The 23rd Kentucky Christmas Shapenote Sing

Mt. Zion Global Methodist Church
Mercer County, Kentucky
Sunday, December 14, 2025

Song selections were from The Sacred Harp, 2025 edition (tagged with `SH') and The Southern Harmony, 1854 facsimile, 1987 UofK reprint (tagged with `SoH').

Jim Thobaben called the singing to order promptly at 3:00 by welcoming visitors to his church, explaining the history of the building, and offering a prayer.
Ron Pen was requested to name the shapes and sing the gamut for the aid of those church members who joined the singers.

73b (SH), Arlington - Ron Pen
47b (SH), Idumea - Erin Fulton
213 (SoH), David's Lamentation - Don Waggener
128 (SH), The Promised Land - Rafi Finkel, by request of Jim Thobaben
479 (SH), Chester
282 (SH), I'm Going Home - Christian Cunningham
178t (SH), Africa - Rafi Finkel, by request of Diane Arnson Svarlien
45t (SH), New Britain - Erin Fulton, by request of James Mason
68b (SH), Ortonville, in honor of Tim Gregg, sadly unwell, absent from this singing
146 (SH), Hallelujah - Christian Cunningham
535 (SH), Shawmut - Rafi Finkel
252 (SoH), Wondrous Love, by request of Elena Arnold

Break

16 (SoH), Star in the East - Ron Pen, by request of Jim Thobaben
322 (SoH), Samanthra
312b (SH), Restoration - Erin Fulton, by request of Zoe Lawless
80 (SoH), Pisgah - Don Waggener, who requested that the class sing first sing together on the second treble, “the most beautiful line in all the Southern Harmony”
117 (SH), Babylon Is Fallen - Rafi Finkel, by request of Owen Trotter
59 (SH), Holy Manna - Erin Fulton, by request of Pat Waggener; Jim Thobaben acknowledged the importance of this song to the Big Singing
507 (SH), Woodlands, by request of James Mason
569b (SH), Sacred Throne - Christian Cunningham; this song was remembered as having been Keith MacAdam's favorite
496 (SH), The Rock That Is Higher than I - Erin Fulton, by request of Carter Smith,in honor of Tom Morton
455 (SH), Soar Away - Ron Pen, by request of Jim Thobaben

Rev. Andi Wallace offered a closing prayer, following which the class took the parting hand while singing 267 (SH), Parting Friends.

The group, comprised of forty-nine singers, were then dismissed to a soup supper prepared by members of the church.

Chairman—Jim Thobaben;
Vice-chairwoman—Rev. Andi Wallace;
Secretary—Erin Fulton.