Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The annual Berkshire Foothills Sacred Harp Singing was held at the First United Methodist Church, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday before the second Sunday in November. Holly Laws called the class to order at 10:04 a.m. by leading 34b. Tim Eriksen offered the opening prayer. Song selections were from The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition.

Leaders: Anuhea Sebstad 129; Erin Fulton 42; Sally Langendorf 108t; Becca Hawkins 171; Mark Bedard 131b; Annie Reynolds 76b; George Howe 312b; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 313t; Mary Skidmore 27; John Holbrook 146; Jana Yeaton 95; Tarik Wareh 423; Anna Bowen 318; Joan Nagy 504; Ron Trial, Allison Steel, and Jeremy Galvagni 40 (in honor of Allison’s and Jer’s birthdays); Kit Walsh 163t; Dan Harvester 455.

RECESS

Peter Irvine returned the class to order by leading 59. Leaders: Will Herron 460; Joanne Fuller 142; Myles Louis Dakan 392; Christopher Kain 467; Michaela Natal 485; Joan Frankel 168; Caitlin Elsaesser 68b; Joel Rosen 313b; Kerry Cullinan 378t; Wendy Sibbison 475; Matthew Leger-Small 367; Larry Bingham 89; Sage Chase-Dempsey 102; George Sigut 122; Ru Perry-Mize 481.

RECESS

Elizabeth Stoddard returned the class to order by leading 144. Leaders: Rick Johnston 66; Jocelyn Kurtze 36b; Micah John Walter 345b; Lael Birch 385b; Pattie Wareh 270.

Will Harron spoke in concern of our absent friends. The sick and shut-ins list included Inez Benichasas, Corrone Bryant, Pat Callahan, Marsha Camp, Dan Coppock, Robert Cullen, Gayle Denney, Amy Frankel, Bobby Goodell, Harriet Hart, David Hawkins, Madelyn Herb, Greta Holbrook, Melissa Howrey Fulton, Hannah Parrot, Dan Phemayotin, Perrin Scott, Cate Skidmore, Tom Waggener, and Walter Wojcik.

The memorial list included Malik Williams—Alabama; P. Dan Brittain—Arkansas; Jim Picton—Connecticut; Dale Hanson—Delaware; Beverly Rollins Thompson—Georgia; William Ralph Paris—Kentucky; Ruth Anne Bryant—Maine; Willy Danylieko and Joe Fineman—Massachusetts; Grace Chappel—New Jersey; Don French, Mary French, Norman MacAfee, Chris R., and Holly Ruthberg—New York; Suellen Leonard and Scott Swanton—North Carolina; Tom Tucker and Daniel Wert—Pennsylvania; Chloe Webb—Texas; Bill Fellinger—Vermont; Ray Namie—Virginia; Laura Martin—Washington; Pete Charette and Eloïse Filteau—Quebec, Canada; Michael Ryan, the Netherlands. Will Harron led 452 in honor of these friends. Tim Eriksen offered a prayer.

Leaders: Gwen Gethner 545; Robert Stoddard 400; Laura Hodges 30b; Sue Peters 287; Jeremy Galvagni 74b. John Holbrook said a grace and dismissed the class to dinner.

LUNCH

Sally Langendorf returned the class to order by leading 314. Leaders: Bill Holt 269; Miriam Delerium 271t; Jasmine Mendoza 522; Allison Langston 224; Elizabeth Stoddard 454; Philou 29t; Kate Bergren 542; Diedra Montgomery 196; Matthew Wojcik 383; Marie Brandis 328; névé dumas 58; Anya Skibbie 456; Tim Eriksen 435; Rachel Rudi 368; Guy Bankes 549; Mike Richards 218; Elsa Phemayotin 70b; Jennie Brown 411; Rob Arbelo 425; Owen Stoddard 91; Jean Seiler 217; Peter Irvine 67; Sebastian Beaghan 245; Barbara Swetman 497.

RECESS

Susanna Hoffmann and Becca Hawkins returned the class to order by leading 274t. Leaders: Angela Ruggiero-Corliss 319; Alec Collins 87; Rebecca Rohrer 272; Charles Biada 349; Allison Steel 162; Penny Henzel 83t; Elias Neuman-Donihue 209; Margaret Hughes 126; Gerald Clark 36t; Emmaleigh Winshell and Becky Wright 290; Isabel Linhares 480; Chris Geissler 371; Grant Cook 285b; Linda Shea 49b; Laura Clampitt 570; Michael Nord 49t; Janet Spongberg 565.

A business session was convened, during which reports were requested from the treasurer, secretary, and resolutions committee, along with announcements of upcoming singings. A class of one hundred twenty-five singers, drawn from all the New England states along with Arkansas, Iowa, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Quebec, had led ninety songs.

Holly Laws and Anuhea Sebstad led 282 as the class took the parting hand. Jana Yeaton spoke a final blessing.

Chairperson—Holly Laws; Vice Chairperson—Anuhea Sebstad; Secretary—Erin Fulton