The 34th Annual Kentucky State Sacred Harp Singing (with Southern Harmony)

Pisgah Presbyterian Church
Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky
Saturday, May 16, 2015

The 34th annual Kentucky State Sacred Harp Singing was called to order at 9:10 a.m. by Ron Pen. After making a few announcements, Ron led 73b, Arlington.
The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition and The Southern Harmony, 1854 facsimile, 1987 UofK reprint were used through the day.

Leaders:
63, Coronation - Joy R. Dunn
40, Lenox - Charles Coulston
56b, Villulia - Erin Fulton
146, Hallelujah - Nate Zweig
282, I'm Going Home - Pearl Marshall
   “Charleston” - Randy Webber
82t, Bound For Canaan - Donna Kwon
358, Murillo's Lesson - Mary Brinkman
441, Raymond - Darrell Swarens (in memory of Bob Meek)
344, Rainbow - Tim Morton
32t, Corinth - Johanna Sims.

The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman and Treasurer—Charles H. Coulston; Organizing Committee—Ron Pen, Raphael Finkel, Jim Thobaben, Zach Davis, and Keith MacAdam; Secretary—Mary Brinkman.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Ron Pen leading 455, Soar Away.
Leaders:
47b, Idumea - Gabe Knott and Darrell Swarens
503, Lloyd - Kay Huffman and Tim Morton
551, Jacob's Vision - Debbonnaire Kovacs and Randy Webber
459, Tolling Bell - John McCluskey (for Tanner Jones, who is in Korea)
535, Shawmut - Joy R. Dunn
350, Nativity - Charles Coulston
64, Nashville - Erin Fulton
17t (SoH), Middlebury - Nate Zweig
475, A Thankful Heart - Pearl Marshall
236, Easter Anthem - Randy Webber
481, Novakoski - Charles Coulston (for Donna Kwon)
313b, Cobb - Mary Brinkman
36b, Ninety-Fifth - Darrell Swarens
74b, King of Peace - Tim Morton
175, Highlands of Heaven - Joanna Sims
268, David's Lamentation - Annaliza Cull
480, Redemption - Doug Trent
168, Cowper - Michele Cull
479, Chester - Matt Henson
45t, New Britain - Ron Pen (for Mark Yokum).

Randy Webber conducted the memorial lesson. Randy remarked that we meet people throughout our lives, that they come and go, but that their influence remains with us after they're gone.

Ron Pen commented that Kristen Stauffer Todd had graduated from the doctoral program in Musicology at the University of Kentucky, had grown up in Texas, but moved to Kentucky, and was a member of the Lexington-based Sacred Harp group for a number of years. She ultimately made Oklahoma her home, and lived there until she died in 2014. Ron led 118, Stockwood, in her memory.
Randy Webber led 320, Funeral Anthem, in memory of Kristen, as requested by her husband, Phil Todd.

Ed Walton's mother-in-law, Wilma Lawson of Mississippi, died two days before our annual singing. Ed, a regular singer, could not attend the singing, but had asked Mary Brinkman to lead 524, The Twenty-Third Psalm, in memory of Wilma, and for him, as he and his family dealt with the final trek through the valley of the shadow of death.

Terry White, a regular singer with the Lexington-based group and who had been ill for a long period of time, died the day before the annual singing. Terry was a life-long Kentuckian. Mary Brinkman led 410t, The Dying Californian, in his memory.

Joe Fothergill was memorialized by Michele Cull and Annaliza Cull. Michele mentioned that, among other things, Joe was kind of a background guy but not shy, how much he loved Kentucky and music, and that he had given his shape note books to Annaliza. Joe died in February of 2015, and was from Ohio. Michele and Annaliza led 496, The Rock That is Higher Than I.

Raymond Hamrick, from Georgia, died in 2014 at the age of 99. He was remembered by Darrell Swarens and Mark Yokum. Darrell shared that he first became aware of Raymond in 2005, after which Darrell started singing shape note music in 2006. Darrell and Mark led 503, Lloyd.

Jim Roberts died on May 5, 2015. He was a Kentuckian and had been in the Navy. Bob French led 388, The Happy Sailor, in his memory.

Those remembered from the sick and shut-in list were Lillie Walton, Begi Rechenberg, and Loraine Bayer. That concluded the memorial lesson. Randy Webber offered the lunch blessing.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Pearl Marshall leading 105, Jewett.
Leaders:
322 (SoH), Samanthra - Ron Pen
65, Sweet Prospect - Tim Morton and Joy R. Dunn
276, Bridgewater - Charles Coulston
277, Antioch - Erin Fulton
330 (SoH), ('t'op or 'b'ottom?) - Randy Webber (for Carol Harlin)
24 (SoH), ('t'op or 'b'ottom?) - Nate Zweig
296 (SoH), Newburgh - Randy Webber
147t, Boylston - Mary Brinkman
507, Sermon on the Mount - Darrell Swarens and Annaliza Cull
384, Panting for Heaven - Tim Morton
318, Present Joys - Johanna Sims
155, Northfield - Annaliza Cull and Sophie Hackworth
66, Jordan (First) - Doug Trent
300, Calvary - Michele Cull
178, Africa - Donna Kwon
117, Babylon is Fallen - Debbonnaire Kovacs.

RECESS

Pearl Marshall called the class back together. Announcements were made.
Leaders:
180, Vermont - Bob French
4b (SoH), Hanover - Nate Zweig
448t, Consecration - Ron Pen and Annaliza Cull
198, Green Street - Joy R. Dunn and Darrell Swarens
209, Evening Shade - Charles Coulston
299, New Jerusalem - Erin Fulton
195, Worcester - Randy Webber
159, Wondrous Love - Mary Brinkman
81t, Beach Spring - Darrell Swarens
377, Eternal Praise - Tim Morton
203, Florida - Johanna Sims
163b, China - Michele Cull and Annaliza Cull.

The class sang 267, Parting Friends (First), as the closing song.
All shared the parting hand, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Charles H. Coulston; Secretary—Mary Brinkman.