Queen City Pride draws attention to 'Statement of Faith' from group behind stadium worship event
As pride month activities kick off in Regina, Queen City Pride is raising concerns over a free music and worship event happening at Mosaic Stadium.
They say the beliefs and intentions of the event have not been made entirely clear for all those planning to attend.
The website for “Come Together,” happening June 7 and 8, has messaging like “Yes! God wants to meet you at Mosaic Stadium!” and “where God and country meet,” but some billboards and other ads are more vague.
“Seems dishonest to tell people it's for country music, it just seems a little uncomfortable for us and we were really disheartened that REAL would allow something like that to happen,” Queen City Pride Co-Chair Riviera Bonneau said at a flag raising event at Regina City Hall.
The Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) is managing the stadium rental.
“The event owner, Gospel Fire, is paying for all expenses associated with that rental and is planning all programming elements,” REAL said in a statement to CTV News. “All facilities on the REAL District are public facilities available for rent by registered organizations."
REAL also said it cannot disclose other contractual information.
The full name of the group behind the event is “Gospel Fire for All Nations,” a ministry group that lists its mailing address in Tisdale, Sask.
Within the Gospel Fire website is a “Statement of Faith” that includes several anti-LBTQ2S+ statements including:
- “Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.”
- “The Original Gospel Ministries will only recognize marriages between a biological man and a biological woman. Further, the pastors, ministers, clergy and staff of the organization shall only solemnize marriages between one man and one woman.”
- “We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God.”
"They are free to do whatever they want, any religious group, but when they cross the line is when they attack a community, when they make hate statements towards people,” said Mirtha Rivera, the other co-chair of Queen City Pride.
Gospel Fire did not respond to a request for comment in time for broadcast.
The event is also drawing criticism from local denominations.
"Lakeview United is an affirming church, and we have a very important voice to be loud about everyone is loved by God,” Reverend Carla Blakley said, the pastor at Regina’s Lakeview United Church. “The church has done great damage, spiritual abuse to the 2SLGBTQIA population. And for that we need to apologize and we need to start doing better.”
Pride events kick off
The church is playing host to a pride prom Friday night, led by a group of queer youth known as Queer Connections YQR.
Maxwell Baiton, 17, was at the church Friday helping with the setup for the event. He said given the challenges LGBTQ2S+ youth have faced in Saskatchewan over the past year, events like this are an outlet.
“I want them to finally feel safe, I want them to feel secured in themselves and just who they are,” Baiton said. “They’re no longer treated as an ‘other.’ We are unified, we are one collective not person or thing, but we are together, we are not segregated. Everyone is welcome.”
Earlier in the day, Queen City Pride raised a pride flag outside city hall, saying policies like the Parents’ Bill of Rights have set the community back this year, but it’s reinforcing the importance and meaning of flying the rainbow flag outside city hall.
“It's one more day that I don't have to be afraid,” Rivera said. “It's one more day that I feel free to be with my chosen family and the community at large, and it's just telling everybody that we belong here, we're part of your community and we're still going to be fighting for our rights, doesn't matter what."
In addition to other events like the pride prom, Regina’s annual Pride Parade is set for June 15. Organizers say a record-breaking 130 entries have signed up to participate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau's 2024: Did the PM become less popular this year?
Justin Trudeau’s numbers have been relatively steady this calendar year, but they've also been at their worst, according to tracking data from CTV News pollster Nik Nanos.
Back on air: John Vennavally-Rao on reclaiming his career while living with cancer
'In February, there was a time when I thought my career as a TV reporter was over,' CTV News reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao writes.
The winter solstice is here, the Northern Hemisphere's darkest day
The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere — ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets.
Death toll in attack on Christmas market in Germany rises to 5 and more than 200 injured
Germans on Saturday mourned both the victims and their shaken sense of security after a Saudi doctor intentionally drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing at least five people, including a small child, and wounding at least 200 others.
Poilievre writes to GG calling for House recall, confidence vote after Singh declares he's ready to bring Liberals down
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has written to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, imploring her to 'use your authority to inform the prime minister that he must' recall the House of Commons so a non-confidence vote can be held. This move comes in light of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh publishing a letter stating his caucus 'will vote to bring this government down' sometime in 2025.
Overheated immigration system needed 'discipline' infusion: minister
An 'overheated' immigration system that admitted record numbers of newcomers to the country has harmed Canada's decades-old consensus on the benefits of immigration, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said, as he reflected on the changes in his department in a year-end interview.
School custodian stages surprise for Kitchener, Ont. students ahead of holiday break
He’s no Elf on the Shelf, but maybe closer to Ward of the Board.
Kelly Clarkson's subtle yet satisfying message to anyone single this Christmas
The singer and daytime-talk show host released a fireside video to accompany her 2021 holiday album, “When Christmas Comes Around” that she dubbed, “When Christmas Comes Around…Again.
Pope Francis reprimands Vatican staff for gossiping in annual Christmas message
Pope Francis told Vatican bureaucrats on Saturday to stop speaking ill of one another, as he once again used his annual Christmas greetings to admonish the backstabbing and gossiping among his closest collaborators.