Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The 116th session of the United Sacred Harp Musical Association met at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, on the second Sunday and Saturday before in September. Nathan Rees called the class to order by leading 225t. Jim Neal offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Lela Crowder 479; Phillip Langley 317; Nicholas Thompson 200; David Ivey 214; Jeannette DePoy 36b; Eli Hinton 299; Cindy Tanner 498 (in memory of Harrison Creel); Andy Ditzler 556; Lisa Bennett 426b; Jonathon Smith 150; Lauren Bock 351; Isaac Green 395; Philip Denney 120; Judy Caudle 121; Lottie Hinton 276; Jim Neal 389; Debora Grosse 454; Tom Booth 204; Desmond O’Flynn 178; Lydia Lewallen 482; Rachel Taylor 81t; David Brodeur 404; Barbara Swetman 540.

RECESS

The class was brought back together by Lela Crowder and Phillip Langley leading 30t. Leaders: Oscar McGuire 485; Ann Riley 142; José Camacho 383.

In a business session, the following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Co-chairmen—Lela Crowder and Phillip Langley; Vice Chairman—Malinda Snow; Secretary—Judy Caudle; Chaplain—Jim Neal; Arranging Committee—Cindy Tanner, Anna Hinton, and Nathan Rees; Locating Committee—David Ivey and Jesse P. Karlsberg; Resolutions Committee—Justin Bowen, Erica Hinton, and John O’Flynn; Memorial Committee—Helen Brown, David Wright, and Jeannette DePoy; Finance Committee—Nicholas Thompson, Sasha Hsuczyk, and José Camacho.

Leaders: John Plunkett 388; Wyatt Denney 432; John O’Flynn 29t; Everett Ivey and Kelsey Ivey 153; Kelly Morris 47b; Helen Brown 475; Tim Morton 107; Malinda Snow 217; Jerry Schreiber 198.

RECESS

Malinda Snow led 77b to bring the class together. Leaders: Richard Ivey 311; Sasha Hsuczyk 392; David Wright 336; Reba Windom 182; Jesse P. Karlsberg 396; Taylor Watkins 277; Erica Hinton 39t; Karen Rollins 446; Joel Chan 171; Lori Silva 131t; David Smead 167; Bert Collins 542; Shane Wootten 103; Lucille O’Flynn 108b. Jim Neal asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Justin Bowen leading 350. Leaders: David Jackson 122; Jerusha Wheeler 59; Cody Brown 445; Fred Eady 358; Karen Morris 65; Kelsey Ivey 296; Claire O’Flynn 49t; Jed Silva and Caleb Silva 117; Ted Brown 187; Debra Taube 344; Carla Smith 499; Tony Hammock 148; Larry Ballinger 151; Sandra Wilkinson 46; Ateven Snderson 203; Justin Bowen 442; Louis Hughes 34t; Cornelia van den Doel 335; Celeste Silva 481; Lisa Geist 269; Bob Watkins 480; Charlotte Dennison 457; Scott DePoy 128; Glenda Collins 124; Matt Hinton 138t; Amy Wells 112; Ann Mashchak 551; Dan Edwards 73t; Cheyenne Ivey 222; Dean Jens 539; Elene Stovall 411; Lina Silva 531; Amber Davis 224; Laura Akerman 240; Rachel Speer 51.

Lela Crowder, Phillip Langley, and Malinda Snow led 323t as the closing song. Jim Neal dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, September 8

The Sunday session of the United Sacred Harp Musical Association was called to order at 9:30 a.m. Lela Crowder and Phillip Langley led 34b. Jim Neal offered the morning prayer.

A brief business session was held at this time. Jesse P. Karlsberg presented a motion to reinstate Angela Myers as the Secretary of the United Convention. The motion was seconded, and passed without objection. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Malinda Snow 52t; Judy Caudle 63; Angela Myers 105; Jim Neal 84; Nathan Rees 179; Anna Hinton 383; Jesse P. Karlsberg and Heather Pynne 417; David Ivey 90; Erica Hinton 391; John O’Flynn 176b; David Wright 313t; Lydia Lewallen 202; Helen Brown 492; Nicholas Thompson 192; Jeannette DePoy 274t; Cindy Tanner 436; Pam Nunn 454 (for Rozlyn and Ben Greene); Robert Kelley 283; Maddie Mullaney 193; David Smead 220; Matt Hinton 208; Jamey Wootten 138t; Carolyn Thompson 539; Emily Stutzman and Brian Leanza 421; Richard Ivey and Everett Ivey 546.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Phillip Langley leading 81t. Leaders: Sasha Hsuczyk 424; Everett Ivey 425; Lottie Hinton 277; Daniel Lee 278t; Jonathon Smith 419; Lisa Bennett 567; Dean Jens 174; Tim Morton 175; Ann Riley 318; David Brodeur 352; Celeste Silva 480; Scott DePoy 129 (in memory of his mother); Ateven Snderson 313b.

