Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, April 2

The fifteenth Potomac River Sacred Harp Convention was held at Pohick Church in Lorton, Virginia on Friday before the first Sunday in April. This portion of the convention is devoted to using songs from other sources, New Traditions Singing. Tom Tucker called the evening session to order leading 55b (EH).

Leaders: Guy Bankes “Lyngham”; Cathy Tucker 92 (EH); Mary Ann Daly “Maryland” (by William Billings); Rosemary Greenaway “Bankes” (by Blake Morris); Aldo Ceresa “The Warning”; Laura Densmore “Minnesota” (by Stanley Smith); Tom Tucker “Conflict.”

RECESS

Rosemary Greenaway called the class back to order leading 47b. Leaders: Tom Tucker “Altamont” (by Gerry Hoffman); Mary Ann Daly “The Soldiers Return” (SoH) (arr. Mary Ann Daly); Cathy Tucker “The Angel’s Song” (R. Lowry); Nick Schliapin “New Vision”, “Life”; Laura Densmore “Nearer My God to Thee” (EH); Aldo Ceresa “Ye Shall See Me” (EH); Steven Sabol “Samanthra”, “Converse” (EH); Kat Kinkade “Comforter” (by Blake Morris).

Tom Tucker led “Our Meeting is Over” as the closing song, and the class was dismissed.

Saturday, April 3

The convention was called to order by Peter Pate leading 37b. Donna Abrahams offered the opening prayer. Peter Pate made welcoming remarks. Rosemary Greenaway led 171; Tom Tucker led 42.

A business meeting was held with the following officers elected or appointed to serve: Chair—Rosemary Greenaway; Secretary—Carly Goss; Treasurer—Frank Evans.

Leaders: Gillie Campbell 178; Steven Sabol 201; Craig Baughan 229; Miriam Kilmer 378b; Gail Doss 302; Carly Goss 142; Liz Cusick 86; Tim Slattery 192; Sandra Hack Polaski 148; Donna Abrahams 200; Jim Wantland 112; Virginia Douglas 49b; Don Polaski 384; Carl Edwards 318; Guy Bankes 474; Frank Evans 66; Marty DeNys 299; Mark Stotler 81t; Connie Stanton 108t; Peter Pate 163b.

RECESS

Rosemary Greenaway brought the class back to order leading 47t. Leaders: Ted Stokes 314; Joni Seidenstein 106; Carolyn Cockroft 38b; Lynda Hambourger 455; Hal Kunkel 179; Erin Kelly 481; Pat Temple 220; Tim Slattery 236 (by request); Tom Gibney 147b; Adrian Mariano 183; Cathy Tucker 385b; Lee Schumacher 40; Henry Bizzell 34b; Adriane Wendell 454; Charlie Pilzer 217; Leslie Alperin 268; Meg Larson 84. Steven Bloyd offered the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Hal Kunkel opened the afternoon session leading 59. Leaders: Bev Oneida 203; Mary Wright 180; Hunter Hale and Suzanne Hale 277; Hannah Polaski 159; Aldo Ceresa 198; Laura Densmore 430; Doron Henkin 282; George Seiler 168; John delRe 300; Peggy Yocom 47b; Mimi Stevens 485; Jean Seiler 315; Kat Kinkade 383.

RECESS

Donna Abrahams called the class back to order with 496. Leaders: Kelly Macklin 139; Fred Beardsley 532; Mary Ann Daly 77t; Phyllis Gonigam 254; Craig Baughan 347; Liz Cusick 504; Don Polaski 477; Connie Stanton 143; Ted Stokes 48t; Lynda Hambourger 453; Sandra Hack Polaski 479; Erin Kelly 107; Tom Gibney 127; Lee Schumacher 27; Doron Henkin 333; Hunter Hale 87; Adriane Wendell 186; John del Re 207; Jim Strube 209; Mimi Stevens 546; Henry Bizzell 524.

Chair Rosemary Greenaway introduced the Pastor of Pohick Church. Announcements were made. Rosemary Greenaway led 503 as the closing song. George Seiler offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, April 4

The Sunday session of the convention was held at The Grange in Great Falls, Virginia. The class was called to order by Chair Rosemary Greenaway leading 31b, followed by a welcome to singers. George Seiler offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Adrian Mariano 29t; Hal Kunkel 236; Kat Kinkade 428; Clare Chapin 86; Bev Oneida 213t; Laura Densmore 76b; Cathy Tucker 144; Doron Henkin 179; Charlie Pilzer 49t; Miriam Kilmer 163b; Aldo Ceresa 203; Joni Seidenstein 344; Ted Stokes 65; Rosemary Greenaway 480; Guy Bankes 556; Jean Seiler 273; Genevieve Demos 114; Joan Robertson 31t; Pat Temple 335; Steven Sabol 245; Gillie Campbell 345b; Connie Stanton 171; Rosemary Greenaway 74b.

RECESS

Genevieve Demos and Owen Kelley brought the class back to order with 457. Leaders: Tom Gibney 501; Carly Goss 445; George Seiler 68b; Meg Larson 350; John delRe 129; Mary Ann Daly 442; Leslie Alperin 228; Tim Slattery 385b.

Tom Tucker conducted the memorial lesson, and offered a reminder to keep in our thoughts those singers and friends who are not able to be with us due to sickness or the need to care for those that are sick, and to remember also those who have died in the past year. Laura Densmore read the list of the deceased and led 547 in their memory.

Tom Tucker read the list of sick and shut-ins and led 330b in their honor. George Seiler closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Kelly Macklin 69t; Virginia Douglas 155; Frank Evans 284. Guy Bankes offered the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Meg Larson led 38b to call the class back to order. Leaders: Mary Wright 428; Adrian Mariano 419; Nick Schliapin 229; Virginia Douglas 49b; Mimi Stevens 128; Phyllis Gonigam 455; Hal Kunkel 310; Anne Broome 270; Bev Oneida 351; Laura Densmore 542; Doron Henkin 224; Charlie Pilzer 182; Guy Bankes 45t; Jean Seiler 472; Pat Temple 189; Connie Stanton 448b; George Seiler 473; Leslie Alperin 178; Kelly Macklin 377; Ted Stokes and Oliver Stokes 117; Carly Goss 448t.

RECESS

The class resumed singing with Tom Tucker leading 30b. Leaders: Frank Evans 200; John Daniel delRe 313b; Susan Brock and Aldo Ceresa 183; Cyann Zoller 312b; John delRe 162; Ray Milefsky and Aldo Ceresa 268; Mary Ann Daly 288; Steven Sabol 324; Genevieve Demos 277; Cathy Tucker 510; Joni Seidenstein 56b; Clare Chapin 276; Rosemary Greenaway 59.

A business session was held for the purpose of hearing reports from committees.

The Secretary reported that over the two days, there were 62 leaders and 148 songs sung.

The Treasurer reported that all expenses had been met. The Resolutions Committee offered thanks to the many diligent workers who made light of the multitude of tasks necessary to the smooth running of the singing.

The class took the “Parting Hand,” and was dismissed with a closing prayer.

Chair—Rosemary Greenaway; Secretary—Carly Goss.