Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, February 15

The Washington Session of the 32nd annual Pacific Northwest Sacred Harp Singing Convention was held on the third weekend in February. The class was called to order by Laura McMurray leading 34b. Rosie Sokolov offered the opening prayer. The convention held a business meeting, and the following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairperson—Ian Suchon; Vice Chairperson—Pippa Stoddard; Treasurers—Jenna Tompkins and David Wright; Secretary—Peter Schinske; Arranging Committee—Laura McMurray and Bob Schinske; Chaplains—Rosie Sokolov and Karen Willard; Memorial Committee—Susan Helf and Jack Lofton. The business session was closed.

Leaders: Ian Suchon 58; Susan Helf 47t; Bob Schinske 89; Jinx McGuire 479; Karen Willard 373 (for Ken Hallock); Corinne Serfass 536; Kevin Barrans 209; Kathy Vlach 171; Peter Schinske 40; Greg Saue 99; Rosie Sokolov 138b; Fred Wilkey 474; Evelyn Lamb 312t; Sara Ng 122; Spencer Stuart 74b; Robert Stoddard 85.

RECESS

Peter Abrahamsen called the class to order leading 68b. Leaders: Pippa Stoddard 114; Paul Chamberlain 569b; Mullen 183; Shannon McGuire 358; Patrick Coghlan 214; Dorothy Mitchell 492; June Thomasson 106; Jamie Dawson 428; Anne Huckins 107; Marla Elliott 547; David Wright 165; Carolyn Deacy 430; Lucinda Larsen Saue 178; Jonas Powell 112; Kristofer Ilex 460; Edouard Beaudry 504; Tamara Wallace 56b; Joseph Coghlan 494.

RECESS

Leigh Cooper called the class to order leading 56t. Leaders: Wren Hyde 401; Doug Hill 285t; Claire Hogan 77t; Mark Godfrey 74t; Midge Harder 73t; Ian Suchon 379; Elizabeth Stoddard 422; Erik Schwab 400; Jenna Tompkins 486; Myles Alexander 143; Mryka Hall-Beyer 454; Leigh Cooper 338; Lindy Groening 545; Thom Fahrbach 530; Ruth Linehan and Guinevere Saenger 466; Betsy Jeronen 560; Nancy Novotny 500; Jack Lofton 328; Jamie Dawson 376; Laura McMurray 295. Rosie Sokolov offered a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Claire Hogan called the class to order leading 445. Leaders: Kristofer Ilex 542; Jack Lofton 269; Jonas Powell 440; Rebecca Edwards 441; Fred Wilkey 501; Kate Coxon 411; Jenna Tompkins 532; Myles Alexander 146; Lindy Groening 306; Mryka Hall-Beyer 277; Evelyn Lamb 396; Wren Hyde 375; Mark Godfrey 196; Erik Schwab 368; Kevin Barrans 271b; Leigh Cooper 176b; Spencer Stuart 317; Carolyn Deacy 456; Edouard Beaudry 218; Robert Stoddard 349; Elizabeth Stoddard 546; Betsy Jeronen 426t; Katie Mahoney 195.

RECESS

Thom Fahrbach called the class to order leading 230. Leaders: Rosie Sokolov 60; Claire Hogan 65; Noah Brubaker and Paul Chamberlain 159; Susan Helf 312b; Midge Harder 556; Patrick Coghlan 272; Nancy Novotny 481; Peter Schinske 27; Thom Fahrbach 505; Karen Willard 485; Ruth Linehan 384; Bob Schinske 39b; Marla Elliott 383; Dorothy Mitchell 480; Lucinda Larsen Saue 503; Pippa Stoddard 36b; Anne Huckins 472; Shannon McGuire 142; Paul Chamberlain 280; Joseph Coghlan 49t; David Wright 71. Announcements were made.

Ian Suchon led 499 as the closing song. Rosie Sokolov offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, February 16

The Sunday session of the Pacific Northwest Convention was called to order by Ian Suchon leading 48t. Karen Willard offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Rosie Sokolov 138t; Peter Schinske 52t; Jamie Dawson 39t; Greg Saue 38b; Carolyn Deacy 464; Myles Alexander 27; Kim Lusk 55; Joseph Coghlan 49b; Kathy Vlach 475; Sara Ng 159; Thom Fahrbach 283; Midge Harder 42; Tamara Wallace 335; Shannon McGuire 110; Emma Swartz 114; Doug Hill 482; Karen Willard 497.