RECESS

Malinda Snow called the class together by leading 168. Leaders: Ted Brown 338; Laura Frey 358.

David Wright and Helen Brown conducted the memorial lesson. David spoke on behalf of the sick and shut-ins, relating a story about his grandmother. He received a phone call, telling him that she was scheduled for routine tests. He thought he would send a card to cheer her. He put off sending the card for a few days, and she passed away. He still has the card he bought, and he used it today as a visual aid. His message was don’t put it off! He read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Charlene Wallace, Corrone Bryant, Ruth Ann Bryant, Jewel Wootten, Norma Mincey, Judy Mincey, Vicky Langan, Janice (Helen Bryson’s sister in law), Don Bowen, Ottis Sides, Linda Sides, Velton Chafin, Brenda Chafin, Rozlyn Greene, Collin Royster, Sister Pippa, Roy Davis, Coy Ivey, Loyd Ivey, Sonny Erwin, Nate Green, Norma Green, Chris Holley, Wanda Capps, and Ann Jett. He led 35.

Helen Brown spoke in memory of the deceased. She talked of losing pieces of ourselves when loved ones pass over. She spoke of the loom of life, and the beautiful patterns that appear, even though strands are missing. She talked of the memorial lesson as a way of always remembering those who have gone before. She read the following list of names of the deceased: Susan Roberts, Mildred Patterson, Robbie Rivers, Marjorie Driver, Dale Todd, Randal Barley, and Lynda Cole—Georgia; Eugene Forbes, Roy Nelson, Glenda Moon, and Ruth Daniel—Alabama; Martha Bradford—North Carolina; Paul Luther Wilson—Minnesota; Lorraine Miles McFarland—Texas; Concetta Branson—Oregon; Arlene Jens—Iowa; Tom Carter—Maryland; Dick Levine and Marlene Levine—New Jersey; Julie Vea—Wisconsin; Hughes Albanel—France; Ann Joel—United Kingdom; Barbara DeRevil. She led 285t in memory of the deceased. Jeannette DePoy closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Anders Wells 99; Johnathon Kelso and Carolyn Thompson 397; Susan Cherones 349; Jenna Frey 178; Mike Spencer 308; Cathy Bonk 53; Terry Wootten 385b. Jim Neal asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Oscar McGuire led 515 to begin the afternoon session. Leaders: Joel Chan 58; Lauren Bock 212 (for Sharon DuPriest); Rodney Ivey 500; Kelsey Ivey 536; Desmond O’Flynn 183; Jerry Schreiber 384; Cassie Allen 327; Reba Windom 542; Barbara Swetman 484; Elene Stovall 430; Sheri Taylor 209; Carla Smith 218; Lucille O’Flynn and Claire O’Flynn 504; Lori Silva 131t; John Plunkett 297; Andy Ditzler 456; Dan Edwards 312b; David Jackson 499 (for Mom’s and Dad’s birthdays); Cheyenne Ivey 172; Claire O’Flynn and Rachel Speer 159; Jesse Roberts 66; Jerusha Wheeler 551; Laura Akerman 235; Rachel Taylor 56b; Debora Grosse 189; Rachel Speer 541.

A business meeting was held to hear reports from the various committees. The Secretary reported that over the course of two days, one hundred-seven leaders, representing eleven states and three countries, led one hundred sixty-nine songs. Expenses were met, with a positive balance forward to the bank account. The Locating Committee recommended the convention travel to Antioch Baptist Church, Ider, Alabama, for the 2020 meeting. The recommendation was approved. The Resolutions Committee thanked everyone who contributed to the success of the convention including the officers and committees that served for the weekend, those who brought food, contributed financially, and any other area of service provided. The committee also recognized the Sacred Harp Publishing Company’s Sacred Harp Museum and Emory University’s Pitts Theology Library and Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library for the historical display organized by Nathan Rees and Jesse P. Karlsberg spanning approximately two hundred years of tune-books compiled by composers in The Sacred Harp; and the very generous financial contributions made by Emory University’s Department of Music, Pitts Theology Library, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory Center for Digital Scholarship, and Department of History. The business session was closed.

Phillip Langley, Lela Crowder, and Malinda Snow led 62 as the closing song. Jim Neal offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Co-chairmen—Lela Crowder and Phillip Langley; Vice Chairman—Malinda Snow; Secretary—Angela Myers