Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The seventieth session of the annual Chesnut Grove Sacred Harp Singing was held on the second Sunday in October. The singing was called to order by Co-Chairman Terry Wootten leading song on page 36b. Co-Chairmen Terry Wootten and Chris Carroll led songs on pages 37b and 101t. Pastor Ralph Heard welcomed the congregation and led the morning prayer. Terry Wootten and Chris Carroll led songs on pages 32t and 136 (for Winnie Blevins). Leaders: Billy Thompson 448b, 535; Mark Brown 330t; Tyler Wilks 65; Myra Dalton 145b; David Killingsworth 38b, 73b; Rodney Ivey 47t, 186; Shawn Carroll 28b, 108t; Clyde O’Dell 147b, 398 (Cooper Revision).

RECESS

Singing resumed with Chris Carroll leading song on 48t. Leaders: Rex Wilks 68b, 30t; Lamar Smith 76b, 343b; Darlene Dalton 147t, 454; Henry Johnson 72b, 388; Charlotte Heard 163t; Christy Blevins 49b; Marty Wootten 503; Coy Ivey 358; Erika Mitchell and Vickie Mitchell 87, 354b; Floyd Peters 82t; Dewayne Wootten 99, 126; Steven Killingsworth 299, 47b. Phillip Wootten asked the noon blessing for lunch.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called together with Steve Schmidgall leading songs on 313b, 45t, and 547. Leaders: Tony Shrader 29t; Jenny Wootten 128; Phil Summerlin 97; Jeffrey Wootten 176t, 441; Stuart Ivey 300, 182; Richard Ivey 306, 58; Allison Ivey 405, 134; David Ballinger 59, 111b; Charles Stiefel 448t; Brenda Carroll 313t, 384; David and Karen Ivey 475, 120 in memory of Billy Beaty; Phillip Wootten 106; Marlon Wootten 171; Levon Wootten 335; Joyce Walton 139; Shane Wootten 159; Mark Brown “Beulah Land” by request; Chris Carroll and Terry Wootten led “Not Made With Hands” and “Love at Home”. Billy Thompson and Shawn Carroll were selected as Co-Chairmen for the 1997 session. Terry Wootten and Chris Carroll led “Where the Soul Never Dies” as the closing song. The singing was dismissed with prayer by Pastor Ralph Heard.

Co-Chairmen, Chris Carroll and Terry Wootten; Secretary, Charlotte Heard.