By Staff
For The Advance
When Harlan and Sharla Morgan starting traveling the evangelistic circuit in 1996, they brought with them a box of cassettes received a few days prior to their departure. The couple had recorded nine songs in a Louisiana studio and titled their first gospel music project, "For Such a Time."
"We felt that God had ordained us for the work we were beginning, so the title of our cassette said a lot for us," stated the young evangelist.
During two and one-half years of full-time travel, the Morgans preached the gospel and sang in churches throughout the south, from Texas to Florida and up into Kansas. They made their cassettes available everywhere they went.
By the time the second order of cassettes had been depleted, the Morgans had settled as Assistant Pastor and Director of Youth at First United Pentecostal Church in DeQuincy, Louisiana, and decided against ordering another shipment of cassettes.
The Morgans, however, recently decided to reproduce the 1996 recording, making a few changes, and make it available again in CD form.
"We edited a few of the songs, making some changes to some things that we were not happy with on the first project. In fact, we completely deleted one of the songs, bringing the number of songs from the original project down to eight."
The Morgans, however, have had an addition to their family since the 1996 recording, which provided another voice to sing. On the new release, five-year-old Caleb Morgan sings the Bill Gaither song, "I Am A Promise."
"We think Caleb did a great job on the song, putting a lot of feeling into it. At the end, he gives a little laugh, which we chose to leave on the recording. It adds his personality to the project."
The Morgans also included an acapella version of "His Name is Wonderful." They are joined on this song and several others by Alfred Gibson of Bridge City, Texas. (www.alfredtgibson.com
The final cut of the recording is unique. Pastor Harlan Morgan has been singing since about age 7 or 8. He began singing in churches while the family lived in Kansas. In 1984, at age 12, Morgan sang at First United Pentecostal Church in DeQuincy, Louisiana (where he eventually became assistant pastor), and the song was recorded. This song, "What's That I Hear," is included on the project. The response of the congregation and Pastor T.D. Cardwell can be heard on the recording.
Four original songs written by Harlan and Sharla Morgan are also included on the project, For Such a Time, In the Morning, Until You've Been to Calvary, and He Didn't Have to Do It. Other songs included are Surely, Jesus Satisfies, I Can't Complain, and I Found a Better Way.
The new CD should be available for sale within two weeks. CD's will be sold for $12.00. To obtain a copy, send a check or money order to Harlan Morgan, PO Box 147, Atmore, AL, 36504. Please include $3.00 for shipping and handling. You can also contact the Morgans at BamaMorgans@frontiernet.net or by calling 251-368-8338.
The Morgans are exploring the possibility of recording a brand new project this year.