Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The 29th annual session of the Swarens Memorial Higher Ground Singing met at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in March. The class was called to order by Sarah Ward leading 59. Sarah Lynne Gershon offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Thomas Smith 40; Sarah Lynne Gershon 217; Shannon Tibbs 163b; Andrew Shaffer 122; Aaron Jones 87; William McNiece 515; Shannon Tibbs and Rob Tibbs 117; Beth Garfinkel 333; Carolyn Craig 479; Sarah Ward and St. Paul Singers 159; Keith Seidel 426t; Geo Colvard and Sarah Lynne Gershon 504; Samuel Sommers 534; Tim Morton 442; Samantha Foster 38t; Ray Rechenberg 285t; Anthony D’Agostino 282; Sarah Ward 142.

RECESS

Leaders: Thomas Smith 276; Jim Herr 475; Wendy Wahn 372; Adrian Eldridge 208; Ginny Landgraf 197; Tom Morton 503; Beth Todd 89; Jim Helke 390; Clara Herr 84; Tim Gregg 420t (ShH); Bertha Buttner 30t.

The memorial lesson was conducted by William McNiece and Sarah Lynne Gershon. William spoke of Darrell Swarens. William read the following list of names of sick and shut-ins: Pamela Smith, Joe Todd, Karen Frank, Ed Walton, Steve Duff, Sue Duff, Mike Hinton, Janet Fraembs, Gary Gronau, and Brenda Wales. Sarah Lynne Gershon offered a remembrance of Curtis Cook, a recently deceased singer and friend of many. She read the following list of names of the deceased: Curtis Cook, Dorothy Hall, and Mildred Eardene West—Indiana; Estella Leopold—Washington; Ken McKenzie—Connecticut; Prudy Duff and Connie Crabtree—Ohio; Melanie Hauff and Frank Fraembs—Illinois; P. Dan Brittain—Arkansas; Becky Browne—Missouri; Capt. Adam Kendall Hilkert—South Carolina and Indiana. Prayer was offered by Sarah Lynne Gershon, and then she closed the memorial lesson by leading 86.

Jonathon Smith 30b; Janice Harrell 198; Sarah Ward 268; Shannon Tibbs 178; Aaron Jones 186; Thomas Smith 49t. Announcements were made. Andrew Shaffer offered prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Sarah Ward leading 171 (ShH). Leaders: Andrew Shaffer 242 (ShH); Rachael Bayler and Sarah Lynne Gershon 148; Matthias Murphy 35; Spencer Domer and Thomas Smith 38b; Tom Morton 496; Geo Colvard and Sarah Lynne Gershon 313b; Jim Hoerr 546; Carolyn Craig 287; Chris Giden 68b; Tim Morton 180 (ShH); Samuel Sommers 431 (ShH); Sarah Ward 403b (ShH); Keith Seidel 264b (ShH);

The generous support of the singing was recognized which was sufficient to meet all expenses. A portion of the donations will be given to help support the travel expenses of the St. Paul’s choir pilgrimage to Ely Cathedral to sing later in the year. The Swarens Memorial Higher Ground Singing will be at St. Paul’s for the next three years.

Leaders: Sarah Lynne Gershon 27 (ShH); Samantha Foster 146.

RECESS

Leaders: Thomas Smith 168; Clara Herr 157; Jim Helke 507; Tim Gregg 266 (ShH); BeBe Buttner 480; Jonathon Smith 131b; William McNiece 229; Ginny Landgraf 370 (ShH); Wendy Wahn 448t; John Morriberon 140b (ShH); Beth Todd 501; Janice Harrel 63; Adrian Eldridge 505; Thomas Smith 89t (ShH); Sarah Lynne Gershon 108 (ShH); Mathias Murphy 455; Thomas Smith, Pat Reeves, and Ben Easley 48b; Carolyn Craig 373. Announcements were made including that the 2025 Swarens Memorial Higher Ground Singing will be at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis on Saturday, March 22nd. Jessica Richardson Smith was recognized and thanked for her organization of the lunch.

Jim Herr offered the closing prayer. Sarah Ward led 62 as the closing song and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Sarah Ward; Secretary—William McNiece