Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, August 1

The 163rd session of the Chattahoochee Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in August, at Wilson’s Chapel, Cross Plains, Georgia. Sheri Taylor opened the convention by leading 29t and 84. Jesse Roberts offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey and Jenna Frey 358; Lisa Webb 276; Robert Kelley 163t; John Kelso 165; Phillip Langley 172; Donna Duke 142; John Plunkett 492; Charlene Wallace 155; Henry Johnson 398; Judy Chambless 209; Andy Ditzler 329; Jesse Roberts 505; Karen Rollins 446; Samuel Williams 372; Darrell Swarens 36b; Jerusha Wheeler 107; Robert Chambless 77b; Lisa Bennett 30b; David Brodeur 534; Debora Grosse 324; B.M. Smith 350; Richard DeLong 175; Daniel Williams 74t.

RECESS

B.M. Smith called the class to order by leading 101t. Leaders: Aldo Ceresa 548; Michael Thompson 436; Sarah Ward 178; Daniel Lee 565; Joyce Walton 439; Eric Tweedy 327; Jim Neal 77t; Faye Hollis 299; Charles Woods 197; Judy Whiting 472; Tony Hammock 348t; Ellen Culpepper 480; Elijah Hinton 146; Oscar McGuire 573; Nathan Stewart 170; David Smead 169.

RECESS

Aldo Ceresa called the class back to order by leading 82t. The convention went into a business session. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve for the 2015 session: Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke; Chaplains—Jesse Roberts and Aldo Ceresa; Arranging Committee—Robert Kelley and Karen Rollins; Finance Committee—Jenna Frey and Lori Goode; Resolutions Committee—Phillip Denney and Judy Mincey; Memorial Committee—Lisa Bennett and Rebecca Over.

Leaders: Lori Goode 435; Phillip Denney 168; Dick Plunkett 268; Eva Striebeck 311; Judy Mincey 468; Greg Saue 99; Matt Hinton 151; Karen Willard 536; Willis McCumber 377.

LUNCH

Sheri Taylor and Jenna Frey brought the class to order leading 47b. Leaders: Chris Brown 546; Winfred Kerr 282; Rebecca Over 112; Anna Hinton 196; Lucinda Saue 86; Lindy Groening 440; Harry Eskew 49b; Kathy Williams 222; Leanne Carter 448t; J.R. Hardeman 228; Esther Williams 33t; Kris Tweedy 156; Judy Whiting 208; Bob Davis 378b; George Burnette 129; Marilyn Bradley 159; Brad Oglesby 192; Nathan Stewart 528; Willis McCumber 318; Karen Willard 319; Samuel Williams 163t; Greg Saue 523.

RECESS

Leaders: Robert Kelley 303; Eva Striebeck 521; Lucinda Saue 532; Chris Brown 447; Darrell Swarens 198; Rebecca Over 123b; Sarah Ward 504; Lindy Groening 89; Daniel Williams 275t; Jerusha Wheeler 269; Henry Johnson 338; Ellen Culpepper 212; Jesse Roberts 69t; Jenna Frey 408.

Sheri Taylor and Laura Frey led 323t as the closing song. Elder Jesse Roberts offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, August 2

The Sunday session of the Chattahoochee Convention was brought to order by Sheri Taylor leading 503. Aldo Ceresa offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Laura Frey 178; Donna Duke 101t; Daniel Lee 43; Helen Bryson 328; Phillip Denney 535; Jenna Frey 408; Lucinda Saue 40; Judy Chambless 37b; Andy Ditzler 41; Richard DeLong 399b; Scott DePoy 448t; John Kelso 29b; Lauren Bock 212; Oscar McGuire 485; John Plunkett 486; Wyatt Denney and Karis Askin 504; Kathy Williams 506; Karen Willard 326; Robert Chambless 225t; Chris Brown 108b; Fred Eady 413.

RECESS

Leaders: Lisa Webb 155; David Brodeur 353; Dave Hardeman 84; Winfred Kerr 146; Robert Kelley 118; Bill Hollingsworth 56b; Malinda Snow 28b; Aldo Ceresa 411; Matt Hinton and Karen Rollins 365; B.M. Smith 300; Cecil Roberts 312b; Lisa Bennett 393; Mike Spencer 308; Elijah Hinton 82t; Rebecca Over 527; Willis McCumber 27.

