Nancy also asked that I remind everyone that Texas has a singing on January 30, 2016. The William J. Reynolds Sacred Harp Singing will be held in Cowden Hall, at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1809 West Broadus, Fort Worth, Texas, starting at 9:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. Singing will be from The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition. Lunch will be dutch treat. For more info: (817) 923-1921, ext. 3100. I've also added a link to the full Texas singing calendar in the Online Resources section of the sidebar.
--&--
Photo: Singing in the country store on December 13, 2015.
In other business, Dan Brittain received a note from Amanda Pritchett, who works with the Oklahoma Historical Society and the George M. Murrell Home in Park Hill, Oklahoma (just outside Tahlequah). They will be holding their first annual Antique Agriculture Festival on October 7-9, 2016. I'll bring some copies of her note to the Sunday meeting for discussion but to strike a match to warm up your thinking:
+ First of all, there might be a way this event could help promote the singers and Sacred Harp groups in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
+ With sufficient notice, we could possibly move our regular October 9th singing or sing on October 8th if that works better for everyone and supports the Oklahoma organizations and singing groups.
+ We could also mention our NWA Fall Sacred Harp Singing Convention on Saturday, October 22nd.
Katy and I attended the open house and festivities at the historic Peter Conser House near Heavener, OK, each year. Katy enjoyed looking at the quilts and I always enjoyed the blacksmith displays and looking at the old tractors and antique automobiles in the field behind the house. In any case, there is an invitation on the table and an opportunity that might benefit our Oklahoma neighbors. If you have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions and cannot make the Shiloh Singing on Jan. 10th, please send me a note so we can include your ideas in the discussion.
The Shiloh Museum is conducting an Early Spring Cleaning in the Country Store. There's more "stuff" in the store's closet than will fit on the shelves or in the bathroom closet. We plan to request space for our 3 boxes of song books and the large banner and hanger Gail Cowart built for the front porch that we use on days we sing in the store. The museum will continue to maintain a 12 cup coffee maker but each group will need to bring their own coffee, cups and other supplies. My thought is to put the singer's coffee break supplies in plastic bags (for freshness) together with our name tags, pens, handouts, and sign-in sheets all together in one easy to store and move plastic box. With all the groups helping that should free up more space and reduce clutter for the museum and all the groups using the store. Please let us know if you have something you want to keep that we haven't mentioned so we can preserve it for you on Sunday.
And two more things... In view of the early 1 P.M. start of the mini singing school, we'll plan to arrive for lunch between 11:30 and 11:45 at the world famous AQ Chicken House in Springdale. All are invited to join us, just ask at the reception desk and they'll point you in the right direction.
Sunday's weather may be a little brisk for Arkansas natives or downright chilly for transplanted Floridians like me. The National Weather Service forecast is for "mostly sunny" but cold. I'll just wear my "Little Abner" boots and Maine socks and we will all look forward to singing with you on Sunday in the country store.
