Renewal Choir proudly released our first album
What He Started captures 11 songs — mostly original — including the charity single “Change The World” created in partnership with Christian Aid.
What He Started
Launched in Bristol (December 2012), this debut album marked a milestone — a “coming of age” moment for Renewal Choir. Featuring choir soloists, plus a guest appearance from local singer/songwriter Ikay Agu.
Huge thanks to producers Darren Poole (Abandon Music) and Nigel Ipinson-Fleming (Garage Gospel) — and to every choir member who stayed the course.
Tracklist
11 songs. One story. A journey of faith, resilience, and community.
| # | Title | Featured | Time | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Change the World | Geraldine Latty & Louise Willott | 4:01 | £0.79 | View |
| 2 | That I May Know | Vernon Samuels | 4:12 | £0.79 | View |
| 3 | Heartstrings | Janine Morris | 6:45 | £0.79 | View |
| 4 | What He Started | Robyn Samuels | 3:32 | £0.79 | View |
| 5 | The Reason I Believe | Ikay Agu | 5:48 | £0.79 | View |
| 6 | Come To Jesus | Geraldine Latty | 7:38 | £0.79 | View |
| 7 | That's Why We Praise Him | Geraldine Latty | 3:39 | £0.79 | View |
| 8 | You Reign | Janine Morris | 4:23 | £0.79 | View |
| 9 | Psalm 42 | Louise Willott | 4:26 | £0.79 | View |
| 10 | Amazing Grace | Julia Morris | 4:37 | £0.79 | View |
| 11 | Fountain of Life | Louise Willott | 4:28 | £0.79 | View |
Behind the scenes
This album took time — and it took people. The studio moments, the small wins, the laughter, and the push to finish.
A God-size challenge
We were known for powerful covers. Original songs took us further — helping establish Renewal as one of Bristol’s leading gospel choirs, and marking a major milestone for the organisation.
Not a sprint
What we thought would take months stretched into years. Stop-start schedules. Tight cashflow. Big commitments. But we stayed with it — and in December 2012, the album was finished, pressed, and on sale at our Christmas concert.
Built by community
A dedicated core of singers and musicians carried the vision — shaped under the inspirational leadership of Choir Director Kim Samuels, with a desire to take our impact to the next level.
Watch: the journey
A short video snapshot of the story behind the music, the process, and the people who made it possible.
Desire alone isn’t enough
Turning passion into a sound that carries the lyric and the message takes craft — and a team committed to excellence.
Darren Poole led production and mixing with creativity and care. Nigel Ipinson-Fleming helped shape and develop many of the songs. Phil Barclay brought musical direction, keyboard brilliance, and technical input.
The moments that kept us going
The journey was long — but full of joy. From food and cakes, to dance breaks, to quick wit in the room — the community carried the mission forward.
- Debbie’s cakes and Phyllis’ food — fuel for the marathon
- Paul’s technical ingenuity — solutions when we needed them most
- Phil’s calm steadiness — keeping the ship stable
- Astrid & Janet — dance energy to “That I May Know”
- Geraldine — that bubbly lyric on “That’s Why We Praise Him”
- Lorna — sharp humour at the perfect moment
And now unto Him…
“To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think” — we’re grateful for favour, strength, and every hand that helped.
