Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, July 20

The 30th annual Rocky Mountain Convention, Colorado Session was held on the third Sunday and Saturday before in July at the Westminster Grange Hall in Westminster, Colorado. The following officers were elected to serve: Chairman—Julia Zaffarano; Treasurer—Erik Mason; Co-Secretaries—Paul Landskroener and David Schmitt.

The class was called to order by Catherine Van Duzer leading 492. Nadia Bolz-Weber offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Erik Mason 28t; Sam Ellenberger 401; Corrie Skiles 120; Mike Chaffin 48b; Will Sims 313b; Anton Popov 99; Ginnie Ely 228; Nadia Bolz-Weber 203; Paul Landskroener 473; Anita Landess 379; Deb Robson 276; Sandy Hill 475; David Schmitt 171; Cathy Van Blerkom 464; Stephanie Fida with Erin Blakemore 73t.

RECESS

Emma Swartz called the class back to order leading 82t. Leaders: J.R. Hardman 501; Leslie Alperin 320; David Wright 512; Judy Van Duzer 369 (in memory of John Van Duzer); Samuel Cordova and Julia Zaffarano 551; Mitchell Gustin 299; David McPherson 430; Irene Gilb 500; Eric Metzler 133; Claire Singleton 315; Sam Thomas 477; Elise Englert and Irene Gilb 235; Katherine Manning 434; Peggy Morrison 72b; Mia Alvarado 49b.

RECESS

Amandeep Boyer led 81t to bring the class back together. Leaders: Evelyn Lamb 296; Adrian Eldridge and Nadia Bolz-Weber 277; Marie Adams and Bertie Tompkins 455; Pat Coghlan 272; Julie Swarstad Johnson 102; Erik Mason 48t; Bob Schinske 546 (for Sophia Schinske and Logan Thomas); Mark Godfrey 456; Dami Osoba 444; Peter Abrahamsen 122; Janet Plattner 66; Betsy Jeronen 426t; Bertie Tompkins 426b; Tamara Wallace 503. Nadia Bolz-Weber asked a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with David Schmitt leading 30b. Leaders: Brian McKee 474; Julius Pasay 527; Kevin Barrans 112; Thom Fahrbach 502; Chris Noren 263; Andy Ditzler 377; John Wiens 376; Karen Willard 340; David Brodeur 532; Emma Swartz 442; Paul Wyatt 189; Shawn Taylor 269; Miriam Delirium 506; Stina Soderling 31t; Rosie Sokolov 224.

RECESS

Thom Fahrbach led 56t to bring the class back together. Leaders: David Hawes 479; Steve Luttinen 400; Jennifer Jones 564; Elsa Phemayotin 445; Leigh Cooper 283; Dorothy Mitchell 162; Fred Wilkey 332; Ellen Ray 505; Deb Koch 30t; Doe Lowinger 69t; Kim Lusk 282; Kat Kohorst 302; Ivy Hauser 185; Nicole Scott 217; Amandeep Boyer and Kirk Boyer 547; Paul Lilley 565; Clara Garcia-Lehmann and Anders Fahey 288.

Julia Zaffarano led 267 as the closing song. Nadia Bolz-Weber offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, July 21

The Sunday session of the Rocky Mountain Convention, Colorado Session was held at the Westminster Grange Hall. Song selections were from the B.F. White Sacred Harp, Cooper Revision. The class was called to order by Julia Zaffarano leading 30t (CB). Catherine Van Duzer offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Sam Ellenberger 514 (CB); Brian McKee 518 (CB); Mike Chaffin 30b (CB); Will Sims 38b (CB); Judy Van Duzer 380t (CB) (in memory of John Van Duzer); Paul Landskroener 95t (CB); Sharon Kermiet 70t (CB); Erik Mason 96 (CB); Ginnie Ely 196 (CB); Catherine Van Duzer 133 (CB); David Hawes 38t (CB); Anton Popov 348t (CB); Sandy Hill 505 (CB); Corrie Skiles 285t (CB); Bob Schinske 501 (CB).

