The 40th Kentucky State Sacred Harp Singing (with Southern Harmony)

Pisgah Presbyterian Church
Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky
Saturday, May 14, 2022

Following opening remarks from morning convener Ron Pen, Jim Thobaben marked the beginning of the singing with prayer. The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition and The Southern Harmony, 1854 facsimile, 1987 UofK reprint were used throughout the day.

73b (SH), Arlington - Ron Pen
128 (SH), The Promised Land - Jim Thobaben and Randy Webber
503 (SH), Lloyd - Tom Morton
68b (SH), Ortonville - Tim Gregg
277 (SH), Antioch - Donna Bing and Randy Webber
299 (SH), New Jerusalem - Fr. Joseph, of Holy Cross Monastery, Wayne, West Virginia
306 (SH), Oxford - Tim Gregg and Fr. Serge, of Holy Cross Monastery, Wayne, West Virginia
322 (SoH), Samanthra - Randy Webber
236 (SH), Easter Anthem - Bill Hayes and Tim Morton
479 (SH), Chester - Alana Boltz
100 (SH), The Bower of Prayer - Erin Fulton
66 (SH), Jordan (First) - Rafi Finkel
178 (SH), Africa - Kathy Sweeton and Ron Pen
47t (SH), Primrose - Donna Kwon
47b (SH), Idumea - Josh Stoll
148 (SH), Jefferson - Laura Lee Earles

RECESS

312b (SH), Restoration (First) - Judy Taylor
32t (SH), Corinth - Tim Morton
209 (SH), Evening Shade - Susan Liddle
535 (SH), Shawmut - Josiah Robinson
455 (SH), Soar Away - Ron Pen
38b (SH), Windham - Jim Thobaben and Rafi Finkel
496 (SH), The Rock That is Higher Than I - Tom Morton; Ron Pen remarked on the dearness of this song to the late Bob Meek
108b (SH), The Traveler - Tim Gregg
452 (SH), Martin - Randy Webber
189 (SH), Montgomery - Fr. Joseph, of Holy Cross Monastery, Wayne, West Virginia
310 (SoH), The Shepherd's Star - Fr. Serge and Fr. Joseph, of Holy Cross Monastery, Wayne, West Virginia
16 (SoH), Star in the East - Randy Webber
551 (SH), Jacob's Vision - Bill Hayes
81t (SH), Beach Spring - Alana Boltz
313b (SH), Cobb - Mary Brinkman
454 (SH), The Better Land - Pearl Marshall
92t (SoH), Fiducia - Erin Fulton
159b (SoH), New Haven - Rafi Finkel
268 (SH), David's Lamentation - Kathy Sweeton and Ron Pen

RECESS

Randy Webber organized a memorial session, including leading 86 (SH), Poland, for the following sick and shut-ins: Ed Walton, Jesse Vear, Katy Morton, John Bruce Stephenson II, and Regina Dongell.

Individual memorial lessons were then led by those close to the deceased. Since Michele Cull could not attend the singing, Randy Webber led 71 (SH), Leander, for Michele's cousin Traci Focke.
Traci was from Ohio and had died in April from an aggressive cancer.

Ron Pen memorialized his ex-wife, Helen “Hooey” Pen, who had died on June 27, 2021. Hooey and Ron shared many adventures, and had a daughter, Robin. Hooey was not a natural singer—as a student at St. Timothy's boarding school, she was a member of the Cacophonies singing group—but she loved to sing. She was not attracted to shape note singing initially, but she was most supportive of Ron's participation and eventually began attending singings just so they could share the experience together. Hooey assisted with many facets of Sacred Harp singing with Ron, including getting him a dolly for moving loaner books one Father's Day to make the task much easier. She sang, but never led; she always wanted to sit next to a strong tenor singer. Ron then thanked the members of our singing group who had traveled to Saint Hubert's Episcopal Church in Clark County last August in order to sing as part of her celebration of life. Ron Pen led 118 (SH), Stockwood, a favorite song of Hooey's.

Ron Pen then shared some reflections on the life of Cari Norris. Cari Anna Norris was born in Lexington, Kentucky on June 26, 1970 and died in Louisville, Kentucky, April 12, 2022. Cari graduated from Jessamine County High School, attended Earlham College, and then achieved a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Louisville. She spent many years teaching art in the Louisville public school system and concluded her teaching career as a grades specialty teacher at the innovative Waldorf School where she taught music and dulcimer ensembles. She sang shape notes with Ron at Appalachian Family Folk Gathering at the Hindman Settlement School. She was not a regular Sacred Harp singer, but she loved the tunes deeply and recorded them on various albums over the years. Ron Pen led 90 (SoH), Garden Hymn, in memory of Cari.

