Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 23

The 60th session of the Georgia State Sacred Harp Convention convened at Alpharetta City Hall in Alpharetta, Georgia, on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in March. Vice Chairman Matt Hinton brought the class to order at 10:00 a.m., stating that Chairman Kathy Williams was sick. Matt welcomed everyone, then led 32t. Eddie Mash offered the morning prayer. Matt Hinton led 36b.

Leaders: Donna Bell 37b; Anna Hinton 155; John Plunkett 492; Phillip Langley 171; Jeannette DePoy 475; Glenda Collins 300 (for her brother, Manious Simmons); Oscar McGuire 34b; Lisa Bennett 138t; Faye Holbrook 67; Isaac Green 476 (for Judy Henry); Peg Faithful 65; Erica Hinton 391; Andy Ditzler 441; Helen Bryson 411 (for her friend, Gail, and Janice Brockland); Jim Neal 477; Bert Collins 335; Amy Wells 546; Bob Hume 276; Shawn Taylor 460; Michael Spencer 420; David Smead 458 (in memory of Dan Brittain).

RECESS

David Smead brought the class to order leading 31b. Leaders: Judy Mincey 320; Bill DuPre 49b; Anders Wells and Helen Wells 128. A business session was held. Vice Chairman Matt Hinton presided. The following officers were elected to serve: Chairman—Matt Hinton; Vice Chairman—Phillip Langley; Secretary/Treasurer—Donna Bell. Anna Hinton was appointed to arrange. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Esther Morgan-Ellis 232 (in memory of John Nutting); Tony Hammock 148; Abigail Cannon 283; John Whittemore 40; David Brodeur 353; Eddie Mash 56b. Matt Hinton announced the committee appointments as follows: Memorial Committee—Prisca Rice; Finance Committee—Isaac Green and Anders Wells; Resolutions Committee—Gillian Inksetter and Jeannette DePoy; Chaplain—Bill DuPre; Arranging Committee—Anna Hinton.

Leaders: Justin Bowen 532; Prisca Rice 115; Pam Nunn 236; Jose Camacho 522. Bill DuPre offered the blessing of the noon meal.

LUNCH

Phillip Langley brought the class back to order by leading 29t. Leaders: Gillian Inksetter 392; Blake Sisemore and Mary Alice Pearson 192; Reba Windom 176b (in memory of Hubert Nall); Jerusha Wheeler 551; Caran Bramlettte 454 (in memory of Elizabeth Carroll); Lela Crowder 224; Bob Hume 209; Laura Ackerman 543; Amy Wells 480; Peg Faithful 38b; Prisca Rice 74b; Eddie Mash 365; Justin Bowen and Reba Windom 434; Abigail Cannon 340; Jose Camacho 200; Anders Wells 99; Gillian Inksetter 500; John Whittemore 47b; Pam Nunn 528; Michael Spencer 191; Matt Hinton and Erica Hinton 284 (in memory of Ted); Bert Collins and Glenda Collins 63; Esther Morgan-Ellis 214 (for Pat Coghlan); Blake Sisemore 208. Announcements were made.

Matt Hinton led 46 as the closing song. Bill DuPre offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, March 24

The Sunday session of the Georgia State Convention was brought to order by Matt Hinton leading 63. Bill DuPre offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Donna Bell 64; Bill DuPre 229; David Brodeur 360; Lela Crowder 77b (in memory of Charlene Wallace); Esther Morgan-Ellis 163t; Oscar McGuire 163b; Jeannette DePoy 89; Blake Sisemore 373; Prisca Rice and John Plunkett 465; Faye Holbrook 542; Andy Ditzler 250; Jim Neal 100; Isaac Green 541; Lisa Bennett and Isaac Green 399t; Abigail Cannon 274t; Lottie Hinton 383; Judy Mincey 474; Peg Faithful 448t.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Phillip Langley leading 144. Leaders: Shawn Taylor 183: Jane Cannon 390; Debora Grosse 236; David Smead 188; Erica Hinton 157.

Prisca Rice conducted the memorial lesson. She read Psalm 16:1-9 from the Bible adding that we need to send cards and remember the sick and shut-ins in prayer, stating that we, ourselves have probably been on this list before. The names of the sick and shut-ins included Joyce Walton, Lucy Garner, Pat Coghlan, Earl Ballinger, Betty Shepherd, Judy Henry, Margaret Keeton, Sophie Sokolov, John Hollingsworth, Elsie Hollingsworth, Bill Hollingsworth, Don Bowen, Rose Watson, Beverly Rollins Thompson, Mike Hinton, Nate Green, Liz Patton, Ed Thacker, and Margaret Thacker. Prisca read Psalm 16: 10-=11. The deceased remembered were Annamarie Schutter—Alaska; Lloyd Caldwell, Mary Ellen Wilkinson, Dan Brittain—Arkansas; Tommie Spurlock, Richard Mauldin, Pearl Guier, Norma Green, Hubert Nall—Alabama; Elizabeth Carroll, Cathy White, Ted Huddleston—Georgia; Dan Burk—California; Charlotte Ehrman—New York; George Reynolds, Scott Swanton, Zoe Clay—North Carolina; and Eva Streibeck—Germany. Prisca led 206. John Plunkett closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Karen Rollins 227; Reba Windom 436; Karen Ivey 422; Jesse P. Karlsberg 316; Lily Hammond 472; Bob Hume 159; Rosie Sokolov 345b; David Ivey 572; Matt Hinton, Kevin Hufford, and Debbie Hufford 203. Oscar McGuire offered the blessing of the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session of singing began with David Ivey leading 111t. Leaders: Lauren Bock 392: Rodney Ivey 317, 45t (by request); Clark Williams 208; Pam Nunn and Reba Windom 362; Nathan Rees 306; Gillian Inksetter 142; Maddy Mullany and Devan Najera 81t; Eddie Mash 556 (in memory of Jeff Sheppard); Cheyenne Ivey 166; Lily Hammond 178; Blake Sisemore and Abigail Cannon 396; Rosie Sokolov 411; Bob Hume 186.

David Ivey and Jesse P. Karlsberg passed around sheet music of two new songs for the class to sing. Lauren Bock asked the class to sing another song as well.

Leaders: Jesse P. Karlsberg 428; Peg Faithful 107; Debora Grosse 532; Clark Williams 301; Esther Morgan-Ellis 269; Jane Cannon 500; Maddy Mullany 402; Karen Rollins and Rodney Ivey 365; Reba Windom and Pam Nunn 216; Anna Hinton and Caleb Hightower 455; Gillian Inksetter 456; Karen Ivey and Jeannette DePoy 74b; John Plunkett 94 (in honor of Rosemund Watson); David Ivey 156.

The convention went into a business session to hear reports from the various committees. The Locating Committee called for a vote which resulted in a decision to hold the 2025 convention at Holly Springs Primitive Baptist Church, in Bremen, Georgia. The Finance Report was given by Donna Bell. The Resolutions Committee submitted their report which expressed appreciation to the singers, the community, Alpharetta City Hall, the officers, and all others who helped with the convention. All reports were approved, and the business session was closed. Announcements were made.

Matt Hinton and Phillip Langley led 32t as the closing. Bill DuPre offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Matt Hinton; Vice Chairman—Phillip Langley; Secretary—Donna Garner Bell