Singing at Shiloh Museum on February 8th

With the January 11th ice storm, the Shiloh Sacred Harp Singers of NW Arkansas will host their first singing of the year on Sunday, February 8, 2015 from 1:30 until 4:00 P.M. in the General Store on the grounds of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. I hope you're looking forward to getting together, catching up on the latest news and making plans for the Missouri State Singing Convention and other events this spring.

If you arrive early enough, those singers who like chicken for Sunday dinner can gather at Springdale's AQ Chicken House around noon. Just ask for the Shiloh Singers at the cashier's desk.

Missouri State Convention Flyer

Those of you who are on the Saint Louis Shape Note Singers mailing list should have already received the Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention flyer with dates, directions and motel information. The singing will span Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8, 2015 starting at 9:30 A.M. both days. Singing concludes at 3:00 P.M. each day. A pot-luck dinner on the grounds is served each day for lunch. There's also a Saturday evening social event event and supper. Details and directions will be provided at the singing. If you would like more information, PDF copies of the flyer are available at: http://www.stlfasola.org/2015ConventionFlyer.pdf

The Shiloh Singers who attend the Missouri convention tend to stay in Washington, MO and a Friday evening supper and Sunday morning breakfast are becoming a tradition. Car pooling and room sharing are encouraged and we can work on those details on Sunday or as the convention dates get closer.

As a result of the exodus to Missouri for their convention, the Shiloh Singers will be in recess on March 8, 2015 and our next regular 2nd Sunday singing will be on April 12, 2015. The Northwest Arkansas Convention is scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd in Harrison, AR at St. John's Episcopal Church. It looks like a busy schedule as we head for spring and summer. Please mark your calendar and check back for any updates.

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One sad announcement: Norma Dickerson's mother, Mrs. Hazel "Suzie" Dickerson passed away on Saturday, January 30th at the age of 91. A memorial service has been scheduled at Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville on Tuesday morning, February 3rd at 10:00 A.M. Mrs. Dickerson shared a love for her church and Sacred Harp singing with her daughter, Norma, who has remained steadfast in her help and support for the Shiloh Singers. Norma has helped set up before and clean up after many local events and she's supported the singers in so many different ways. We share a sacred harp connection with Norma's loss.

Memorial contributions may be made to Faith in Action, 1101 North Woolsey Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72703 or Willard Walker Hospice Home, 325 East Longview St. Fayetteville, AR 72703.

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In which case, we hope to see each of you at the Sunday singing even more. Take care and drive safely.

February Singing and Remembering Groundhod Day...

First of all, the regular Sunday, February 9, 2014, singing is still scheduled for 1:30 until 4:00 P.M. in the General Store on the grounds of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History. Visitors are always welcome and we'll even loan them a book and they can sing along or just tap their foot and enjoy the music.

Photo: January 12th Singing in the Shiloh Museum General Store.

We had a great turnout of singers and visitors in January and Dan Brittain once again covered some of the basics of shape note singing for the visitors. Several of the visitors went home with new songbooks and I think it's safe to say that we all enjoyed a pleasant afternoon of singing the old hymns. I sincerely hope that everyone had a good time. So it's time to send out a reminder about the February event.

This is also a good time to remind everyone that the Shiloh Singers will be in recess in March to allow (encourage?) as many singers as possible to attend the Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention at St. John's United Church of Christ near Washington, Missouri on March 8th and 9th. The two-day event, sponsored by the St. Louis Shape Note Singers, draws singers from Alabama to Wisconsin and is certainly a premier event. We'll talk more about sharing a ride on Sunday. The Saint Louis group recommends making room reservations as early as possible. Click on the links below for more detailed information in the St. Louis flyer, motel info and map.
Missouri State Singing Convention Flyer
Google map & Motel Information

Two boxes of the new 2013 & 2014 edition of Sacred Harp Singings have arrived. Each annual edition contains the previous year's minutes and the current year's directory of where to find local and regional singings  The books will be available at the February singing.

