Saturday, October 10, 2026

Taylor Methodist Church
Taylor, Lafayette County, Mississippi
10:00 AM to 2:30 PM

The village of Taylor, known for its combination of the traditional life with modern and original arts, will host its thirty-seventh annual all-day Sacred Harp singing on Saturday, October 11 at the Methodist Church. Singing will commence at 10:00, followed by potluck dinner and more singing until 2:30 PM. Warren Steel of Oxford will be in charge. The Reverend Eddie Willis and the congregation invite the public to attend and participate. Taylor Methodist Church, with its resonant wooden floor and beaded wood walls, is an ideal location to hear this thrilling harmony, which is not accompanied by harps or any other instruments.

A Sacred Harp singing is a non-denominational community musical event. Named for The Sacred Harp, a songbook first printed in 1844, Sacred Harp singings are often associated with church homecomings and memorials. In Lafayette County, Sacred Harp singing dates to the 1870s, when several area churches instituted annual singings that were among the best-attended events in their communities. In many places, traditional singings have been replaced by gospel concerts, but Sacred Harp singings still preserve the music, style and customs of the days before the War Between the States, in which everyone sings and everyone is invited to lead his or her favorite selections. The songbook includes pieces by the first American composers along with many southern folk hymns and camp-meeting songs. Sacred Harp singing is featured in the documentary film Awake, My Soul, as well as in the Miramax film Cold Mountain.

Today Sacred Harp singing is experiencing a massive revival: singings and conventions have sprung up all across the United States, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Larger singings attract hundreds of singers and listeners, who learn about the music from the Internet or by word of mouth: Warren Steel maintains a Sacred Harp web site at Ole Miss.

This singing was formerly held at Pilgrim's Rest Primitive Baptist Church. Members of that congregation, and residents of Taylor, Sand Hill, Springdale and Pine Flat, are particularly invited to attend, as are visitors from the Oxford-University community. Local residents are asked to bring a dish to share for dinner. For more information, call Warren Steel at 662 801-3707.

From Oxford, take Old Taylor Road (Old Taylor Road exit from hwy 6/US278) to the south 7.5 miles to the village of Taylor; church is on your right. From points north or south, take hwy 7 south of Oxford. Turn west on hwy 328 to Taylor, then bear right on the Cutoff Road (CR 335) into Taylor.

Minutes of the 2025 Singing

The annual Sacred Harp singing at Taylor Methodist Church (formerly held at Pilgrim's Rest Primitive Baptist Church) was called to order by Warren Steel leading songs on page 31b and 73b. Bob Lence offered the morning prayer. Unless otherwise specified, all selections are from the 1991 edition. Leaders: Bob Lence 155, 84 and 479; John Simmons 146, 117, 311; Mark Davis 441, 209, 28b; Anne Steel 61, 318, 348b; Andy Davis 297, 299, 47b; Curtis Gregory 119, 288, 341.

Recess

Warren Steel reassembled the class leading 135. Other leaders: Chuck Howell 63, 32t, 269; Logan Green 425, 203, 217; Susan Wood 111t, 47t; Matt Bell 424, 451, 187; Warren Steel 273.

Lunch.

Warren Steel called the class together leading song on page 459 (2025). Leaders: Matt Bell 491 (2025); Logan Green 137 (2025); Mark Davis 544 (2025), 545 (2025); Warren Steel 467 (2025); Anne Steel 129 (2025); Chuck Howell 115 (2025); Bob Lence 86 (2025); John Simmons 87 (2025); Andy Davis 455 (2025); Matt Bell 308 (2025); Logan Green 179 (2025), 178b (2025); Bob Lence 178t (2025); Mark Davis 236 (2025). Following announcements, Warren Steel led the closing song on 235 (2025) and Matt Bell dismissed the class with prayer.

Chairman--Warren Steel; Secretary--Anne Steel

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