Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, February 17

The Washington Session of the 31st annual Pacific Northwest Sacred Harp Singing Convention was called to order by David Wright leading 59. Erik Schwab offered the opening prayer. The convention held a business meeting, and the following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Laura McMurray; Rising Chairman—Susan Helf; Treasurer—Karen Willard; Secretary—Peter Schinske; Arranging Committee—Bob Schinske and Ian Suchon; Chaplains—Erik Schwab and Sidra Schkerke; Memorial Committee—Erik Schwab and Bob Schinske. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Karen Willard 42; Peter Schinske 47t; Clarissa Fetrow 30t; Peter Abrahamsen 335; Shannon McGuire 112; Anne Huckins 39t; Jim Friedrich 196; Kate Fine 269; Sidra Schkerke and Erik Schwab 421; Karen Stingle 551; Susan Helf 66; Dorothy Robinson 103; Katie Mahoney 67; Aisha Morgan 56b; Kristofer Ilex 32t.

RECESS

Jennifer Jones called the class to order leading 72b. Leaders: Dami Osoba 372; Wing Mui 300; Kathy Vlach 475; Mryka Hall-Beyer 547; Sofia Shalotenko and David Wright 130; Nadia Bolz-Weber 277; Paul Large Chamberlain 312b; Carrie Walker 61; Nell Whitman 535; Claire Hogan 131t; Mark Godfrey 271t (in memory of Zachary Keebaugh); Susan Fetcho 564 (in memory of David Fetcho); Debbie Pfeiffer and Claire Hogan 479; Jamie Dawson 106; Erik Schwab 168; Kate Coxon 215; David Brodeur 299.

RECESS

Mark Godfrey and Leigh Cooper called the class to order leading 82t. Leaders: John Berendzen 566; June Thomasson 178; Jenna Tompkins 318; Wren Hyde 100; Ian Suchon 186; Patrick Coghlan 492; Betsy Jeronen 426t; Edouard Beaudry 304; Dana Steege-Jackson 162; Corinne Serfass 383; Rebecca Edwards 402; Heather Purdy 204; Andy Ditzler 301. Erik Schwab offered thanks for the meal.

LUNCH

John Berendzen called the class to order leading 159. Leaders: Bob Schinske 142; Rosie Sokolov 384; Leigh Cooper 30b (in memory of Zachary Keebaugh); Jack Lofton 456; Evelyn Lamb 102; Jennifer Jones 436; Julia Zaffarano 440; Kevin Barrans 68b; Stephanie Fida 536; Thom Fahrbach 360; Marla Elliott 236; Douglas Hill 187; Eleanor 457; Karen Willard 574 (CB) (in memory of Tommie Spurlock); David Wright 361; Laura McMurray 345b; Peter Schinske 358; Mark Godfrey 432; David Brodeur 572; Claire Hogan 216; Ian Suchon 245.

RECESS

Edouard Beaudry called the class to order leading 294. Leaders: Thom Fahrbach 327; Paul Martin and Andy Ditzler 411; Julia Zaffarano 379; Jack Lofton 344; Rebecca Edwards 153; Evelyn Lamb 297; Mryka Hall-Beyer 210; Corinne Serfass 285t; Betsy Jeronen 422; Kate Coxon 548; Susan Helf 34b; Dami Osoba 47b; Nadia Bolz-Weber 448t; Spencer Stuart 313b; Andy Ditzler 511. Laura McMurray led 39b as the closing song. Erik Schwab offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, February 18

The Sunday session of the Pacific Northwest Convention was called to order by Laura McMurray leading 49t. Sidra Schkerke offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Peter Schinske 313t; Ian Suchon 405; Erik Schwab 34b; Peter Abrahamsen 268; Jim Friedrich 163b; Anne Huckins 312b; Douglas Hill 32t; Eleanor 155; Susan Helf 112; Dorothy Robinson 429; Edouard Beaudry 183; Kathy Vlach 122; Sofia Shalotenko and Karen Willard 26; Jennifer Jones 101t; Kevin Barrans 373; Rosie Sokolov 283.

