Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Missouri State Sacred Harp Convention, March 8th & 9th...

St. John's UCC
Syd Caldwell forwarded information about the 29th Annual Missouri State Sacred Harp Convention. The note contains links to the convention flyer and a Google map with motels and phone numbers. The former Sleep Inn in Washington, MO, is now a Best Western and please note that some of the motels have early cut-off dates for reduced rates.
Subject: [fasola-singings] Missouri State Convention, March 8th and 9th
It is time to make plans to come to the 29th Annual Missouri State Sacred Harp Convention, Saturday and Sunday, March 8th and 9th.  The Convention is held in a beautiful 1870 wooden country church in Pinckney, MO, about 90 miles West of St. Louis, close to the Missouri River, The KATY Trail, and Missouri Wine Country.  Our visiting singers tell us how much they love the acoustics in this church - and we agree.  We will sing from Sacred Harp, 1991, and Missouri Harmony, 2005, and will have copies of both books available for use there or for purchase.  There will be the traditional dinners on the grounds at noon and a Saturday evening social in nearby Washington, MO.
The map showing our Convention church and the locations of nearby motels is at www.tinyurl.com/pinckney and the flyer is at  http://stlfasola.org/2014ConventionFlyer.pdf   You are encouraged to make your room reservations early since some of the Inns have early cut-off dates for our reduced rates.
 
We love coming to your wonderful conventions.  Come and let us return the favor.
 
Paul Figura
One of the things we can do to help reduce expenses is to share rides and rooms. We'll talk more about that at the February 2nd Sunday singing on February 9th. Please let me know if you have an empty seat or two for the trip to Missouri or if you'd like to ride with someone. Call or email if you want to get on the share list or if you have any questions.

Hope to see you at the February singing in Springdale...

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Singing in the Shiloh Museum General Store on Sunday, Jan. 12th


#480 in The Sacred Harp, 1991 Ed.
I hope all of you have recovered from the Christmas and New Year's festivities and any winter colds and sniffles that may have developed during the cold weather. I also hope that one of your New Year's resolutions will be to sing with us at our 2nd Sunday singings each month. On January 12th, the Shiloh Sacred Harp Singers on NWA will host their first singing of the new year in the General Store at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. If you received a new GPS for Christmas you can enter "118 W. Johnson Avenue, Springdale, AR." Otherwise, follow the signs pointing to the museum along Hwy 71B. Singing starts about 1:30 P.M. and we try to end by 4:00 P.M.

Don't forget to remind your friends that we always welcome new singers or visitors who just want to listen, observe and learn more about shape note singing. Our recent book order arrived and we should have plenty of loaner books for visitors and new singers.

Our favorite home town weatherman has given his assurance that the cold weather will have passed by Sunday and he's predicting partly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50's for Sunday. I'll settle for that kind of forecast after the past few weeks of "below average" winter weather. As usual we'll have extra water, a few soft drinks and coffee for the break. You're welcome to bring any left over fruit cake or holiday cookies.
 
If your schedule permits, Katy, Gail and I will be looking for a chicken dinner at AQ's Chicken House (located a couple of long blocks north of the museum signs on Hwy 71B) in Springdale around noon before the singing. Just ask the cashier at the front desk for the Shiloh Singers and they usually know where we're sitting if you can join us. We'll also find a cup of ice cream to cool off the vocal cords after the singing at the Springdale Denny's after the singing. Both pre and post-singing events are entirely optional but allow friends to catch up on news. Any and all are welcome if they wish to enjoy the fellowship.

One last "hope." Drive safely and we'll all hope to see you at the singing on Sunday!