Old Folks' Singing (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA)
Old Folks' Singing, an annual New Year's Day singing from the <em>Harmonia Sacra</em> held at the Weaver Mennonite Church near Harrisonburg, VA since 1903. This music festival developed as an afterglow of the great singing-school movement begun by Joseph Funk and continued by his son Timothy over a period of 50 years in the mid-19th century. In the 1950s it attracted more than a thousand music lovers of various denominations and stood as a symbol of a common musical heritage. Other churches in Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Page counties similarly preserved the tradition. With a simple organization of moderator and secretary, the singing proceeded throughout the day with different leaders, each choosing two or more favorite songs. The noon intermission, during which a bountiful lunch was served by the local congregation, was an occasion for the renewal of old friendships and the enjoyment of Christian fellowship.
| Author(s) | C. K Lehman |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1959 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Lehman, C. K. "Old Folks' Singing (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 26 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Old_Folks%27_Singing_(Harrisonburg,_Virginia,_USA)&oldid=59810.
APA style
Lehman, C. K. (1959). Old Folks' Singing (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 26 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Old_Folks%27_Singing_(Harrisonburg,_Virginia,_USA)&oldid=59810.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 43. All rights reserved.
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