Section 1. The name of the organization will be the Boston Sacred Harp Musical Association (hereafter, “Association”).
Section 1. The purpose of this Association is to perpetuate the institution of traditional religious shape note music as illustrated by the tunes and hymns, with four shape notes and dispersed harmony, contained in the song book titled The Sacred Harp, published by the Sacred Harp Publishing Company. Our object is to render these hymns, adhering to the laws of time and accent, prayerfully and reverentially, in the manner set out in the rudiments of The Sacred Harp, and practiced by the generations of Sacred Harp singers before us.
Section 1. Regular membership of the Association shall be open to all who are interested in Sacred Harp singing who attend the annual singing held by the Association or indicate that they wish to be a member through correspondence to the officers of the Association.
Section 2. Regular members (hereafter, “members”) may vote on matters properly brought before the Association if present at the annual singing held by the Association, or by proxy with a written statement conferring authority to vote to another member.
Section 1. The Association will sponsor an annual meeting on the Saturday before the second Sunday in May to hold a Sacred Harp singing and consider any business brought before the Association. The name of the singing will be the Boston Sacred Harp Singing.
Section 2. The Association will also sponsor a monthly Sacred Harp singing on the Second Sunday of each month except for March at the time and location determined by the officers and membership of the Association.
Section 3. The Association will hold a business session in the afternoon at the annual Boston Sacred Harp Singing. All matters properly brought before the Association will be decided by majority vote unless otherwise specified in this constitution.
Section 4. Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Association's business sessions.
Section 1. The officers of the Boston Sacred Harp Singing shall be: Chairman or Chairlady; Vice Chairman or Vice Chairlady; Secretary; Treasurer; and Chaplain.
Section 2. The officers listed in Section 1 shall be regular members of the Association. The officers shall be nominated and elected by the membership of the Association within the first hour of the annual singing and shall be installed immediately. They shall serve for a term of one year or until their successors are elected and installed.
Section 3. No person shall be eligible for the office of Chairman or Chairlady, or Vice Chairman or Vice Chairlady, for more than two years in succession.
Section 4. A majority vote of the membership shall be necessary for election.
Section 1. The Chairman or Chairlady will preside over the Boston Sacred Harp Singing and any other meetings of the Association, keep good order, and see that all provisions made by the Association are properly executed. The Chairman or Chairlady will appoint all committees of the Association.
Section 2. The Vice Chairman or Vice Chairlady shall, in the absence of the Chairman or Chairlady, perform the duties of the Chairman or Chairlady, and will execute any other duties as assigned by the Chairman or Chairlady.
Section 3. The Secretary will record the minutes of the Boston Sacred Harp Singing and any other meetings of the Association and will ensure that the minutes are properly submitted for publication in the Directory and Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings published annually by the Sacred Harp Musical Heritage Association. The Secretary will keep a list of the membership of the Association. The Secretary will conduct correspondence for the Association. The Secretary may appoint Assistant Secretaries at the discretion of the Chairman or Chairlady to assist with Secretarial duties.
Section 4. The Treasurer will receive and disburse funds as directed by the membership of the Association. The Treasurer will maintain custody of the organization's funds and will keep records of receipts and disbursements. The Treasurer will file and give a report of the records of receipts and disbursements at the business session of the annual Boston Sacred Harp Singing.
Section 5. The Chaplain shall open and close all sessions of the Association with prayer or appoint someone else to do so.
Section 6. The officers shall visit the annual singings and conventions of the members of the Association as they are able.
Section 1. All committees will be appointed by the Chairman or Chairlady. The committees will consist of an Arranging Committee, a Finance Committee, and a Resolutions Committee. Other committees, such as a Locating Committee or Memorial Committee, may be appointed at the discretion of the Chairman or Chairlady or if decided by the membership as necessary.
Section 2. The Arranging Committee will decide and announce the sequence of leaders for the annual singing.
Section 3. The Finance Committee will assist the Treasurer by collecting the funds necessary to achieve the objectives of the organization.
Section 4. The Resolutions Committee will recommend resolutions to the members present at the business session of the annual singing.
Section 5. If appointed, the Locating Committee will recommend the venue of the next annual singing to the members present at the business session of the annual singing or at another meeting of the Association.
Section 6. If appointed, the Memorial Committee will collect lists at the annual singing of the members or friends of the Association who have died since the previous annual singing and those who are sick or shut in and will conduct the memorial lesson for the annual singing.
Section 1. The songbook of the Boston Sacred Harp Singing shall be the current edition of The Sacred Harp, published by the Sacred Harp Publishing Company. Only songs in the current edition of The Sacred Harp shall be sung at the Boston Sacred Harp Singing.
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the Association by a vote of two thirds of the membership of the Association.
Section 2. Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be filed with the Secretary, who shall have it read to the Association while in regular session. No vote will be taken on the amendment for three hours.
The foregoing Constitution of the Boston Sacred Harp Musical Association was adopted by affirmative vote of two thirds of the members present at the 2010 Boston Sacred Harp Singing.
Certified by: Yael Tarshish (Secretary)
Dated: May 8, 2010.