis 224; Gene Duke 76b; Faye Hollis 340; Jeremiah Ledbetter 392. Dick Plunkett led the song “Sewell” written for his grandparents (copies were handed out).

RECESS

The convention was called into a business session. The following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve for the 2019 session: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplain—John Plunkett; Arranging Committee—Robert Kelley and Jenna Frey; Finance Committee—Lori Goode and Christian Webb; Resolutions Committee—Lisa Bennett and Oscar McGuire; Memorial Committee—Rebecca Over and Karen Rollins.

Leaders: Christian Webb 87; Nathan Rees 374; Lindy Groening 318; Lucy Grindon 186; Charles Taylor 456; Joyce Heath 556; Anita Landess 77b; Chris Nicholson 212; Meredith Turner 430; Reba Windom 436; Tom Ivey 485; Rachel Hall 329; Jonathon Smith 82b; Hillevi Lasen 312b; Al Grindon 504; Zack Lindahl 31t.

LUNCH

Sheri Taylor brought the class to order leading 442. Leaders: Samuel Williams 163t; Cathy Bonk 30t; Karen Morris 84; Lori Goode 275b; Tim Gregg 73b; Cricket Campbell 388; Kelley Morris 503; Robert Kelley 232; Carri Grindon 203; Rachel Hall 90; Zack Lindahl 189; Charles Taylor 183; Amber Davis 142; Rebecca Over 411; Al Grindon 49b; Anita Landess 379; Lindy Groening 272; Chris Nicholson 34b; Tom Ivey 384; David Smead 454; Tim Gregg 91.

RECESS

Leaders: Jenna Frey 198; Sharon Strong 240; Jeremiah Ledbetter 335; Lisa Bennett 528; Andy Ditzler 179; Dick Plunkett 45t; Samuel Williams 378b; Cathy Bonk 349; Eric Tweedy 200; Faye Hollis 276; David Brodeur 157; John Plunkett 474; Cricket Campbell 144; Oscar McGuire 515. Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, Lisa Webb, and Christian Webb led 323t as the closing song. John Plunkett dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, August 4

The Sunday session of the Chattahoochee Convention was brought to order by Sheri Taylor leading 95 and 155. John Plunkett offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey 46, 163b; Lisa Webb 361, 222; Donna Duke 63; Charles Woods 283, 197; Rebecca Over 271t, 453; Robert Kelley 404, 92; Robert Chambless 452; Karen Rollins 153, 540; Tom Ivey 317, 546; John Plunkett 467, 150; Sharon Strong 148, 352; Winfred Kerr 36b, 225t.

RECESS

Leaders: Jenna Frey 408; Judy Chambless 319, 516; Gary Davis 565, 426t; Philip Denney and Gayle Denney 84, 120; Samuel Williams 551, 160b; Lisa Bennett 176b, 187; Lori Goode 45t, 294.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor called the class to order leading 117. The convention moved to the Memorial Session led by Rebecca Over and Karen Rollins. Rebecca read the following for the sick and shut-ins: Now we pause in our singing to think of those who are sick and unable to be with us today or to attend their own particular favorite singings. And we also think about those who are caring for them. Some on the list will be likely to recover and be singing with us again before too long. It is relatively easy to send cards or emails, telephone or visit when we have that hope. We know what to say. Others on the list today have been sick for a much longer time and we have had to accept that they are unlikely to ever be well enough to attend singings again. This is hard for both us and them. What can we say or do? We can be guided by those caring for them-some may enjoy a visit while others may just be too frail to be up to any of that. For some all we can do is pray for them while we support their caregivers as best we can. However small our contribution might be, we can help to show them that they are indeed surrounded still with God. During one summer visit over here, I heard someone say on the radio or the TV, something which we can all remember: God put a million doors in the world for his love to come through. One of those doors is you. The sick and shut-ins are Velton Chafin, Ottis Sides, Judy Mincey, Denney Rogers, Charlene Wallace, Scott Robinson, and Curtis Owen. Rebecca led 72b for the sick and shut-ins.

Karen Rollins read the list of deceased: Ruth Daniel, Eugene Forbes, Jane Tate—Alabama; Lurie Boyd, Carol Chapman, Katie Keene, Allen Lambert, Mildred Patterson, Susan Roberts—Georgia; Concetta Branson—Oregon; Adelaide Vaughn—Texas. Karen led 340 in memory of the deceased. Philip Denney and Mark Puckett closed the memorial session with prayer.

Leaders: Christian Webb 124, 401; Oscar McGuire 350, 229.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Jenna Frey leading 192. Leaders: Amy Wells 354b, 472; Joseph Silva 332, 115; David Smead 373, 410t; Mark Puckett 35, 560; Anita Landess 29t, 102; Fred Eady 178, 268; Mike Spencer 191, 433; Anders Wells 89, 76b; Celeste Silva 480, 481; Gene Duke 80b, 81t; Dick Plunkett 186, 306; Noelle Silva and Jed Silva 133, 277; Sherrell Cleino 378b, 335; Rebecca Over 159; Robert Kelley 506; Tom Ivey 562.

The convention was motioned into a business session. Lori Goode gave the finance report and thanked everyone for the collection. Lisa Bennett and Oscar McGuire, Resolutions Committee, gave the following resolution: First and foremost, as page 318 starts out, “We thank the Lord of Heaven and Earth” for allowing those of us that attend on a regular basis to return and sing at the 167th session of the Chattahoochee Convention. Just as important we want to especially thank the Lord for first-time visitors and hope and pray, they will make this a yearly tradition. Second, we thank the Wilson family for preserving this building, these grounds, and the vision of their ancestors so that the Chattahoochee Convention always has a home. We also thank everyone who came from near and far to sing or listen, thanks to all that helped provide the delicious food that we all shared and enjoyed. Thanks to the arranging committee, those who helped key the music, and all of the officers and other committee members for their contributions to make this session a success. We hereby resolve, that if it is the Lord’s will, to return and raise our voices high to sing praises to God at the 168th session of the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Singing Convention on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August, 2020. A motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted as read, and added to the convention’s minutes.

Announcements were made. Sheri Taylor, Laura Frey, Lisa Webb, and Jenna Frey led 62 as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by John Plunkett.

Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke