20180929

Monthly Singing of the Lowcountry Sacred Harp

The Wingard Room

Circular Congregational Church

150 Meeting St, Charleston

2 to 4 pm on Saturday 29 September 2018

ATTENDANCE: Stephen (Key), Rob (Sec), JoAnne, Kathy (Welcome back!), Liz (Welcome back!), Carolyn (Welcome back!), Darlene, Sharon, Mitchell, John, Josie, Tom, and welcoming Anne, Anna Lee, and Lilless

NOTE: Numbers preceded by S were selected from The Shenandoah Harmony (2012). All others from The Sacred Harp (Denson Edition, 1991).

CLASS CALLED TO ORDER at 2:00 by Stephen leading 24t (Exercise)

Tom 48t (Devotion)

John 421 (Sweet Morning)

Josie 178 (Africa)

Rob 335 (Return Again) #17 all-time favorite.

JoAnne 65 (Sweet Prospect)

Carolyn 59 (Holy Manna)

Darlene 97 (We’ll Soon Be There)

Kathy 128 (The Promised Land)

Sharon 227 (Ode on Life’s Journey) A “starter ode.”

Stephen 338 (Sawyer’s Exit)

Mitchell 56b (Villulia)

Anna Lee 45t (New Britain) Good choice!

Lilless 186 (Sherburne)

Tom S78 (Stafford)

ANNOUNCEMENTS – The weekly Citadel Sing meets this and every Wednesday evening (10/3) in the Summerall Chapel at The Citadel. The Wilmington Sing will meet tomorrow afternoon, 2 – 4:00 PM, at the Episcopal Church of the Servant, come Hell or High Water. The Savannah Sing will take place 2 – 4:00 PM on Saturday October 18 at Ferguson Avenue Baptist Church.

RECESS – Large, oblong grapes and skinny Oreos provided by JoAnne. Thanks!

CLASS CALLED BACK TO ORDER by John, leading S169 (Okefenokee)

Lilless S3b (North Carolina)

Josie S3t (Walk with God)

Rob 448t (Consecration)

JoAnne 203 (Florida)

Liz 155 (Northfield)

Darlene S226 (Thorny Desert)

Kathy 503 (Lloyd)

Sharon S221 (Friendship)

BUSINESS MEETING – Stephen suggested that we begin our meeting with a discussion of officers. The question of what to call the person in charge continued for some time, with suggestions of President, Chairman, and Coordinator. Ultimately consensus seemed to crystalize around “Key Person.” Rob offered, as a single complex motion, that our officers be a Key Person, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, simultaneously nominating Stephen for Key Person, Suzanne (in absentia) for Secretary, and stepping forward (himself) as Treasurer. Motion approved, with one (principled) dissenter.

The Key Person advanced the discussion that another member should consider taking the position of Chairman of the annual singing. Many members expressed the desire to assist substantially with the annual singing, but no member expressed desire to take the lead role. All agreed that the annual singings are too valuable not to continue.

Discussion was then directed toward the formal name of our group. Although years of precidence exists to call our group simply “Lowcountry Sacred Harp”, some members gravitated toward “Lowcountry Sacred Harp Society”. Alternatives were expressed: “Lowcountry Sacred Harp Singers” and "Lowcountry Sacred Harp Singing". No motions were made. With the hour being late, any motion which might have been made was pre-emptively tabled by order of The Key.

CLASS DISMISSED at 4:10 with 347 (Christian’s Farewell) and prayer, offered by Stephen.