Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 14

The 27th session of the United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention was held at The Trinity Centre, Bristol, United Kingdom, on the third Sunday and Saturday before in September. Kate Kirwan and Samantha Cole called the class to order leading 171. The opening prayer was offered by Steve Brett.

Leaders: Steve Brett 82t; Mandy Rose 276; Helen Brown 492; Joe Vickers 166; Clara Potter-Sweet 30b; Barry Parsons 266; Lilith Wozniak 124; Bridgett McVennon-Morgan 27; Ted Brown 81t; Joyce Smith 176b; Sarah West 212; Jeremy Donaldson 168; Al Williams 51; Sonia Nayar 142; Michael Stone 535; Greg Carson and Mariapas Candeiros-Carson 178; Sophie Phipson 159; Margaret Bradshaw 43; Kostas Mavreas 29t; Jill Thompson 504; Ian Lamb 48b.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Jessica Beer leading 335. Leaders: Rachel Jordan 344; Leilai Immel-Parkinson 72b; Eimear Maguire 217; Iain Paxon 183; Brenda Bowley 101b; Richard Mayers 528; Jo-anne Carlyle 163t; Joe Jones 369; Susanne Rolli 475; Pete Eiseman-Renyard 162; Sophie Lockhart 370; Steve Fletcher 77t; William Cleary 222; Emma Rock 551; Maggie Eiseman-Renyard 121; Chal Zon 143; Laurie Burk 163b. Chris Coombs offered grace before the midday meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Matthew Parkinson leading 73t. Leaders: Jacoba Bruneel 430; Kerry Cullinan 269; Amanda Parkes 218; Andy Ditzler 270; Allison Steel 542; Caro Stamm-Reusch 500; Matthew Siefert 501; Katie Ahern 532; Carolyn Deacy 208; Chris Affolter 434; Petra Ertl 377; Paul Zaba 272; Sinead Hanrahan 215; Chris Phillips 350; Betsy Jeronen 436; Mike Morrisroe 214; Nadia Bolz-Weber 384; David Brodeur 228; Camilla Marie Widholm 196; Dami Osoba 444; Inga Buckland 437; Thom Fahrbach 348b.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Samuel Turner leading 100. Leaders: Derek Buckland 122; Eloise Clark 505; Stacy Hackner 53; Marielle Minutella 306; Michael Walker 170; Fiona Byrne 474; Joan Nagy 56b; Marcos Sullivan 480; Aislinn Ahern 454; Melanie Tönnies 200; Mary Jane Wilkie 99; Oskar Kvasnes 101t; Robin Bisson 280; Jacqui Knowles 361; John Beale 365; Ailish McMahon 74t; Anne Altringham 37b; Chris Coombs 314; Erin Johnson-Williams 273; Edwin Macadam 352; Calum Parker 383.

Kate Kirwan led 472 as the closing song. Sophie Phipson offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, September 15

The Sunday session of the United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Samantha Cole leading 59. Jacoba Bruneel offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Samuel Turner 77t; Steve Brett 56t; Teresa Maguire 67; Grace Scrimgeour 33b; Joe Jones 523; Harry Byford 547; Hannah Land 203; Ian West 182; Tom Sprackland 112; Emily Verrier 319; Rowan Simms 491; Jan Geerts 110; Eimear O’Donovan 68b; Nick Hall 448t; Joe Jones 113; Ella Cumber 222; Lucy Atkinson 209; Arthur Swindells 404; Phil Tyler 69b.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Sarah West leading 106. Leaders: Chloë Somers 277; Seth Dickens 236; Emily Bador and Paul Zaba 418; Morgan Kist 339; Sheila Girling Macadam 564; Christopher Tedd 300; Marielle Minutella 66; Ed Johnson-Williams 539.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Seth Dickens and Jessica Beer. Seth spoke about the importance of community, and how small acts of kindness and being remembered can lift the spirits of people who are unwell. The following names were called out for the sick and housebound: Phil Owen, Cath Saunt, Cäcilia Mann, Werner Kist, Cath Tyler, Helen Bushell, Mary Jo Clogg, Louise Bendle, Clive Woolf, David Elliott, Marsha Camp, Dave Earl, Rob Mahoney, Ben Campbell, Emma W., Suzanne Miller, Coronne Bryant, Derek Burgess, Daniel Oldham, Emily Geourghiu, Dominik Fraune, Larry Hanrahan, Virginia Hanrahan, and Ben Walsh. Seth Dickens led 275t.

