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.