Brian Clinkenbeard made comments about his father, Jerome Clinkenbeard, an Illinoisan who died in January of prostate cancer at the age of 69. Brian Clinkenbeard led 47b (SH), Idumea, for Jerome.

Tim Morton memorialized Coy Ivey of Alabama, who died in 2021. Tim recalled a childhood memory that Coy had once shared. Coy's uncle had a piano moved into Liberty Baptist Church for a service with singing, but the congregation with the piano ran late on Sunday and the Sacred Harp singers, who were outside, had to wait until the service let out. They didn't allow piano music there after that, and the piano left the church on Monday. Tim Morton led 384 (SH), Panting for Heaven, in memory of Coy.

Tim then remembered Joan Aldridge, an Alabamian, who died in 2021. Tim commented that Joan had a measured tone both when she led and when she talked, and that she went to many singings. She was a strong supporter of singings in Indiana in particular and often carried Sacred Harp books to sell up there. Tim led 228 (SH), Marlborough, in memory of Joan.

Rafi Finkel memorialized Karl and Jean Michler who both died in 2021, and who were the grandparents of Rafi's son-in-law Robin Michler. Rafi led 38 (SoH), Resignation, for Karl and Jean.

Fr. Serge (Sergius), monk and farm manager at Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, West Virginia, memorialized James Lee Reeves. Lee had cut hay for Holy Cross Monastery for many years, which allowed Fr. Serge and Lee to become close friends. Lee died from Covid in November of 2021. He had been falsely accused of stealing and was wrongfully fired from his position at the Wayne County School Bus Depot. He was arrested, lost most of his friends, and had to sell off his farm animals, but through it all his faith in God only became stronger. During the two years of legal proceedings, Fr. Serge never heard Lee say a vindictive word against his enemies. Just before he died, the judge issued a fully prepared ruling completely dismissing all accusations against Lee. At Lee's funeral, Abraham Saad (Lee's defense lawyer) remarked with great sincerity that James Lee Reeves was the greatest of men. Fr. Serge led 266 (SoH), Hebrew Children, in memory of Lee.

Randy Webber memorialized his father Brooke Webber and his uncle George Webber. Brooke, of Georgia, and George, of Pennsylvania, had both died of covid. Randy led his original tune    “Epitaph”, a setting from the Scottish paraphrases that he composed in 2019. Randy Webber then gave the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

515 (SH), Federal Street - Rafi Finkel
338 (SH), Sawyer's Exit - Alana Boltz (in memory of her great uncle Lawrence Boltz of Utah)
73t (SH), Cusseta - Donna Kwon
203 (SH), Florida - Josh Stoll
278t (SH), Love Shall Never Die - Laura Lee Earles
146 (SH), Hallelujah - Judy Taylor
112 (SH), The Last Words of Copernicus - Tim Morton
497 (SH), Natick - Susan Liddle and Rafi Finkel
562 (SH), Infinite Delight - Josiah Robinson
524 (SH), The Twenty-Third Psalm - Ron Pen
99 (SH), Gospel Trumpet - Tim Gregg
547 (SH), Granville - Donna Bing and Randy Webber
159 (SH), Wondrous Love - Fr. Serge, of Holy Cross Monastery, Wayne, West Virginia
39t (SoH), Bozrah - Fr. Joseph and Fr. Serge, of Holy Cross Monastery, Wayne, West Virginia
504 (SH), Wood Street - Randy Webber
117 (SH), Babylon is Fallen - Alana Boltz
457 (SH), Wayfaring Stranger - Mary Brinkman
201 (SH), Pilgrim - Erin Fulton
107 (SH), Russia - Kathy Sweeton and Rafi Finkel
125 (SH), Expression - Brian Clinkenbeard and Randy Webber
269 (SH), Bear Creek - Rafi Finkel
103 (SoH), Holy Manna - Ron Pen
59 (SoH), Sweet Harmony - Tim Gregg and Erin Fulton
569b (SH), Sacred Throne - Rafi Finkel
267 (SH), Parting Friends (First) - Ron Pen
The class dismissed following the parting hand at 3:06 p.m.

Conveners—Ron Pen and Rafi Finkel; Chairperson and Treasurer—Charles Coulston; Secretary—Mary Brinkman.