Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, January 25

The 24th annual Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before at the Bareville Fire Hall, Leola, Pennsylvania. Patti Davis called the class to order by leading 34b. Matt Drumheller offered the opening prayer. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Jeff Shenk; Vice Chairpersons—Emily Raffensberger and Matt Drumheller; Treasurer—Matt Kaufmann; Secretary—Elizabeth Patton.

Leaders: Jeff Shenk 569b; Emily Raffensberger 105; Matt Drumheller 47b; Ruth Wampler Hissong and Dennis Hissong 279; Elizabeth Patton 322; Anna Melton 498; Roger Kurtz 334; Greg Holt 84; Ted Stokes 141; Susan Loucks 68t; Julian Bender 183; Barbara Hohenstein 37b; Keith Fullerton 542; Erika Wilson 564; Kyle Johnston 162; Miriam Delerium 163t; Ina Shea 86 (for Tricia, Keti, and Clara Sensor).

RECESS

Hayden Arp called the class to order leading 82t. Leaders: Leon Pulsinelle and Guy Bankes 344; Ellie Knickman 89; Doron Henkin 192; Nancy Tkacs 99; Brenda Dunlap 328; Joyce Forry 101t; Lamar Matthew 35; Doug Kurtze 362; Katie Browne 290; Rachel Hall 411; James Griffin 49t; Hal Kunkel 304; David Schulman 276; Lindsey Falbo 65; David Brodeur and Gillian Inksetter 171.

RECESS

Kyle Johnston called the class to order leading 38t. Leaders: Matt Kaufmann 452; Ben Zaiger 503; Marlena Ospina 240; Kevin Slaughter 159; Sebastian Beaghen 193; Laura Densmore 384; Gwen Gethner 385t; Sam Dembling 56b; Jocelyn Kurtze 112; Jim Glaser 438; Marie Brandis 446; Eleanor Womack and Michaela Natal 312b; Tarik Wareh 386; Leah Weston 442; Rob Arbelo 383; Jasmine Mendoza 217; Landon Peer 333. Matt Drumheller offered the blessing before lunch.

LUNCH

Hollie Long called the class to order leading 30b. Leaders: Lily Hammond 455; Névé Dumas 81t; Sam Ellenberger 500; Becky Wright 456; Andy Ditzler 550; Anne Evers 197; Penny Henzel Lavine 551; Molly-Claire Gillett and Wendi Shetler 460; Bridge Hill Kennedy 391; Ariana Roberge 203; Esther Morgan-Ellis 198; Indigo Miccichè 300; Nathan Ferguson and Indigo Miccichè 106; Gillian Inksetter 392; Esther Phemayotin 376; Jonathan Kadar-Kallen 513; Rachel Farber 337.

RECESS

Ted Stokes called the class to order leading 495. Leaders: Jason Jack 501; Kobi Bordoley 430; Sam Kleinman and Frank Brito 31t; Charles Biada 545; Michaela Natal 546; Sophie Sokolov 316; Pete Sandeen 178; Corinne Ducey 270; Patti Davis 87; Hayden Arp 336; singers from Georgia and Alabama 196; Montreal singers 38b; Ontario singers 117.

Jeff Shenk, Elizabeth Patton, Emily Raffensberger, and Matt Drumheller led 69t as the closing song. Matt Drumheller dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, January 26

The Sunday session of the Keystone Convention was called to order by Jeff Shenk leading 34b. Leon Pulsinelle offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Elizabeth Patton 360; Leon Pulsinelle 426t; Nancy Tkacs 350; Joyce Forry and Jeff Geib 30t; Kyle Johnston 61; Doron Henkin 179; Barbara Hohenstein 553; Erika Wilson 73b; Hal Kunkel 380; Rachel Hall 60; Jim Glaser 486; Miriam Delerium 76b; Jared Shetler 373; Tom Stokes 441; Molly Sauder 569b; Brenda Dunlap 573.

