Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir is a London-based, auditioned gospel choir whose mission is "to spread a message of faith, hope, and love through contemporary gospel music; to create performances full of life-affirming joy and soulful celebration, collaborating with other artists and art forms; and to support and work with a diverse range of like-minded churches, charities, and communities."[1]
In pursuit of this goal, the choir which became a registered charity and incorporated organisation in January 2018 currently has three main activities: first, Soul at Saint James,[2][3] an outdoor festival of music and spoken word at St James's Piccadilly on the first Sunday of the month, themed each month according to a fundamental human value and accessible to all comers, not just church goers; second, regular ministry and concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields; and third, prison ministry, usually in prison chapels but also elsewhere.
Otherwise the choir has a full diary of other performances and recordings, highlights of which were singing on Mica Paris's first gospel album[4] "Gospel" and in Sky Arts "The Night Watchmen's Nativity" in 2020,[5] the 2021 Festival of Remembrance at The Albert Hall and in the 2023 feature film "Greatest Days".
A Night to Remember (with Mica Paris) at St Edmundsbury Cathedral[12]
'The Prayer' - virtual choir video made during the coronavirus lockdown (2020)[13]
'Rise Within Us - The Coming of the Spirit' recording celebrating Pentecost, dedicated to the staff and prisoners of HMP Wandsworth, released 31 May 2020[14]
'Daily Service', BBC Radio 4, Maida Vale Studios, Summer 2018
'Get Up and Flee- The Flight to Egypt[21]', BBC Radio 4
'At the foot of the Cross', BBC Radio 2, Maida Vale Studios, Good Friday 2020 (pre-recorded)[22]
TV appearances
In 2019, the choir appeared in the second of a two part TV documentary, 'Britain's Easter Story' which was presented by Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson. The 5 minute segment of the documentary showed the choir in rehearsal at Farm Street Church followed by a performance in church. The choir performed excerpts from 'The Resurrection' a selection of contemporary gospel songs, which tell the story of Jesus's resurrection.[citation needed]
