Gwehelog Singing Day

Gwehelog Methodist Chapel, Wales

Saturday 13 July 2002

The fourth Annual Gwehelog Sacred Harp Singing Day was held on the Saturday before the second Sunday in July.  Chairman Ken Baddley called the class to order at 10.30 a.m. leading song on page 34b.Audrey Price offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Judy Whiting 171; Edwin Macadam 84; Sheila Girling Macadam 28t; Mick Verrier 201; Steve Fletcher 85; Alan Weeks 73b; Ruth Cooper 349; Margaret Gillanders 49t; Linda Davies-Holmes 178; Tony Singleton 300; Jenna Strizak 195; Paul Setford 28b; Helen Brown 384; Dave Townsend 127; Ros Clements 77b.

RECESS

Mandy Townsend called the class back to order by leading song on page 318. Leaders: Adrian Bolge 72b; Steven Wade 45t; Phil Tyler 442; Lin Cawthorne (with Helen Brown) 551; Ken Baddley 501; Judy Whiting 441; Edwin Macadam 538; Sheila Girling Macadam 142; Emily Verrier (with her father, Mick) 146; Steve Fletcher 148; Alan Weeks 291; Ruth Cooper (for Jill Thompson) 497; Margaret Gillanders 515; Linda Davies-Holmes 268; Tony Singleton 496; Jenna Strizak 277; Paul Setford 448t; Helen Brown 269; Dave Townsend 112.Before the midday meal, Ken Baddley led the class in singing the “Superman Grace,” (words set to the film theme by John Williams) and “The Gwehelog Grace”, composed by Christopher Gardner.

LUNCH

The afternoon session commenced with Ros Clements leading song on page 510. Leaders: Phil Tyler 39t; Steven Wade 65; Adrian Bolge 68b; Mandy Townsend 290.  Steve Fletcher conducted the Memorial Lesson, speaking of our common spirituality, our journey through life and death and the need for ritual, in all faiths. We remembered: Ray Stride, Tony Rose, Dudley Moore, Barbara Griggs, Ralph Lynn, Winston Renford Smith, Vera Richardson, Leslie Greaves, Jack and Joan Trott, Christopher Turner and Joan Gillanders, and sang the song on page 373. The Sick and Housebound were recalled by Isabelle Walker, reading “This too will pass away”, by Helen Steiner Rice. We remembered Richard DeLong, Gordon Ashman, Win Tyler, Helen Bray, Sue Gould, Joan Stocks, and Tom Mattock, and sang the song on page 400. 

Leaders: Judy Whiting 147t; Ken Baddley 481; Sheila Girling Macadam (for Bernard Collard) 480; Edwin Macadam 66 (for Rachel Jordan); Steve Fletcher 36b; Mick and Emily Verrier 107; Ruth Cooper 186; Alan Weeks 571; Margaret Gillanders 143; Paul Setford 452; Helen Brown 53; Jenna Strizak 217.

RECESS

Before the afternoon session resumed, Edwin Macadam was asked to lead his new composition, the song “Immortal Love”, dedicated to his bride of seven days, Sheila Girling Macadam. Leaders: Dave Townsend 504; Tony Singleton 236; Linda Davies-Holmes 209; Phil Tyler 330t; Ros Clements 125; Jenny Ellis 99; Mandy Townsend 448b; Mick Verrier 383; Judy Whiting 212; Edwin Macadam 474; Sheila Girling Macadam 299.

Announcements were made and invitations extended to other Sacred Harp singing events around the United Kingdom and beyond. Ken Baddley thanked everyone for coming, particularly trans-Atlantic visitors Rod and Barbara Willard (Redlands, CA) and Jenna Strizak (Amherst, MA), and all those who had worked in various capacities to make the day such a success.  All present were invited to attend the Sankey and Moody hymn singing meeting, to be held in the Gwehelog Chapel the following morning, accompanied by the Cwmbran Salvation Army Band. He led the closing prayer and all took the parting hand with the song on page 62.

Pitchers - Helen Brown, David Townsend and Michael Verrier

Catering Co-ordination - Jenny Ellis

Secretaries – Edwin Macadam and Sheila Girling Macadam.