Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The 31st annual session of the Minnesota State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held on-line on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in September, 2020. The meeting was called to order by Cathy Jordan and Tivey leading 34b. The opening prayer was offered by Kevin Bullock.

Leaders: Cathy Jordan 52t; Bill Waddington 99 (called by Don Bowen); Steve Luttinen 56b; Shana Wenger 277; Kate Fine 121; Ginny Landgraf 68t; Pleasance Crawford and Charles Crawford 534; Paul Wyatt 128; Tamara Harris and Michael Shewmaker 171; Jean Zook and Sumie Zook 472; Christine Stevens 477; Valerie Stoehr 163b; Hannah Lutz, Cathy Lutz, and Ron Lutz 441; Barb Patterson and Dick Patterson 82t; Will Fitzgerald 130; Jim Pfau 565.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Kat Kohorst for the following sick and shut-ins: Jack Stringer, Jacob Blake, and in memory of the following deceased: Bill Windom—Alabama; Stephen O’Leary—California; Aubrey Barfield—Florida; Charlene Wallace, Richard DeLong, Ahmaud Arbery, Norma Mincey—Georgia; John Prine—Illinois; Breonna Taylor—Kentucky; Bill Beverly, Julianne Kirkham—Michigan; George Floyd, Marge Grahn-Bowman, Barbara Olsen, Paul Luther Wilson, Sara Graffunder, James Craig Boone, Neil Woodward, Reino Lahti—Minnesota; Dixie Lee Larson, Kenneth Luttinen—Wisconsin. Janell Draper and Kevin Bullock led 154 , and Kevin Bullock closed the lesson with a prayer.

An opportunity for reflections and recollections was introduced by Kim Bahmer-Rada. Tamara Harris introduced a project to remember our recipes for dinner-on-the-grounds while we cannot meet in person. A brief business meeting was held and it was resolved to meet on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in September, 2021, for the 32nd Minnesota State Sacred Harp Singing Convention for which the current co-chairs, Cathy Jordan and Tivey, were nominated to serve in the same capacity. The co-chairs expressed their hope that we can gather together then in person.

Cathy Jordan called the class together by leading 77t. Leaders: Esther Morgan-Ellis 113; Karen Swenson 276; Carol Buche 178; Michael Moore 440; Samuel Sommers 54; Barbara Swetman 312b; Thom Fahrbach 271t.

The recording secretary reported twenty-six songs were led by singers from California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ontario, and Oregon. The co-chairs thanked the Minnesotan singers for their organizational support and the many out-of-town visitors for their encouragement.

Cathy Jordan and Tivey led 347 as the closing song. Kevin Bullock closed with a prayer.

Co-chairpersons—Cathy Jordan and Tivey; Treasurer—Matt Wells; Secretary—Shana Wenger