RECESS

Stina Soderling brought the class back to order leading 504 (CB). Leaders: Leigh Cooper 269 (CB); Anita Landess 137 (CB); Paul Lilley with Mia Alvarado 393 (CB); Doe Lowinger 40 (CB); Ivy Hauser 543 (CB); Deb Robson 31t (CB); Adrian Eldridge 522 (CB); Betsy Jeronen 464 (CB); Ellis Benedyk 126 (CB); Steve Luttinen 273 (CB); Ellen Ray 482 (CB); Tristan Gordon 29b (CB); Erik Mason 68b (CB); Paul Wyatt 229 (CB); Bertie Tompkins 165 (CB).

RECESS

Mark Godfrey brought the class back to order leading 54t (CB). Leaders: Leslie Alperin 91 (CB); David Brodeur 240 (CB).

The memorial lesson was conducted by Catherine Van Duzer and David Schmitt, who led 155 (CB) for the following sick and shut ins: JP Thom-Gronachan, Dan Phemayotin, Brenda Waters, Susan Dray, Stefanie Hailperin, Kelsey Taylor, Mike Hinton, Ted Johnson, Dave Barber, Susan Fetcho, Denise Kania, John Breitsch, Donna Gunderson, Jeff Bell, Ellis Benedyk, Nik Breznick, Mark Wiens, and Michael McKiernan.

The memorial list was read and Catherine Van Duzer led 344 (CB) in memory of the following deceased: Becky Browne—Missouri; Dan Brittain and Lloyd Caldwell—Arkansas; Curtis Cook—Indiana; Laverne Lewis, John Van Duzer, and Alfred Sausotte—Colorado; Eva Striebeck—Germany; Reed Schilbach and Karl Post—Washington; Kiri Parankirinothin and Sasha Lubov—Pennsylvania; Chloe Webb—Texas; Henry Guthery, Earl Ballinger, Tommie Spurlock, Richard Mauldin, and Pearl Guier—Alabama; Martha Ann Stegar—Georgia; Marvin Wayne Gustin, Dan Burk, and Jeff Begley—California; Charlotte Ehrman—New York; Janet Lee Thompson—Oklahoma; Bernice Johnson Reagon—Washington, D.C.; Pastor Sam Butler—Florida/Minnesota; Charlie Seluzicki—Oregon; Anita Saunders—New Mexico; Frank Fraembs—Illinois; Dorothy Landskroener—Ohio; Joyce Luttinen and Harlan Menk—Wisconsin.

Leaders: Rosie Sokolov 138t (CB); Kristofer Ilex 380b (CB). Catherine Van Duzer offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Paul Landskroener called the class back to order leading 441 (CB). Leaders: Eric Metzler 77t (CB); Stina Soderling 421 (CB); Shawn Taylor 217 (CB); Sam Thomas 486 (CB); Katherine Manning 392 (CB); Claire Singleton 300 (CB); Mitchell Gustin 268 (CB); Evelyn Lamb 581 (CB); David McPherson 449 (CB); Irene Gilb 587 (CB); J.R. Hardman 55 (CB); Karen Willard 567 (CB).

RECESS

Amandeep Boyer called the class back to order leading 101t (CB). Leaders: John Wiens 582 (CB); Emma Swartz 210 (CB); Thom Fahrbach 404 (CB); Dami Osoba 375 (CB); Kevin Barrans 373 (CB); Fred Wilkey 293b (CB); Marie Adams with Sharon Kermiet 571 (CB); Chris Noren 199 (CB); Peggy Morrison 283 (CB); Elsa Phemayotin 507b (CB); David Wright 416t (CB); Miriam Delirium 417 (CB); Tamara Wallace 58 (CB); Kat Kohorst 184b (CB); Mark Godfrey 98 (CB); Andy Ditzler 590 (CB).

A business meeting was held to hear reports from various committees. Erik Mason reported for the Finance Committee that all expenses were met. Bertie Tompkins and Thom Fahrbach of the Resolutions Committee read its report: thanking the officers and committee members for their service, thanking the cooks for bringing delicious food, and resolving to meet at the same time next year. Paul Landskroener gave the Secretary’s report stating that eighty-three leaders representing eighteen states and Scotland led one hundred fifty-three songs during the weekend. The meeting was closed. Announcements about singings were made.

Julia Zaffarano led 527 (CB) as the closing song. Catherine Van Duzer offered a closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Julia Zaffarano; Vice Chairman—David Schmitt; Secretaries—Paul Landskroener and David Schmitt