We've had a lively discussion today, with about a dozen women, representing  Hersong (Quad Cities, IL/IA), Artemis Singers (Chicago, IL), Muse  (Cincinnati, OH), Womonsong (Madison, WI), Sistrum (Lansing, MI), Grand  Rapids (MI) Women's Chorus, Bread & Roses (DeKalb, IL), and one individual  member who travelled over 1000 miles to get here from Texas. Both long-time  Sister Singers Network members and more recently formed choruses were  represented.

 *  SSN History

 Three long-time members of the policy and planning committee were at the  meeting. Through their experience and several past issues of the SSN  newsletter, we briefly reviewed the history of SSN. We also talked a little  about what we know about the history of GALA, and we reiterated our belief  that we need a distinct, noncompeting organization.

 *  Philosophy & mission

 We talked about the importance of maintaining a feminist women's choral  network. Following is the mission statement of SSN:

 Sister Singers Network nurtures the spirit, energy, and diversity of the  women's choral movement by serving as a resource for a responsible music  sharing, communication among women's choral groups, production of regional,  national, and international choral festivals, and active support of women  composers and arrangers. Membership is open to women's choral groups, women  composers and arrangers, and individual women.

 * Structure

 We talked a little about structure but feel that the structure will evolve over the next year or two as various SSN activities, including a festival,  continue to take place.

 * Communications, including information/music sharing

 We agree that the informal sharing of music and basic information about  choral singing and group organization is one of the vital things we get out  of meeting together, and we want to make sure it continues. We think that  the Internet, via the vehicles of choruswomen (or possible a clearly SSN
 listserv) and the SSN web site, can help broaden this experience.

 We applaud the work of Eileen Stone in establishing and maintaining the  choruswomen listserv and Carol Wheeler in setting up the SSN web site.  Excellent work!

 * Membership/mailing list/directory

 We recognize that there are some questions about this. We think it's  important to clarify what choruses consider themselves part of SSN and/or  want to be. Naomi Siegal (SSN Hub) is currently keeper of the 'official'  list. Various efforts are afoot to update this information, and we will be
 happy to see the result of those efforts.

 * Festival

 We love to sing together! Grand Rapids Women's Chorus and Sistrum: Lansing  Women's Chorus have graciously offered to host/organize a Sister Singers  Network Festival to be held in Grand Rapids in spring/summer 2001.