Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, November 26

The 121st meeting of the Alabama Sacred Harp Musical Association (Alabama State Convention) was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in November. The class was called to order by Danny Creel leading 30t. He offered the opening prayer, and then led 155.

Leaders: Mary Amelia Taylor 36b; Cindy Tanner 208; Judy Chambless 222; Linda Sides 81b (for Caroline Wootten); Jeremiah Ledbetter 270; Judy Caudle 437; Tom Booth 441; Jeannette DePoy 460; Tom George 325; David Carlton 421; Reba Windom 318; Daniel Lee 302; Linda Booth 166; Rachel Farber 123t; David Smead 360.

RECESS

Danny Creel led 269 to bring the class together. Leaders: Ann Jett, Wanda Capps, Danny Creel, and Cindy Tanner 298; Jeff James 146; Rodney Ivey and Cassie Allen 411; Emily Stutzman 361; Winfred Kerr 283; Jerusha Wheeler 148; Karen Rollins 143 (for Philip Denney); Bill DuPre 49b; Nathan Rees 444; Oscar McGuire 573; Pam Nunn 528; Glenn Keeton 349.

RECESS

The class was brought back together by Danny Creel leading 498. Leaders: Jim Carnes 436; Sarah George 482 (for Nate and Norma Green); John Plunkett 391; Eli Hinton 299; Jackie Tanner 314; Jonathon Smith 218; Robert Chambless 523; Carl Walls 116.

A business session was held at this time. The following officers and committee members were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Mary Amelia Taylor; Vice Chairman—Cassie Allen; Secretary—Ainslie Allen; Chaplain—Jeff James; Arranging Committee—Cindy Tanner and Sarah George; Memorial Committee—Butch White and Judy Caudle; Resolutions Committee—Ken Tate, Linda Sides, and Tom George; Finance Committee—Rodney Ivey and Pam Nunn; Locating Committee—David Ivey and Danny Creel. The business session was closed after all committee members were approved.

Leaders: David Ivey 394; Erica Hinton 500; Hubert Nall 186; Barrett Patton 556 (in memory of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard); Lisa Bennett 152; Matt Hinton 501; Susan Cherones 564; Butch White 313b; Brenda Chafin 399b; Ken Tate 107. Jeff James asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Mary Amelia Taylor led 76b to begin the afternoon session. Leaders: Ainslie Allen 430; Roma Rice 321; Stanley Smith 151; Louise Yeager 480; Nicholas Thompson and Judy Caudle 149 (in memory of J.L. Hopper); Pamela Minor 59; Cassie Allen 400; Erica Hinton 187; Jeremiah Ledbetter 89; Jim Carnes 440; Jonathon Smith 567; Jeannette DePoy 328; Eli Hinton 455; Emily Stutzman 217; Oscar McGuire and Cassie Allen 485; David Carlton 272; Jerusha Wheeler 182; Matt Hinton 306; Bill DuPre 472; Barrett Patton and Cindy Tanner 220; Ann Jett 327; Linda Booth 454; John Plunkett 312t (for Mary Wright); Buell Cobb 425; Lisa Bennett 77b (for Don Bowen).

Mary Amelia Taylor led 56t as the closing song. Jeff James dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, November 27

The Alabama Sacred Harp Musical Association met again at Union Baptist Church for another day of singing and fellowship. The class was called to order by Mary Amelia Taylor leading 31b. Jeff James offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Mary Amelia Taylor 99; Cassie Allen 42; Jeff James 354b; Judy Caudle and Becky Briggs 61 (for Juanita Beasley); Ainslie Allen 475; Butch White 34b; David Ivey 103; Danny Creel 106; Linda Sides 277; Tom George 381; Ken Tate 147b; Rodney Ivey and Linda Thomas 47t; Pam Nunn and Reba Windom 192; Sarah George 373; Adrian Eldridge 512; Elene Stovall and Reba Windom 411; Glenn Keeton 300; Susan Cherones and Faith Lovejoy 349; Tim Taylor 228; Larry Ballinger 97.

RECESS

Rodney Ivey led 345b to bring the class together. Leaders: Nicholas Thompson 436 (for Ozella Blackmon); Judy Chambless 472; Henry McGuire 92; Karen Rollins 274t; Becky Briggs 336 (for Marlin Beasley); Nathan Rees 91; Karen Ivey 217; Lisa Geist 276 (for Margaret Keeton); Jamey Wootten 503; Winfred Kerr 516; Scott Ivey 162; Robert Chambless 494 (for Philip Denney); Earl Ballinger and Lisa Bennett 498; Lisa Bennett and Winfred Kerr 197 (in memory of Rebecca Over); Drew McGuire 379; Henry Johnson 418.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Adrian Eldridge leading 101t. Leaders: Carl Walls 100; Jackie Tanner 172; Hubert Nall and Rodney Ivey 384; Wanda Capps 546; Rachel Farber 214.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Butch White and Judy Caudle. Butch White spoke about the love of God, and His blessings for His children. Judy Caudle read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Caroline Elizabeth Rose Wootten, Mary Wright, Pat Temple, Philip Denney, Barry Rollins, Juanita Beasley, Cathy White, Henry Guthery, Marlon Wootten, Betty Shepherd, Lucy Heidorn, Julia Poston, Cheyenne Ivey, Betty Baccus, Tommy Spurlock, Charlotte Erhman, Ed Thacker, Margaret Thacker, Don Bowen, Joan Durdin, Mary Ellen Wilkinson, Richard Mauldin, Jerry Kitchens, Ozella Blackmon, Remona Light, Nate Green, Norma Green, and Doug Ivey. Butch and Judy led 86.