RECESS

Leaders: Michael Thompson 283; Earlis McGraw 284.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Lisa Bennett and Rebecca Over. Lisa read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins: Lois Bowman, Barbara Willard, Rodney Willard, Linda Cole, Jimmy Cole, Robert DePoy, Lucy Garner, Louise Holland, Doyle Wilson, Melanie Hauff, Loraine Bayer, Edith Owen, Curtis Owen, John Hopkinson, and Oath Tyler. Lisa led 340.

Rebecca read the following list of names of the deceased: Robert DuPree, Stanly Edwards, Evelyn Harris, Betty Wright—Alabama; Caroline Bonnet—California; Dan Adams—Connecticut; Inez Chandler, Josephine Denney, C.W. Garner, George Garner, Raymond Hamrick, Joyce Harrison, Bonnie Kiddle, Jacob A. Larsen, and Billy Wilson—Georgia; David Rust—Indiana; Cyril Guy—United Kingdom; Kate Davis—Ireland; George Easley—Mississippi; and Kerene Box—Tennessee. Rebecca led 381 in their memory. John Kelso closed the memorial session with prayer.

Leaders: Matt Hinton 309; Greg Saue 147t; Judy Whiting 105.

LUNCH

David Smead led 436 to bring the class back to order. Leaders: Eva Striebeck 441; Jesse Karlsberg 183 (in memory of George Seiler); Lori Goode 345t; Bob Davis 47b; Judy Mincey 279; John Hollingsworth 240; Dick Plunkett 45t; Anna Hinton 564; Charlene Wallace 171; Jeannette DePoy 306; Erica Hinton 492; Gene Duke 345b; Brad Oglesby 39b; Lucinda Saue 143; Chris Brown 273; Dave Farmer 454; Aldo Ceresa 556 (in memory of Jeff Shepperd); Rebecca Over 569t; Willis McCumber 383.

RECESS

Sheri Taylor and Janet Stogner led 203. Leaders: Greg Saue 490; Judy Whiting 176t; Karen Willard 235; Eva Striebeck 83t; Joyce Heath 72b; Jesse Karlsberg 88t; Lori Goode 358; Bill Hollingsworth 186; Winfred Kerr 89; Mike Spencer 420; Robert Kelley 132.

The convention went into a business session. Committee reports were read as follows: Lori Goode, Finance Committee, reported a collection of $557.00. Donna Duke, Secretary, reported there were 68 leaders on Saturday and 58 on Sunday.

The Resolutions Committee gave the following resolution: “We, the members of the 163rd Chattahoochee Convention, do hereby make the following resolutions: We offer thanks to God for his merciful bounties to us, for the gift of these songs and the ability to sing them, bringing joys to our hearts and increasing our love for one another. We are grateful for the Wilson family and their ongoing efforts to preserve and improve this special place we call Wilson’s Chapel. We thank the wonderful cooks for the bounty spread upon the tables for our refreshment and nourishment. We thank the officers who make this convention run so smoothly, the keyers, arrangers and all those willing hands behind the scenes whose hard work goes unnoticed. We rejoice in new friends and old joining voices and hearts in this convention and resolve to carry this joy into the world. May we join in song wherever we may travel introducing as many people as possible to this special music, and the community it creates all around the world. And, we make a special resolve to meet again in this hallowed place on the first Sunday in August and the Saturday before in 2016 for the 164th Chattahoochee Convention.” Respectfully submitted, Judy Mincey and Philip Denney.

A second resolution was added as follows: “Secondly, be it resolved that we the members of the 163rd session of the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Singing Convention commend the members of the Coweta County Sacred Harp Singing Convention on the recent reactivation of their singing at the historic Coweta County Courthouse. We urge active singers and the people of Coweta County to join in supporting this Sacred Harp singing on the fourth Sunday in October, 2016. We recognize that our neighbor, Coweta County, was a great factor in the early decades of the Chattahoochee Sacred Harp Singing Convention, having hosted the singing numerous times in the 19th and 20th centuries. We look forward to helping your county keep this important piece of living history alive with the singing of Sacred Harp music in your beautiful Courthouse.” Motion was made and carried that the reports be accepted as read, and added to the convention’s minutes.

Announcements were made. Sheri Taylor and Jenna Frey led 62 as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by Aldo Ceresa.

Chairman—Sheri Taylor; Vice Chairmen—Laura Frey and Lisa Webb; Secretary—Donna Duke