REGINA -- A colorful celebration took place on Maxwell Crescent on Sunday morning. The goal was to remind youth and all those in the LGBTQ2S+ community they are accepted and loved just as they are.

The rally follows a sermon given last Sunday at Regina’s Victory Church that many in the pride community are saying was hate-filled and damaging.

"I wanted to be here today to show the youth that it is okay to be who you are whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual trans. you belong here," Flo Mingo, a Regina Drag Queen said Sunday.

The rally was organized by the queer community after the church posted a sermon on Facebook titled Raising Godly Children.

During the sermon, Pastor Terry Murphy compared members of the LGBTQ2S+ community to pedophiles, and expressed the belief that sex should only occur “between a man and a woman.”

"I was a Christian when I was a teenager and the pressure to conform was so strong that I ended up denying some really important parts of myself and the impact that that had on me was very savvier. I was suicidal because of it,” Taryn Wahl, a rally participant said.

While they're not alone, others told stories about finding acceptance from other congregations.

"Thankfully with the help of a lot of ministers who're in accepting places I was able to understand that it didn't matter what I was feeling. Attraction to other genders, to my own gender and also feeling that I wasn't completely cis gender. I identify as gender fluid and to understand that all of those are who god made me to be and that’s okay,” Andie Bourque, the Queen City Pride Treasurer said.

On Saturday Pastor Terry Murphy did post a video on the Regina Victory Church Facebook page apologizing if the sermon was offensive to some.

In part he said “the message was never intended to condemn the LGBT community nor was there any intention to conflate your community with pedophilia.”

CTV News reached out to Murphy for a response but didn't hear back.

Meanwhile, those who attended Sunday’s rally were happy to see not only LGBTQ2S+ members but also ally's showing their support.

"My whole mission since I started doing drag has been to show the youth that you can be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons stand out be proud and be who you truly are," Flo Mingo said.