The Sacred Wing happens because some members of Gay Abandon and some members of the congregation of All Hallows Church in Leeds like to sing sacred choral music and get a few friends to join in.

We come together every autumn to prepare a community concert in December. The first part of the evening is an accessible choral piece, sometimes recognising World Aids Day at the beginning of the month by remembering those we have lost. After coffee and mince pies, the second part is our take on the traditional Festival of Lessons and Carols - the chorus leads everyone in singing popular Christmas carols, and the readings reflect our experiences throughout the year and at this season.

Our most recent concert, on Sunday 16th December 2007 at All Hallows, featured Handel's Zadok the Priest and Vivaldi's Gloria conducted by Dr David Fligg. You can still download the programme, although it doesn't mention a couple of extra treats from the choir, and you can see some photos on flickr. Watch this space to see what we're singing next year; if you're interested in singing get in touch and we'll let you know about rehearsals sometime in Spetember or October.

The concerts are free, but we take a retiring collection which covers minimal expenses and leaves a profit to be donated to local Aids charities. As the concerts are very popular, it's a good idea to arrive early if you want to be sure of sitting on a chair.

Membership of the chorus changes from year to year, but a core team and our musical director, David Fligg, has provided continuity since we started. We are lucky to be able to use All Hallows which aims to be an open, welcoming and inclusive church. (One evening the then vicar, Ray Gaston, introduced us as the sacred wing of Gay Abandon; it's not quite accurate, but we liked the name so much that it stuck.)

Like its audience, the Sacred Wing includes people of different faiths or none and a range of sexualities. The only membership criteria are an enjoyment of singing sacred music and an abhorrence of homophobia. If you'd like to sing with us, just drop us an e-mail – or better still, come to the concert and talk to any of us about what's involved.