John Newton Merritt Memorial Singing Convention

Old Courthouse Museum
Vicksburg, Warren County, Mississippi
Saturday, May 26, 2012 and Sunday, May 27, 2012

The following books were used:
The Sacred Harp, 1991 edition,
The Christian Harmony, 2010 edition, and
The B. F. White Sacred Harp (Cooper Book), 2006 Revision.

Saturday, May 26

The 1st annual John N. Merritt Memorial Singing Convention (formerly the Holt Collier/Mississippi Bear Hunt Singing Convention) was called to order by Henry McGuire leading 47b (SH), Idumea.
Robert Vaughn offered the morning prayer.

Leaders:
137 (SH), Liberty - Henry McGuire
123t (SH), The Dying Christian - Mark Davis
270 (SH), Confidence
215 (SH), New Topia - Robert Vaughn
142 (SH), Stratfield
171 (SH), Exhortation (First) - Mary Ellen Schrock
572 (CB), We Will Sing with Angels There
200 (SH), Edom - Hugh Bill McGuire, Sr.
273 (SH), Milford
59 (SH), Holy Manna - Sister Susan Dickey
128 (SH), The Promised Land
358 (SH), Murillo's Lesson - Richard Mauldin and T.J. Mauldin
43 (SH), Primrose Hill
113 (SH), The Prodigal Son - Charity Vaughn
448b (SH), The Grieved Soul
68t (CB), Do Not I Love Thee (Detroit) - Henry McGuire (by request).

RECESS

Henry McGuire and Will McGuire brought the class to order by leading 392 (SH), Manchester.
518 (SH), Heavenly Anthem.

A business meeting was held. It was decided unanimously that, henceforth, this singing will be known as the John N. Merritt Memorial Singing Convention. The current slate of officers was reelected as follows: Chairman—Henry McGuire; Vice Chairman—Mark Davis; Secretary—Henry Schuman.

Leaders:
189 (CH10), One by One - Henry Schuman and Linda Hellerich
149 (CH10), A Good Time Coming
388 (SH), The Happy Sailor - Natalie Davis
288 (SH), White
542 (SH), I'll Seek His Blessings - Drew McGuire
314 (SH), Cleburne
329 (CH10), Redeeming Grace - Matt Bell
354 (CH10), Summer
56 (SH), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?) - Logan Green and Hannah Monroe
87 (SH), Sweet Canaan
40 (SH), Lenox - Carole Watts
384 (SH), Panting for Heaven
179 (SH), The Christian Warfare - Michael Jones
36t (SH), America
411 (SH), Morning Prayer - Warren Steel
254 (SH), Rose of Sharon
67 (SH), Columbus - Arlon Gardner
163t (SH), Morning.

LUNCH

Henry McGuire brought the class to order by leading 472 (SH), Akin.
Leaders:
172 (CH10), The Grand Highway - Henry Schuman
64 (CH10), Youthful Blessings - John Van Horn
204 (CH10), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?)
64 (SH), Nashville - Hannah Monroe and Logan Green
282 (SH), I'm Going Home
463 (CB), Angel Band (Land of Beulah) - Ron Bernucho
159 (SH), Wondrous Love - Rita McGuffie and Henry McGuire
146 (SH), Hallelujah
269 (SH), Bear Creek - Matthew Dawson
455 (SH), Soar Away
488b (CB), Nearer, My God, To Thee (Bethany) - Suzan Bernucho and Henry McGuire
107t (CB), Rock of Ages (Toplady)
272 (CH10), Felicity - Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr.
194 (CH10), O Happy Day
198 (SH), Green Street - Royce Boyer
383 (SH), Eternal Day
42 (SH), Clamanda - Sarah Tidwell
72b (SH), Bellevue.

RECESS

Richard Mauldin led 66 (SH), Jordan (First), to bring the class to order.
Leaders:
551 (SH), Jacob's Vision - Sister Susan Dickey
477 (CB), Let the Saints Appear - Robert Vaughn and Mark Davis
468 (CB), Sweet Thought
30t (CH10), Zion's Joy - Matt Bell
505 (CB), Cleansing Fountain - Mary Ellen Schrock
546 (SH), My Brightest Days - Michael Jones
31t (SH), Ninety-Third Psalm - Hannah Monroe and Logan Green
442 (SH), New Jordan - Logan Green
150 (CB), The Spiritual Sailor - Warren Steel.

