Magnolia Springs to celebrate 100th anniversary June 2

The Magnolia Springs Homecoming and Singing Convention celebrates their 100th anniversary June 2 at 2 p.m. through noon June 3.

The first Magnolia Springs homecoming was held June 1-2, 1907, the first weekend in June. It has traditionally been held the first Saturday and Sunday since that time.

The Magnolia Springs Church was a union church because it served two congregations, the Magnolia Springs Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Fellowship Baptist Church. The congregations would alternately hold services every other week.

Then, Methodists and Baptists from around the county would meet together homecoming weekend for traditional shape note singing, listening to quartets and dinner Sundays at noon.

Shape note singing emphasizes a singer's ability to pick up a new piece of music and sing it perfectly following the shapes given to sing a song. Publishers or their sales representatives (usually the visiting quartet singers) would come to the conventions to sell this type of book. The new songs from these books would give the singers a challenge at the conventions.

According to early newspaper articles, the Jasper County Singing Convention was organized by George Perkins and others sometime between 1907 and 1915. The conventions were a time of singing new songs, visiting with friends and eating.

This convention is a free nondenominational service, hosted by the Magnolia Springs United Methodist Church on FM 1005 in Magnolia Springs.

This year singing groups will be The Revived, Holly Family, Merl and the Gospel Four, and the Victory in Jesus Singers; along with congregation and local singers. This event takes place June 2 at 2 p.m. From 5-6 p.m. everything will shut down for an old fashion dinner. The evening will end at 10 p.m.

A congregational old time sing along will be June 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon and covered dishes are appreciated.

For more information contact Jackie Norsworthy at 423-4541 or A.O. Norsworthy at 423-2998.