Jessica Beer spoke on how love and grief are interconnected, and how we can actively support bereaved people in our community. The names of the following deceased were read out: Jean Kay—Manchester; Charles Wordingham—Norfolk; Chris Sugden—Norfolk; Anne Bird—Norfolk; Janet Purdy—Cornwall; Summer York—Bristol; Baby Cumber-Campbell—Bristol; Berta Garrett—Bristol; Colin Crawford—Harwich and Tring; Keith Scott—Topsham; Doreen Carlyle—St Annes-on-Sea; Ram Ramamurthy—London; John White—London; John Foreman—London; Raymi Willka and Saldana Rojas—London; Frank Carson—London; Zareer Masani—London; Gregory Marsh—London; Emily Webster—Cambridge; Phil Cole—Hampshire; Brian Parkinson—Norwich; Derek Paton-Williams—Lymm, Cheshire; Dennis Lanfear—Stubbington; Robert Laycock—Derby; Mike Mussell—Brighton; Judith Snelling—Dorking; Linda Smith—Kent; Carole Baldie—Pulborough; Barbara Nicholson—West Chiltington; Deborah Roberts—Brighton; Breda and Brian Morrisroe—Cork, Ireland; Eilish Withers—Cork, Ireland; Jim Thornhill—Cork, Ireland; Eileen McCollum—Crosshaven, Ireland; Caroline Lucy McCann—Dublin, Ireland; Uschi Nolte—Bremen, Germany; Stefan Dutt—Saarbrücken, Germany; Eva Striebeck—Bremen, Germany; Thomas Wunderlin—Reiden, Switzerland; Hugue—Normandy, France; Tim Knights—Glasgow; Peter Polish—Carmarthen, Wales; Greg Levin—Melbourne; Richard Mauldin—Alabama, USA; Earl Ballinger—Alabama, USA; Henry Guthery—Alabama, USA; Melanie Hauff—Illinois, USA; P. Dan Brittain—Arkansas, USA; Chloe Webb—Texas, USA; Elrick Elias—Texas, USA; Beverly Rollins Thompson—Georgia, USA; Phillip Reeves—Georgia, USA; Jeff Begley—California, USA; Susan Fetcho—California, USA; Dan Burk—California, USA; Ruth Bryant—Maine/Florida, USA; Pat Presnell—Tennessee, USA; Bill Fellinger—Vermont, USA; Heather Wood—New York, USA; Gráinne O’Flynn—New York, USA; Merv—New York, USA. Jessica Beer led 400 and Ted Brown closed the lesson with a prayer.

Leaders: Allison Steel 499; Matthew Parkinson 30b. Karen Turner offered grace before the lunch.

LUNCH

The afternoon session began with Helen Brown leading 445. Leaders: Sam Carter 506; Claire Welford 240; Laurie Burk 347; Nadia Bolz-Weber 313b; Michael Walker 447; Melanie Tönnies 155; Ailish McMahon 500; Eloise Clark 217; Joan Nagy 36b; Marcos Sullivan 149; Carolyn Deacy 142; Matthew Siefert 368; Mary Jane Wilkie 348t; Oskar Kvasnes 151; Edwin Macadam and Sheila Girling Macadam 534; Aislinn Ahern 333; Calum Parker 198; Thom Fahrbach and Betsy Jeronen 225t; Karen Turner 189; Andy Ditzler and David Brodeur 513.

RECESS

The class was called back by Sam Carter leading 421. Leaders: Mick Verrier 312b; Hilary Prosser and Joe Vickers 481; Greg Carson 276; Ben Kulvidit 38b; Dami Osoba 260; Chris Phillips 425; Kerry Cullinan and Mandy Rose 70t; Chris Affolter and Camilla Marie Widholm 328; Petra Ertl and Caro Stamm Reusch 440; Anne Altringham, Margaret Bradshaw, Jan Geert, and Eimear Maguire 546; Katie Ahern, Amanda Parkes, and Sinead Hanrahan 426b; Hannah Land 32t; Derek Buckland and Inga Buckland 379; Allison Steel 345b; Ed Johnson-Williams and Erin Johnson-Williams 406; Nick Hall and Rachel Jordan 187; Steve Fletcher 148; Barry Parsons 150.

Samantha Cole asked for committee reports and notices from the class. Samuel Turner reported that one hundred and fifty-nine songs were sung over the weekend by one hundred and eighty-eight registered attendees, one hundred and fifteen of whom were leaders. Twelve countries were represented including: England, Ireland, USA, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Japan, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Norway, and The Netherlands. Seven US states were represented including: California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Oregon, and Vermont. Joe Jones gave the Treasurer’s report stating that all expenses had been met.

Samantha Cole and Kate Kirwan thanked everyone involved with the convention and led 521. Steve Brett offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Co-Chairpersons—Samantha Cole and Kate Kirwan; Secretary—Samuel Turner