RECESS

Jennifer Jones called the class to order leading 82t. Leaders: Mark Godfrey 57; Spencer Stuart 111b; Lucinda Larsen Saue 344; Deb Koch 423; Peter Abrahamsen 278t; Katie Mahoney 460; Jonas Powell 163t; Betsy Jeronen 436; David Wright 380; Dorothy Mitchell 540; Elizabeth Stoddard 173; Corinne Serfass 421; Kevin Barrans 168; Erik Schwab 553; Kristofer Ilex 426b; Wren Hyde 270; Paul Chamberlain 538; Ruth Linehan 229; Edouard Beaudry 185; Rebecca Edwards 527.

RECESS

Mark Godfrey called the class to order leading 32t. Leaders: Bob Schinske 498; Laura McMurray 564; Nancy Novotny 296; Jenna Tompkins 38t; Patrick Coghlan 492; Lindy Groening 215; Pippa Stoddard 399b; Fred Wilkey 29b.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Susan Helf and Jack Lofton. Susan Helf led 547 in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Darlene Simpson-Brown, Ken Hallock, Anne Marie Berggren, Werner Kist, Leah Coffin, Darrell Parker, Ernestine Parker, Lois Lee Ramsey, Ginny Landgraf, Marcia Cutler, Kate Fortin, Marianne May-Causey, Elizabeth Arginteneau, Kathleen Johnson, Charlie Schkerke, Juliet Schwab, Ron Coxon, Dan Phemayotin, Mark Ledbetter, Bobbie Goodell, and Lu Zeng.

Jack Lofton led 176t in honor of the following deceased: Jabarra Edwards and Charles “Bud” Murphy—Oregon; Corrone Bryant and Ruth Anne Bryant—Maine; Heidrun Schmiederer—Germany; Danny Griffin and Beverly Rollins Thompson—Georgia; Susan Fetcho, Jeff Begley, and Terry Barber—California; Chloe Webb—Texas; Betty Pendrack and Alisa Duc—Pennsylvania; Mary DeLong, Betsy Brown, Susan Willanger Cady, and Reed Schilbach—Washington; Steve Biggs—United Kingdom; Jeff Bell—Minnesota. Karen Willard offered a prayer to close the memorial lesson.

Leaders: Jennifer Jones 499; Leigh Cooper 35; Claire Hogan 79; June Thomasson 312b; Robert Stoddard 228. Karen Willard offered a blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Evelyn Lamb called the class to order leading 105. Leaders: Ian Suchon 567; Mryka Hall-Beyer 290; Kate Coxon 383; Peter Schinske 302; Mark Godfrey 197; Rosie Sokolov 414; Emma Swartz 272; Lindy Groening 286; Thom Fahrbach 263; Evelyn Lamb 157; Mullen 203; Jack Lofton 528; Anne Huckins 455; Jonas Powell 155; Erik Schwab 193; David Wright 30t; Leland Ross and Paul Chamberlain 232; Elizabeth Riggs and Susan Helf 479; Carolyn Deacy 91; Ruth Linehan 166; Midge Harder 163b; Edouard Beaudry 304.

RECESS

Robert Stoddard called the class to order leading 87. Leaders: Bob Schinske 491; Rebecca Edwards 534; Myles Alexander 548; Elizabeth Stoddard 266; Jamie Dawson 506; Fred Wilkey 515; Elliot Kraber and Erik Schwab 268; Corinne Serfass 108b; Jennifer Jones 430; Spencer Stuart 445; Susan Helf 61; Wren Hyde 513; Tamara Wallace 276; Betsy Jeronen 225t; Kathy Vlach 415; Karen Willard 33b; Evelyn Lamb 102; Claire Hogan 125; Robert Stoddard 70b.

A business meeting was held to hear committee reports. The treasurers reported that expenses were met through the generosity of attendees, and a motion was accepted to remit the Convention’s purse to Pacific Northwest Sacred Harp Singers, Inc. Elizabeth Stoddard and Erik Schwab submitted a resolution, which was accepted, thanking the officers, committees, volunteers, and setting the 2026 Washington Session on the third Sunday and Saturday before in February. The secretary announced one hundred four singers over both days, from two countries, eight states, and two Canadian provinces, singing two hundred and three tunes. The meeting was closed. Announcements were made.

Ian Suchon and Pippa Stoddard led 39b as the closing song, while those who wished took the parting hand. Karen Willard offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Ian Suchon; Vice Chairperson—Pippa Stoddard; Treasurers—Jenna Tompkins and David Wright; Secretary—Peter Schinske