October is a good month for traditional singing opportunities...

Shiloh Meeting Hall, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History

We hope you enjoy singing in historic buildings that now meet modern standards and are wonderful places to sing. We're really looking forward to hosting the 2019 Northwest Arkansas Fall Singing, on October 26th.  There will be three events:

Sunday, October 13th from 1:30 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. - The regular October Singing in the Shiloh Meeting Hall for singers, guests and visitors who are invited to sing along with us on any 2nd Sunday of the month except March when the group declares a recess for singers to sing with the Missouri Singing Convention in an 1870's church north of Washington, Missouri. There will likely be a short planning session for any last minute details for the 2019 Northwest Arkansas Fall Singing and Friday night Singing School.

Friday evening, October 25th from 6:30 P. M. until 8:00 P.M. - The Northwest Arkansas Fall Singing School starts off the schedule at the Shiloh Meeting Hall with an open-to-all singing class for those who are interested in learning more about Sacred Harp music as it was traditionally sung in the 1800's. We are honored to have a very accomplished Sacred Harp singer and musician, Mr. Cory Winter as our class instructor.  Regular singers will also be present to help new singers learn the basics.

Shiloh Singers, Alexis Walker, Cory Winter and Margaux
Burleson lead Missouri State Singing Convention

Saturday, October 26th from 9:30 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. - The Big Event is the Northwest Arkansas Fall Singing, all-day singing and dinner on the grounds at the Shiloh Meeting Hall. The singers will break around noon and enjoy a pot-luck lunch. Singers who attend are invited to bring their best dish and a small cooler if the dish needs refrigeration. The original kitchen was removed to make more room in the hall, but a supporting pillar was preserved on which one of the church cooks made a note that plates were borrowed for another event. That was long before "sticky notes" were invented.

We're hoping to introduce the historic building to visiting singers all around the area who will be using the Shiloh Meeting Hall for the first time. The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History has every reason to be proud of their efforts to preserve this historic building and allow its use for other events in the Springdale area such as weddings, board meetings, programs, etc.

There is one trade-off involved. After singing on Friday night and all day on Saturday, several of the West Fork singing group, which also sings in a refurbished church building, suggested we recess the West Fork monthly event in October to allow our vocal cords to rest and recover a little before the following work week. The group approved in September and the next West Fork Singing will be on November 24th. Be sure to check the "Important Dates" section of the web page each month for new announcements.

The Shiloh Singers of NWA really enjoy singing in the refurbished Shiloh Meeting Hall which continues to see improvements to the building and grounds. The original building served the congregations of several Springdale churches, and as meeting hall for two fraternal organizations. The historic building continues that tradition of over a century.

Singing on September 8th in the Shiloh Meeting Hall...

Hello friends and neighbors,

Our September singing will be Sunday, September 8^th from 1:30 P.M. to 4 P.M. at the Shiloh Meeting Hall in Springdale, AR; visitors warmly welcome.  As usual, anyone interested is invited to convene at AQ Chicken in Springdale at noon for lunch.  

Our fall singing school and all day singing scheduled for the end of October at the Shiloh Meeting Hall. The Fall Singing School will be October 25^thfrom 6:30 P.M. to 8 P.M followed by an All Day Singing from 9:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. on October 26^th, with a pot-luck lunch around noon. We will have more details on this web-site in the weeks to come and full details on next month's newsletter.

Also a reminder about our regular 4th Sunday singing in West Fork, Arkansas.  Located about 40 minutes south of Springdale, West Fork sports a growing library with a (likely historic) community building which we have been able to rent once a month for a 4th Sunday singing.  They ask that we bring a couple of dollars each to help keep the doors open, so please bring a small donation if you can.  It's a nice little town and the building has a good ring to it, so if you haven't had a chance to join us there, here's an opportunity. As always, visitors and newbies warmly welcome!

On a personal note, I do need to extend an apology to those on the 4^th Sunday email list. I had a death in the family and that 4^th week came and went before I realized.

Hope everyone Had a good holiday and hope to see you Sunday!

Darryl

B.R. Note: Thanks to Darryl for doing the newsletter and web update this month. 

August 11th Singing in Springdale

Greetings Sacred Harp Friends!

I hope you've been having a lovely summer!  The major conventions in our region that I know of are over for the season, and we return to a regular fall-through-spring schedule.

Our next singing will be 1:30 pm, Sunday, August 11th at the Shiloh Museum's historic Meeting Hall in Springdale, AR.  Those interested can meet at AQ Chicken at noon for lunch. Visitors warmly welcome!

Camp FASOLA
Photo: It has been a wonderful summer indeed. Syd Caldwell and Dan Brittain made it to Camp FASOLA and slowed down long enough for someone to snap a picture wearing their camp T-shirts. Syd gave a report on camp activities at the last singing. The short version is "Everyone had a good time at camp and the nearby singings scheduled before and after the camp." Wish we had more singers who could attend.

Africa's 4th Verse
Several years ago, someone passed out strips of paper with the 4th verse of "Africa," number 178 in The Sacred Harp. Responding to a request by the alto section, The words from the 4th verse have been copied below in two lines so singers could write in the words below the bass clef if they wish: 

    4. "No,"  saith  the  Lord,   My stead-  fast  love  nev  -   er  fail    or  change!

Deep  on   the  palms    of   both     My    hands   I   have    en-   graved  your name.

And yet another storm...
Several locations in NWA have received as much as 6 inches of rain according to Station KFSM TV-Channel 5 and the Weather Channel this morning. A festival in Springdale received heavy rains, several low water bridges have been damaged in Crawford County and there were flooded roads and homes in eastern Crawford County. In Mountainburg, electricity has been restored, Pigeon Creek overflowed its banks and the Pigeon Creek Free Will Baptist Church was flooded and their community food bank supplies, on the side of the church next to the creek, were damaged or washed away. Pigeon Creek Road and several other streets and roads in the Mountainburg area have been closed due to flooding. Channel 5 News, already has reports and pictures posted of damage in the area. No reports of injuries so far. We are grateful for that.  ~  BR

At least Sunday, August 11th looks like clear and sunny weather. Stay on the high ground if you can and we hope to see you Sunday for the August singing.