The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Shape note singing returns to Hemphill

Hemphill


Seated six feet apart are John Pickow (left) and Ben Fink.

Seated six feet apart are John Pickow (left) and Ben Fink.

Check out our websites: www.blacksheepbrickoven.org, and: www.hemphillcenter.org, and our Facebook pages, please.

Our place is trying to get geared up to continue on to what appears to be our COVID-19 escalation and hopefully a plateau in the coming weeks and then a de-escalation of cases. We are still doing curbside and folks can come in to pick what they need.

When our first diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in our community happened, we shut down our indoor dining room. Folks can now dine in our outdoor shelter spaces and still social distance. We will re-open the inside dining room later when we can be more sure of health and wellbeing for all. So sorry for the inconvenience. Masks and social distancing required, please. If you are experiencing a fever or other symptoms, the life you save may be your own.

We enjoyed our first social distance Seven Shape Note Singing on last Sunday. We had “hung our harps on the willows” since Feb and it was very good to lift our voices together and sing the old beloved hymns. We sat our chairs at least six feet apart and wore masks. We turned on the fans in the new pavilion and enjoyed the singing very much. We had 10 folks show up from around the area. Reminder: the Sacred Harp Singing (four shape) will take place once per month on the second Sunday of each month at Hemphill Community Center until the pandemic is over. Come join us and sing. It does the heart good.

Yoko Nogami (left) is pictured with Randy Wilson.

Yoko Nogami (left) is pictured with Randy Wilson.

The Letcher County Culture Hub has helped us with funds to build a large pavilion so family gatherings and outside marketing of goods made or grown in our community can also happen on Saturday mornings. Please feel free to schedule outside events when you need to. We ask the scheduling to omit Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. as we want to encourage a neighborhood marketplace for cottage industry and entrepreneurial pursuits. We have a vision to boost the economy through tourism and cottage industry. Hopefully you will add us to your list of stops on Saturday mornings since the bakery is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Letcher County Culture Hub is trying to spend COVID-19 monies in such a way as to be useful in the post pandemic world although no one really knows yet what that world will look like. A million thanks to our Letcher County Culture Hub Partners. The new shelter will be dedicated to the Letcher County Culture Hub on the evening of Sept. 5 around 7 p.m. during the Coal Miner’s Music Event. Our esteemed Culture Hub Partners are invited to come and be with us for the dedication. Together we can do more. We own what we make!

We are adding unleavened communion bread to our list of offerings. Making this bread is a reverent and awesome thing. We make it from biblical natural ingredients. We use fine wheat flour, honey, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and milk. We will be glad to make it for you. Call ahead please! We will be happy to make it for gatherings of any size. We are imperfect sheep making the best bread.

Narcotics Anonymous Facilitators Frankie Bentley and Evelyn Adkins have changed the location for the Hope Without Dope NA meetings that were scheduled two times weekly at the Hemphill Community Center. The meetings will be held at Fishpond Lake each Sunday evening at 6 p.m. All are welcome. Social distancing and larger gatherings are easier in the outdoors. Governmental restrictions on in-house gatherings have deemed this change necessary for the time being.

If you are interested in T-shirts and aprons check out our merchandise page website above. You can purchase online.

We will get back to having live music as soon as restrictions are lifted. We are so looking forward to that. Likewise NA classes will resume inside asap.

Don’t forget if you want to ensure you get what you need please call and place an order with us by Monday evening the week you need it. That way we will have a heads up and can plan our week for maximum efficiency to make your request. We want our products to be fresh so we do not make things days ahead. We do not use preservatives therefore we cannot make things much ahead. Our GMO-free products are made by hand the ancient way. Our breads and pastries take all day to make. Many of them are made from fermentation methods that take 24 hours or more.

Holiday mornings we will always be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. to allow folks to pick up special orders and things we have on hand. Please do not try to order online. We cannot check messages if we are really busy. Call (971) 867-4337 to order. If there is no answer call back, please. We do not have call waiting. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Weekly Quote: Be the change that you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi

Schedule of activities:

Saturday Sept. 5, from 6 – 9 p.m.: Coal Miners Live Music Event. Outdoors. Social distance required. Masks required. Bring a chair. Tealight candles and flowers for the Coal Miner’s monument are encouraged. Join us as we honor the labor of those who fueled the industrial revolutions and provided the coal to melt the steel for the implements of war won the World Wars. We hold coal miners in high esteem in this community and if you are or have been one we hope to see you at this event. We only ask you to maintain a six-foot distance from others and wear a mask. We do not want to spread this COVID-19 virus by being foolhardy. Pop-up tents are welcome for your family if you like. Bring your own chairs.

Sunday Sept. 13, from 2 to 5 p.m.: Sacred Harp monthly shape note singing. This event will be held outside in the new shelter. Social distance and masks are required to sing. Ecumenical with everyone welcome regardless of church affiliation or lack of. A perfectly great gathering of fine and not so fine singers. Come and gather with us.

Stay safe and sound! We will make it through this with the help of God and our leaders. Cooperation and extreme care are what it takes. See you soon!

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:21-23

Leave a Reply