Church cranked up early in Atlanta this weekend, and Atlanta West Pentecostal Church walked away $5,000 the richer for it.
The church's choir from Lithia Springs finished among the three finalists Saturday night in the Verizon Wireless "How Sweet the Sound" competition. It took the People's Choice award and the check that went with it.
A sing-off had winnowed 78 of the best church choirs from across the nation to 11 finalists that attracted nearly 10,000 people to Philips Arena to listen.
The spirited and emotional singers from Atlanta West brought the crowd to its feet and a little bit of heaven to the floor with a hand-waving, soul-stirring rendition of, "We Lift Our Hands in Sanctuary."
Acme Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago took the top prize and $25,000. Burning Bush International Ministries of Ypsilanti, Mich., placed second, winning $15,000.
The three judges praised Atlanta West's performance as powerful, inspirational and natural.
Choir director Brandon Frazier said it was a performance like any Sunday, but for a larger crowd than West Atlanta's 600 members.
"I could feel the presence of the Lord when we were singing, and I was just reacting to that," he said. "It felt like church to me."
The appreciative audience got to sample different styles and dramatic presentations of songs that are heard Sunday mornings from New York City to Los Angeles.
"Right here, Philips Arena, has the best music in Atlanta tonight," said Rene Smart, a gospel music producer. "They are excellent, and the quality and diversity is really wonderful."
After a day of waiting and warming up, the choirs were like anxious race horses out of a gate by the time they finally got to the stage. Some were a little awed by the experience of competing with so much talent from across the country.
"A few of us are intimidated, because the choirs here are amazing," said Ryan Johns, an Atlanta West choir member and son of the church's pastor, the Rev. Darrell Johns.
Rod Hughes, choir director of New Direction Christian Church of Memphis, said while waiting to go on that the butterflies were fluttering, "but once we get up there, we'll feel right, just like when we sing on a weekly basis."
Frazier said Atlanta West hopes to use its prize money to record a CD.
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