The Agape Force Un-Choir album
was recorded by Winkie Pratney in the sanctuary of an
Assembly of God Church in Fresno, California. The pastor's
name was Mohrmon and he was a great friend of the ministry,
often teaching us during the week (we would come to the
church for those sessions), even before the first official
discipleship schools were formed.
Those early, early days were a mix of ministry, study and
work (chores). Not extremely structured. More impromptu,
depending on the opportunities that presented themselves on
a daily basis. I think the cover art (Paul Annan) is
reflective, not only of the time (early 70's), but of the
more fluid, organic, flexible nature of the ministry at
that time.
My recollections of the recording session for this album
were that everyone in the ministry (with very few
exceptions) participated. We gathered in the choir loft and
Winkie set up a reel to reel recorder down in front at the
mouth of the isle between the two rows of pews. For this
project I ended up being the biggest problem because I was
way too loud. Even singing from the back row and trying
hard to blend in I was still too loud. Finally, they told
me to sing out and vamp all I wanted, but I had to turn and
face the back wall while I did it.
We might have been terrible, but we sang our hearts out and
our hearts are what showed through I think. I'm trying to
remember more details about the sessions and the time
leading up to them. Our custom was to have a prayer meeting
before doing anything like this, but I don't have specific
memories of that day, except my embarrassment over being
singled out again and again because I was too loud.
The following pages are QuickTime files of the songs on the
album. Enjoy.