RECESS

Hayden Arp called the class to order leading 88t. Leaders: Charles Biada 367; Tarik Wareh 388; David Brodeur 466; Laura Densmore 549 (for Bernard Collard, one of the first singers to sing Sacred Harp in the United Kingdom, and who decorated the books), Ted Stokes 214; Emily Raffensberger 168; Susan Loucks 29t; Sam Adioetomo and Hollie Long 171; Jocelyn Kurtze 327; Matthew Kaufmann 406; Keith Fullerton 445; Marlena Ospina 472; Lily Hammond 448t; Sebastian Beaghen 163b.

RECESS

Sophie Sokolov called the class to order leading 144. Sophie Sokolov led 70t in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Bradley Sweek, Dan Phemayotin, Gina Balestracci, Benjamin Graber, Elena Coles, Pleasance Crawford, Tricia Sensor, Jackie Mitchell, Benilda Serrano, Lyn Koehnline, Billy Vaughn-Geib, Debbie Hall, Jim Hall, John Ryden Nelson, Joyce Walton, Cornelia van den Doel, Betsy Lyman and Hannah Kaya.

Scott Robinson conducted the memorial lesson, and led 410t in honor of the following deceased: Henry Guthery, Julia Poston, Earl Ballinger, Tommie Spurlock, Malik Williams, Frank Hill Jr., Ozella Blackmon, and Jack Ivey—Alabama; Jeff Begley, Terry Barber, Susan Fetcho, and Dan Burk—California; Bob Goodman and Martha Ann Stegar—Georgia; Andres Archila and Yuting Chen—Maryland; Greg Raycraft—Michigan; Grace Chappell and Sue King—New Jersey; Suellen Leonard, Norman MacAfee, and Angela Engelson—New York; Katherine Ernst—North Carolina; Tom Tucker, Karen Hohenstein, John Hohenstein, Gilbert Sier, Phyllis Sier, Rita Taylor, Donelle Raffensberger, Evelyn Hissong, Randy Schlegel, Donna Ceschan and Daniel Wert—Pennsylvania; Chloe Webb—Texas; Reed Schilbach—Washington; Norma Geggie and Darryl Ferguson—Quebec; Michael Kennedy—Ireland; Rob Mahoney and Bernard Collard—United Kingdom.

Leaders: Hayden Arp 434; Marie Brandis 150; Penny Henzel Lavine and Liam Myce 535; Leah Weston 318; Jill Clough and Evan Landon 146; Guy Bankes 50t; Rob Arbelo 454; Indigo Miccichè 504; Gwen Gethner 101b; Pete Sandeen 288; Ariane Roberge 378b; Kobi Bordoley 348b. Jim Glaser offered the prayer before lunch.

LUNCH

Erika Wilson called the class back to order by leading 82t. Leaders: Andy Ditzler 263 (for Kevin Kennedy and in memory of Michael Kennedy); Jasmine Mendoza 189; Marie-Claire Gillett 142; Anne Evers 269; Becky Wright 419; Bridge Hill Kennedy 212; Gillian Inksetter 422; Esther Morgan-Ellis 361; Jason Jack 277; Rachel Farber 558; Nathan Ferguson 175; Michaela Natal 314; Sam Ellenberger 381; Kobi Bordoley 348t; Sam Kleinman 475; Corinne Ducey 396; Névé Dumas 400; Elsa Phemayotin 70b.

RECESS

Miriam Delerium and Rachel Rudi called the class back to order by leading 129. Leaders: Matt Drumheller 532; Harry Bernholz 227; Landon Peer 229; Brenda Dunlap and Andy Ditzler 169; Lily Hammond 58; Indigo MIccichè and Liam Myce 313b; Arianna Roberge and Névé Dumas 278t; Bridge Hill Kennedy 110; Gillian Inksetter 527.

Following announcements, Matt Kaufmann, treasurer, reported that all expenses were met. Elizabeth Patton gave the secretary’s report. There were one hundred sixty-one songs led by ninety-two leaders on Saturday and Sunday. There were one hundred thirty-seven singers registered from eleven states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces.

Jeff Shenk, Emily Raffensberger, Matt Drumheller, and Elizabeth Patton led 62 as the closing song. Matt Drumheller offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Jeff Shenk; Vice Chairpersons—Emily Raffensberger and Matt Drumheller; Treasurer—Matt Kaufmann; Secretary—Elizabeth Patton