I'm also reminded of "Groundhog Day," the 1993 movie, where Bill Murray, the TV weatherman, finds himself living the same day over and over again? Writing a monthly newsletter is a little like the time warp depicted in the movie. And much like the weatherman, once again we're confronted with conflicting weather forecasts. This year, Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter.

Groundhog family (Credit: Bob Hines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

I also read that somewhere in Arkansas, a groundhog emerged while still blinking his eyes and trying to go back to sleep. He or she didn't actually see their shadow. Thus the groundhog joined the ever optimistic local Chamber of Commerce members in hoping for an early spring.

I hope all the Arkansas groundhogs stay warm toward the end of this week. Accuweather is predicting partly sunny conditions on Friday, possible snow on Saturday, and sunshine on Sunday with the temperatures in the 30's. The local forecasters on KFSM believe it will snow on Friday, clearing with a 30% possibility of snow on Saturday, and turn partly sunny on Sunday with highs in the mid to low 30's. Our best advice is for everyone to watch their favorite news and weather program on Saturday. If the roads get so bad that it's difficult to pick up the key to the general store, we'll post a 2nd weather update so please check this website for the latest information.

One more thing:  The usual invitations for chicken and dumplings at AQ's Chicken House in Springdale around noon and hot chocolate at the Springdale Denny's after the singing are extended. Both sessions are intended to allow more time to visit and talk about singing and sometimes each others grandchildren.

So we'll pray for good weather and hope the to see you and everyone at the February 9th singing.


"A researcher with a thermometer knows what the temperature is; a researcher with two thermometers is confused." - Old Science Teacher
BR NOTE - The same applies to groundhogs and weather reports.

April and May events scheduled and March singings reports

March, April and May are always a busy time of the year

The first item on the list of reminders is our regular 2nd Sunday Singing on April 14th Singing in the Country Store at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale at 1:30 P.M. If you're on our email list, Syd Caldwell sent out a note about an invitation from the Culpepper Assisted Living Center to sing at their facility on Jones Ave. in Springdale.
 
The basic plan is to conduct our regular singing at the museum country store from 1:30 P.M.  until  3:00 P.M. Then those that wish to participate can drive over to the Culpepper Assisted Living facility at 672 Jones Road in Springdale.  I'll have a few maps for any out-of-towners like myself but center is only about 10 -12 minutes away and very easy to find. The idea is to sing a few songs there for the seniors. Then as many as wish to join us can adjourn to the northern Denny's next to I-540 on Hwy 412/W. Sunset which we'll pass on the way to Culpepper for pie and coffee before driving back home.

We had so much fun and fellowship at Denny's after the Wiggins event, I thought I'd add the Denny's option for anyone who wished to take part. Sometimes we're so busy singing that we don't have enough time to enjoy each others company.

Northwest Arkansas Sacred Harp Singing Convention in Harrison, May 4th

While we're together at the museum on Sunday, we'll need to take a few minutes for Dan to discuss the regional singing in Harrison at St. Johns Episcopal Church from 9:30 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. with a pot-luck "dinner on the grounds" at noon. Dan has already prepared a flyer that can be viewed or downloaded here. 

Photo: Singers at the NW Arkansas Sacred Harp Singing Convention in Harrison on May 5, 2012
   
The Harrison Convention always includes a splendid collection of casseroles and other dishes plus delicious desserts. We can talk more about who can bring what on Sunday too.

Wiggins Memorial  UMC Concert helped raise funds

Eleven singers from our Shiloh group were just one of the local individuals and groups that participated in the Palm Sunday afternoon concert at Wiggins Memorial United Methodist Church on March 24th. Our thanks also include those who wanted to join us but were frustrated by weather conditions or events already scheduled but who helped with ideas, moral support and I suspect a few prayers as well. As I opened the morning's emails the next morning, I found one of several thank-you notes had already been written:

good morning !! i just wanted to thank-you all again for singing for us yesterday . it was wonderful and we raised over $500 for our church !! what a blessing !! we will see you all again for singing at shiloh . we look forward to that. thank-you again and i hope you all have a happy easter !!  lea criss   wiggins church

Those singers who didn't have to hurry back home for a church program or to get back before the weather closed in, gathered at Denny's next to I-540 on the south side of Fayetteville for coffee and pie. We had such a good time, that was the catalyst for getting together after the short Culpepper Singing this month.