Announcements were made. Henry McGuire, Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr., and Mark Davis led 549b (CH10), The Drone, as the closing song.
Robert Vaughn dismissed the class with prayer.

Sunday, May 27

The Sunday session was called to order by Henry McGuire leading 199 (CB), City of Light.
Danny Creel offered the morning prayer.

Leaders:
19 (CH10), The Day of Days - Henry McGuire
281b (CH10), Palmetto - Mark Davis
547 (CH10), Higher Ground (in memory of John Merritt)
40 (SH), Lenox - Henry McGuire and Will McGuire
573 (CB), Trusting Jesus - Mary Ellen Schrock
146 (CB), Hallelujah
170 (CH10), On My Way - Henry Schuman and Linda Hellerich
184 (CH10), Where We'll Never Grow Old
551 (SH), Jacob's Vision - Richard Mauldin and T.J. Mauldin
508 (CB), Amsterdam.

RECESS

Henry McGuire, Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr., and Sarah Tidwell brought the class back together by leading 212 (SH), Sharon.
Leaders:
145b (SH), Sweet Affliction - Natalie Davis
354b (SH), Happy Land
131 (CH10), Will You Meet Me? - Hugh Bill McGuire, Sr. and Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr. and Henry McGuire
101 (CH10), An Address for All
238 (CH10), Child's Wish - Danny Creel
54 (CH10), My Trust
490 (SH), My Shepherd Guides - Carole Watts
46 (SH), Let Us Sing
129 (CB), Heavenly Armor - Drew McGuire
480 (SH), Redemption
504 (SH), Wood Street - Charity Vaughn
224 (SH), Save, Lord, or We Perish
500 (CB), Sweet By and By - Ron Bernucho
449 (CB), Beautiful River.

Arlon Gardner, Charity Vaughn, and Carole Watts conducted the memorial lesson.
Arlon spoke on behalf of both the sick and shut-ins and the deceased. He led 72b (SH), Bellevue.
Charity Vaughn read the following list of names of the sick and shut-ins:
Johnnie Chafin, Harrison Creel, Carlene Griffin, Josie Hyde, Bud Oliver, Sammie Oliver, S.T. Reed, Lessie Reed, and Darlene Reynolds. She led 410t (SH), The Dying Californian, in their honor.

Carole Watts read the following names of the deceased:
Dr. Julietta Haynes, Marie Ivey, Ernie Jett, Clarence McCool and Cecil Sanders—Alabama;
Nick Griffin and Lonnie Rogers—Georgia;
John Merritt and Junie McNeal—Mississippi. She led 339 (SH), When I Am Gone, in their memory.

LUNCH

John Van Horn called the afternoon session to order leading 563 (CB), Jesus Is Mine and 168 (CH10), ('t'op or 'b'ottom of the page?).
Leaders:
131 (CH10), Will You Meet Me? - Henry Schuman
239 (CB), David's Lamentation - Suzan Bernucho
492 (CB), The Poor, Wayfaring Stranger (Wayfaring Stranger)
283b (CB), Am I a Soldier? (Ortonville) - Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr.
569 (CB), He Leads Me All the Way
201 (SH), Pilgrim - Arlon Gardner
313b (SH), Cobb
400 (SH), Struggle On - Natalie Davis
358 (SH), Murillo's Lesson - Richard Mauldin and T.J. Mauldin
424 (SH), Sweet Union - Carole Watts
36b (SH), Ninety-Fifth - Hugh Bill McGuire, Sr. and Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr. and Drew McGuire
361 (SH), Loving Jesus - Mary Ellen Schrock
128 (CB), The Promised Land - Ron Bernucho
521 (CB), A Golden Crown to Wear - Charity Vaughn and Henry McGuire
569t (SH), Emmaus - Drew McGuire
16 (CH10), The Finest Flower - John Van Horn
408 (SH), Weeping Mary - Suzan Bernucho
145b (SH), Sweet Affliction - Mark Davis
507 (SH), Sermon on the Mount - Arlon Gardner
236 (SH), Easter Anthem - Henry McGuire.

Announcements were made. Henry McGuire, Hugh Bill McGuire, Jr., and Mark Davis led 549b (CH10), The Drone, as the closing song.
Drew McGuire dismissed the class with prayer.

Chairman—Henry McGuire; Vice Chairman—Mark Davis; Secretary—Henry Schuman.