Butch White spoke again, reminding all of God’s promise to be with each of us, even in death, and His promise of eternal life. Judy read the following list of names of the deceased (spanning three years since the 2019 convention): Edna Calvert Graves, Tola Sanya, J.L. Hopper, Jerry Capps, Renae Makris, Jayne Fulmer, Coy Ivey, Ruth Greason, Velton Chafin, Joan Aldridge, Bill Windom, Margaret Spurlock, Charles Isbell, Chug Beasley, John Beasley, Mary Ruth Stiefel, Ken Sundberg, Jewel Wootten, and Roy Nelson—Alabama; Virginia Dyer, Richard DeLong, and Charlene Wallace—Georgia; Morgan Freuler and Wendy Morton—Tennessee; Sue Bunch, Chris Briggs, and Karen Matthews—Florida; Ted Mercer—Illinois; Graham DeZarn—Virginia; Sarah Watkins—South Carolina; Landis Powell and Curtis Owen—Texas; Susan Bingham—New Jersey; Ron Bornick and Brenda Peña—New York; Solomon Ossa—Washington; Leonard Spencer—Vermont; Ed Stevens—New Mexico; Bill Dunn—Rhode Island; Jubal Schultz—Missouri; Steve Helwig—Oregon; Rebecca Over—United Kingdom. Butch and Judy led 275b. The memorial service was closed with prayer offered by Butch White.

Leaders: Ann Jett 77t; David Smead 225b; Daniel Lee 489; Cindy Tanner and Adrian Eldridge 198; Reba Windom 216; Linda Thomas 81b; Cindy Tanner and Sarah George 269. Jeff James asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Cassie Allen leading 120. Leaders: Hubert Nall 313t; Karen Ivey and David Ivey 31t; Earl Ballinger and Larry Ballinger 215; Henry McGuire and Drew McGuire 240; David Smead and Lisa Bennett 362; Rachel Farber 558; Brenda Chafin and Wanda Capps 203; Scott Ivey and Jamey Wootten 39t; Judy Chambless and Robert Chambless 122; Lisa Geist and Nicholas Thompson 304; Nathan Rees and Judy Caudle 134; Jeff James and Danny Creel 428; Daniel Lee and Susan Cherones 278t; Tim Taylor and Mary Amelia Taylor 474; Jackie Tanner and Adrian Eldridge 73t; Rodney Ivey and Henry Johnson 45t; Henry Johnson and Cassie Allen 70b; Ann Jett and Ken Tate 37b; Tom George 245; Glenn Keeton and Butch White 547; Elene Stovall, Reba Windom, and Shelby Castillo 542; Linda Sides 564; Sarah George and Pam Nunn 454; Cindy Tanner and Ainslie Allen 460 (for Lucy Heidorn).

A business meeting was held for the purpose of hearing reports. The Resolutions Committee, represented by Tom George, gave the following report: We, the Resolutions Committee, resolve to “…thank the Lord of heaven and earth Who has preserved us from our birth…” for allowing us to resume the meeting of this convention following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. We would like to thank Union Missionary Baptist Church for the use of their excellent facilities. We thank the officers of the convention for all their work in making the weekend a great success. We are appreciative of all who attended and supported the convention. We thank all those who prepared and provided food.

As we remember those of our band who have gone before, we give thanks for the blessed continuity, through many generations, of this tradition. We give thanks for having had the opportunity this weekend to strengthen the ties that bind, while singing praises to our Lord. We give thanks for the many writers of the words and music preserved in the Sacred Harp. We resolve to hold all those who could not attend in prayer.

Finally, we hope to meet again next year on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in November, for the 122nd session of the Alabama Sacred Harp Musical Association. Respectfully submitted, Linda J. Sides, Tom George, Ken Tate

Pam Nunn reported, for the Finance Committee, that expenses were met and thanked the class for generous donations. The Secretary reported that there were eighty-four registrants representing eight states (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina, and Mississippi) and two countries (USA and Canada). The class sang one hundred fifty-four songs over the two days. The Locating Committee recommended that the 2023 session of the Alabama Sacred Harp Musical Association meet at Union Baptist Church, Warrior, Alabama. All reports were accepted, and the business meeting was closed. Announcements were made.

Mary Amelia Taylor and Cassie Allen led 62 as the closing song. Those who wished to do so, took the parting hand. Jeff James dismissed the class with prayer.

Chairman—Mary Amelia Taylor; Vice Chairman—Cassie Allen; Secretary—Ainslie Allen