St. Louis Shaped Note Singers hosted another wonderful Missouri State Singing Convention March 9th and 10th

Photo: Bill Caldwell and Mary Ellen Wilkinson sing from the Missouri Harmony during the Missouri State Sacred Harp Convention.
 
The weather was a little colder and wetter that I expected but those who made the trip enjoyed the good singing, the good cooking, the fellowship of good friends at the Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention this year. Dan, Bill, Syd and his family, Mary Ellen and her daughter Mary Alice, Katy and I made the trip. If you couldn't make the trip this year, you can mark next year's event on your calendar and reserve the dates: the 2nd Sunday in March and the Saturday before works out to be March 8-9, 2014. Those who can attend always have a good time - rain or shine.

Now that tax season and several other projects are winding down, I still have some video of the Missouri Convention I hope to edit and post on the site. It's just been a busy time of the year!

Singers defy cold weather for January 13th singing

The roads dried and the sky cleared over Springdale around noon on Sunday, Ten singers braved the weather to sing on January 13th and six were first time visitors. Thanks to everyone who joined us in spite of the cold and winter conditions. I certainly hope everyone enjoyed the singing.

Actually, we started seeing blue sky along the western edge of Arkansas before noon. The temperature was 27 when we left Mountainburg and 27 when we got home late in the afternoon, but in between, it actually turned sunny and warmer in Springdale. The small electric floor heater that I use to warm up the garage or garden shed in winter supplemented the country store's heating and we were warm and comfortable for the singing. One of things I'm learning about Arkansas weather is that no matter what the prediction, stay around for a while and it will change.

There's a new "Contact" section beneath the calendar. You can use that email address for more information about events or to subscribe (or unsubscribe) to the newsletter.  

For those who wanted to know more about the Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention on March 9tn and 10th. the St. Louis Shape Note Singers' homepage already has direct links to information about this event.
    Saint Louis Shape Note Singers homepage
    Map and Directions to St. John's United Church of Christ
    Google Map to Area Motels (w/ addresses and phone numbers)
Bring a friend, share a room and share a ride to the Missouri State Convention.

We can talk more about that in February when we'll look forward better weather. Hope to see you next month.

NW Arkansas had nine singers at the Missouri Convention

The Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing The Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention was one for the record books. Not a cloud was in the sky at 9:00 A.M. as we arrived at St. Johns United Church of Christ near the Missouri River about 20 miles NW of Washington, MO on Saturday. Syd Caldwell and other Arkansas singers were already saying "hello" to friends and singers from as far away as Wisconsin and Georgia and Alabama. By 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, the best educated guess on participants was over 140 people had arrived to sing. Singers were using the balcony and of course more arrived or had to leave for other commitments during the day, but Saturday was a wonderful day for Singing. Sunday's rainy weather started to build up toward the west, so several of our Arkansas singers decided to travel home in as much daylight as possible.  

Click on individual pictures in the slide show or print pictures from the Picasa album.

The St. Louis Shape Note Singers and convention participants provided an abundance of food for Saturday and Sunday's Dinner on the Grounds and hosted a Saturday night social with BBQ and desserts for those singers staying in the Washington, MO, area overnight. I commented to one of the St. Louis singers that the meals were as well organized as any I had seen at a Disney World convention. Thanks to all our St. Louis hosts. They really know how to put on a wonderful event.

27th Annual Missouri State Sacred Harp Convention on March 10-11, 2012

The 27th Annual Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention will be held at St. John's United Church of Christ near Marthasville, MO,  on March 10th and 11th. Singing from 9:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. each day with a traditional "dinner on the grounds" each day.

If you would like more information about the Missouri State Convention, please visit the St. Louis Shape Note Singer's website at:  http://www.stlfasola.org/index.html

The Missouri State Singing Convention has become an annual "go-to" event for a number of the Shiloh Sacred Harp Singers and about 10 singers from the local area are expected to attend this year.