Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, October 29

The first day of the 14th annual London Double All-Day met at Highgate United Reformed Church on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in October. The class was called to order by Constance Des Marais leading 40. Joe Jones offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Stacy Hackner 430; Rowan Simms 101t; Amy Cutts 46; Joe Jones 73b; Mary Hodgkins 178; Pete Eiseman-Renyard 47t; Johannes Sauer 421; Mary Greer 34b; Maggie Eiseman-Renyard 72b; Susanne Rolli 68b; David Black and James Roche 452; Rosa Price 111b; Emily Spademan 162; Jacqui Knowles 48t; Seth Dickens 122; James Roche 287.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Robin Bisson leading 50t. Leaders: Tom Sprackland 203; Emily Dzuganova and James Roche 277; Anne Altringham 37b; Phil Price 66; Jacoba Bruneel 173; Harry Baulcombe and Joe Jones 171; Richard Mayers 311; Mie Othelie Berg 439; Bridget McVennon-Morgan 410b; Claire Sabel and Constance Des Marais 148; Jan Geerts 26; Martel Reynolds and Tea Kew 142; Anne Kelly and James Roche 445; Robin Bisson 168; Greg Carson 547; William Cleary 426b; Samuel Turner 283.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Joe Jones leading 350. Leaders: Fiona Byrne 48b; Emma Rock 125; Margaret Bradshaw 212; Althea Willette 179; Ryan O’Riordan and Rowan Simms 28t; Al Williams 77t (for Teresa Maguire).

Richard Mayers spoke about the function of prayer and read the following names from the sick and housebound list: Stephanie Ramamurphy, Ram Ramamurphy, Teresa Maguire, Dave Thorpe, Nigel Bowley, Brenda Harvey, Cath Tyler, Steven Black, Susanna Martin, Claribel McVennon, Louise Holden, Rob Mahoney, Mike Cooper, and Holly Copeland. He led 50b for them.

Stacy Hackner spoke about the uniqueness of grief and read the following names of the deceased from the memorial list: Pauline Williams, Pentti Järvinen, Pat Eastwell, Allen Renyard, Billy Boland, Nan Alexander, David Davies, Graham DeZarn, Teresa Cavallar, Charlotte Walker, Donald Walker, Rebecca Over, Harriet Conklin, Cindy Dymond, Kerah Tsosie, Martin Williams, Rüdiger Forster, and Ted Mercer. She led 457 for them.

Leaders: Samuel Turner 471; Sam Carter 460; Derek Buckland 429; Michael Walker 369; Chris Affolter 353; Matthew Parkinson 441; Inga Buckland 335; Caro Stamm-Reusch 112; Leilai Immel-Parkinson 81t; Katie Ahern 528 (for Amanda Parkes and Kevin Kennedy); Jessica Beer 422; Constance Des Marais 113. Grace for lunch was offered in English and Hebrew by Stacy Hackner.

LUNCH

The class was brought back to order by Stacy Hackner and James Roche leading 217. Leaders: Seth Dickens 198; Katie Ahern 538; Inga Buckland 326; Nick Hall 187; Michael Walker 475; Caro Stamm-Reusch 189; Matthew Parkinson 234; Rachel Jordan 546; Jan Geerts 245; Leilai Immel-Parkinson 472; Chris Affolter 434; Jessica Beer 400; Derek Buckland 131t; Jacoba Bruneel 522; Al Williams 183; Anne Altringham 290; William Cleary 349; Robin Bisson 569b.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Phil Price leading 63. Leaders: Emily Spademan 384; Machna Nowak 268; Hyke Sakaras 551; Nick Hall 455; Oskar Kvasnes 378t; Emma Rock 564; Tom Sprackland 396; Rachel Jordan 500; Martel Reynolds 300; Bridget McVennon-Morgan 196; Mary Greer 496. Announcements and thank yous were made. Joe Jones informed the class that eighty-eight songs were sung by seventy-two singers from nine countries—counting the represented home nations of England, Scotland, and Wales separately. Constance Des Marais led 323t as the closing song. Mary Hodgkins offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Constance Des Marais; Vice Chairman—Joe Jones; Arranging Committee and Secretary—Rowan Simms

Sunday, October 30

The second day of the 14th annual London Double All-Day was held in the afternoon of the fourth Sunday in October at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill. The book was the 2012 edition of The Christian Harmony. Constance Des Marais called the class to order with 26b (CH).

Leaders: Joe Jones 32b (CH); Michael Walker 455b (CH); Caro Stamm-Reusch 205 (CH); Emily Spademan 226t (CH); James Roche 171 (CH); Ewa Lichnerowicz 145b (CH); Ian Lamb 146b (CH); Oskar Kvasnes 41t (CH); Jacoba Bruneel 1 (CH); Matthew Parkinson 12 (CH); Leilai Immel-Parkinson 261t (CH); Rowan Simms 163t (CH); Katie Ahern 16 (CH); Maggie Eiseman-Renyard and Rowan Simms 303 (CH); Amy Cutts 299 (CH); Joss Tait 339 (CH); Chris Cotter 317 (CH); William Cleary 432t (CH); Greg Carson 346 (CH); Johannes Sauer 117 (CH); Pete Eiseman-Renyard 335 (CH); Derek Buckland 184 (CH); Richard Mayers 8 (CH); Amy England and Michael Walker 3 (CH); Marjorie Brown 64 (CH); Anne Altringham 261b (CH); Diane Heywood 109 (CH) (for Teresa and Dave Maguire); Jan Lawrence 58b (CH).

LUNCH

The class was called back to order by Stacy Hackner leading 359 (CH). Leaders: Susanne Rolli and James Roche 360 (CH); Bridget McVennon-Morgan 411 (CH); Jan Geerts 410t (CH); Seth Dickens 546b (CH); Rosa Price 143 (CH); Sam Carter 111b (CH); Machna Nowak 208b (CH); James Roche and Seth Dickens 77 (CH); Rowan Simms 316 (CH); Michael Walker 275 (CH); Greg Carson 55b (CH); Caro Stamm-Reusch 13 (CH); Emily Spademan 42 (CH); Johannes Sauer and Hyke Sakaras 91 (CH); Stacy Hackner 245 (CH); Jacoba Bruneel 548 (CH); Joe Jones 492b (CH); William Cleary 544 (CH).

New announcements were made, and a special thank you to the work of our kitchen and refreshments crew: Machna Nowak, Hyke Sakaras, and Johannes Sauer, who worked incredibly hard all weekend. We also thanked the Reverend Prebendary Marjorie Brown for allowing us to use the church and congratulated her on her upcoming retirement in January, 2023.

Constance Des Marais led 203 (CH) as the closing song. James Roche offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Constance Des Marais; Vice Chairman—Joe Jones; Secretary—Constance Des Marais