RECESS

Dami Osoba called the class to order leading 29t. Leaders: Kate Fortin 203; Jamie Dawson 423; Haley Boschert and Mryka Hall-Beyer 55; Sidra Schkerke 107; Kristofer Ilex 426b; Karen Stingle 455; Jenna Tompkins 532; Adam Morgan Berey 392; Nell Whitman 99; Carrie Walker 290; John Berendzen 550; Julia Zaffarano 500; Leigh Cooper 411; Claire Hogan 125; David Brodeur 434; Wren Hyde 58.

RECESS

Sam Thomas called the class to order leading 114. Leaders: Shannon McGuire 504; Susan Fetcho 460; Mryka Hall-Beyer 352; Patrick Coghlan and Kristofer Ilex 214 (in memory of David Fetcho).

The memorial lesson was conducted by Erik Schwab and Bob Schinske. Erik Schwab led 230 in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Reed Schilbach, Jinx McGuire, Paul McGuire, Darlene Simpson-Brown, Jean Murphy, Bud Murphy, David Fly, Bill Fine, Lu Zeng and family, Linda Berkemeier, Cornelia Stanton, Eric Holt, Patricia Pena, Gaylon Powell, David Schmitt, and Manny Tebora.

Bob Schinske led 39b in honor of the following deceased: Eva Striebeck—Germany; Bruce Hildebrand, Dan Burk—California; Tommie Spurlock, Pearl Guier, Norma Green, and Marlon Wootten—Alabama; Dan Brittain and Lloyd Caldwell—Arkansas; Cherie Welsh, Tom Foster—Washington; Bruce Rowland—Washington and Oregon; Alfred Sausotte, Pete Mathewson, and John van Duzer—Colorado; Mike Greene—Massachusetts; Linda Perry—Ohio; Cheryl Foreman—Texas; Melanie Hauff—Illinois; Karin Wilson and Norman Wilson—Pennsylvania; Thom Harrison, George Burnette, and Philip Denney—Georgia; Dr. Sue Osborne—Virginia; Charlotte Ehrman—New York. Sidra Schkerke offered a prayer to close the memorial lesson.

Leaders: Andy Ditzler 176t; Corinne Serfass 180; Nadia Bolz-Weber 282. Sidra Schkerke offered thanks for the meal.

LUNCH

Claire Hogan called the class to order leading 270. Leaders: Karen Willard 481; David Wright 444 (in memory of Eva Striebeck); Evelyn Lamb 96; Kate Coxon 340; Kate Fine 507; Mark Godfrey 83t; Betsy Jeronen 499; Jack Lofton 442; Stephanie Fida 234; Dami Osoba 506; Thom Fahrbach 201; Laura McMurray 138b; Heather Purdy 528; Sam Thomas 208; Paul Large Chamberlain 254; Bob Schinske 454.

RECESS

Adam Morgan Berey called the class to order leading 66. Leaders: Sara Ng 133; Leland Ross and Wren Hyde 338; Aisha Morgan 87; Susan Fetcho 146; Kit Fugate and Jenna Tompkins 81t; Andy Ditzler 542; Edouard Beaudry 172; Julia Zaffarano 430; Heather Purdy 121; Steven Golob and Andy Ditzler 335; Stephanie Fida 220; Wren Hyde 189; Kate Fortin 383; David Brodeur 560; Mryka Hall-Beyer 497; Kevin Barrans 129.

A business meeting was held to hear committee reports. The treasurer reported that expenses were met through the generosity of attendees and made a motion to remit the Convention’s purse to Pacific Northwest Sacred Harp Singers, Inc. , which was accepted. Anne Huckins, Mryka Hall-Beyer, and Claire Hogan submitted a resolution, which was accepted, thanking the officers, committees, and volunteers, and setting the 2025 Washington Session on the third Sunday and Saturday before in February. The arranging committee announced one hundred ten singers over both days, from two countries, seven states and two Canadian provinces, sang one hundred sixty-eight tunes. The meeting was closed. Announcements were made.

Laura McMurray led 347 as the closing song, while those who wished took the parting hand. Sidra Schkerke offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Laura McMurray; Rising Chairperson—Susan Helf; Treasurer—Karen Willard; Secretary—Peter Schinske