Welcome to this page designed to empower the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with information to make informed choices about safe places of worship and life celebration events with Okanagan churches and faith-based organizations.
Trigger Warning: Descriptions of doctrine that members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community may find triggering.
In the realm of so-called conversion therapy and efforts to change sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGIECE), religious doctrines often play a significant role. Frustrated by the use of “religious freedom” as a cover for hate speech and expressions of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia disguised as love, this page serves as a resource on local churches, indicating whether they provide safe spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. While this list is currently a small sample focused on the Okanagan region, it reveals that only a minute percentage of churches actively support the community.
The pervasive impact of anti-gay and anti-trans doctrines extends into various aspects of our lives, influencing our interactions at work, with elected representatives, during shopping experiences, at our children’s schools, and even within family circles. Despite the suggestion to “not attend that church if you don’t like it,” the reality is that these beliefs affect us on a daily basis. Another justification often offered is that “they’re not forcing anyone to change,” which, in reality, is untrue. This underscores the need to ban conversion efforts, known as “conversion therapy” at all levels of government, particularly for vulnerable youth who may internalize damaging beliefs about their identity due to teachings from pastors and, in some cases, their own parents.
If you have information to add or edit to this list please submit it through the form at the bottom of this page..
| 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming. Public information contains welcoming language. | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space. Homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia are inferred in doctrine and teachings. | 🔴 Extreme warning: Openly homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language used to attack the queer community. |
| Centre for Spiritual Living Kelowna | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – We welcome people of all races, religions, sexual orientations and social backgrounds. This is a place of dignity and love that communicates and celebrates the positive aspects of humankind and the world around us. |
| Central Okanagan United Church | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – No matter your age, faith, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We are holding worship in person at our downtown location, 721 Bernard Ave at 10am on Sundays, and this is also available to stream on our Facebook page or join via Zoom. There is coffee and tea and socializing after the service in our Fellowship Hall. |
| Kelowna Unitarians | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – The Kelowna Unitarians has been a Welcoming Congregation since 1997. That’s the year we completed the special Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) program. As a congregation we voted to affirm that we “welcome the membership and active participation of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and/or transgender people.” |
| St Andrew, Kelowna | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people can be sure they’ll receive a welcome in many Anglican parish churches across Canada. |
| St Michael and All Angels Cathedral, Kelowna | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people can be sure they’ll receive a welcome in many Anglican parish churches across Canada. |
| St Saviour, Penticton | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people can be sure they’ll receive a welcome in many Anglican parish churches across Canada. |
| Winfield United Church | 🏳️🌈 Openly welcoming – No matter who you are, no matter where you’re at, no matter what you believe, no matter who you love, you belong here! |
| Bethel Church Kelowna | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Marriage is between a man and a woman. |
| C3 Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Marriage was instituted by God, ratified by Jesus, and is exclusively between a man and a woman. |
| Calvary Chapel Kelowna | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – God created men and women distinct, to complement and to support one another. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. Jesus reaffirmed marriage in the New Testament. Sex is reserved for the covenant of marriage. |
| Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Sexual relations between a man and woman who are not married, or between people of the same sex, violate one of our Father in Heaven’s most important laws and get in the way of our eternal progress. |
| Emmanuel Church, West Kelowna Evangel Church, Kelowna (EC) | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church’s statement, “We have maintained a strong position against premarital, extramarital, and deviant sex, including homosexual and lesbian relationships, refusing to accept the loose moral standards of our society. We commit ourselves to maintaining this disciplined lifestyle with regard to our bodies. 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church’s statement, “We have maintained a strong position against premarital, extramarital, and deviant sex, including homosexual and lesbian relationships, refusing to accept the loose moral standards of our society. We commit ourselves to maintaining this disciplined lifestyle with regard to our bodies. This church has partnered with Journey Canada, an organization that specializes in “conversion therapy”. |
| First Lutheran Church, Kelowna | 🟠 Warning: Have not replied to requests for information. |
| Grace Baptist Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – We believe marriage is the institution of the Lord whereby one man and one woman are joined together in a one-flesh union in which each makes a lifelong covenant with the Lord and one another as outlined in the Scriptures. |
| Green Bay Bible Camp | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space. Parents have reported that religious doctrine is used to tell children that marriage is only between a man and a woman, as well as using anti-trans narratives. The camp has a written code of conduct which includes describing homosexuality as an abomination that could be dealt with by praying that the demon of homosexuality leave a person. |
| Harvest Church Kelowna | 🔴 Extreme Warning: Openly homophobic and transphobic – Live streamed events and recordings contain homophobic and transphobic attacks on the queer community. The pastor has referred to people in the queer community as groomers. |
| Hope Bible Church Kelowna | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Member of Great Commission Collective: We believe that marriage is created by God to be shared between one biological man and one biological woman, in a lifelong holy covenant, for the purpose of companionship, sexual intimacy, and procreation. Our created gender, sexuality, and sexual fulfillment are gifts from the Creator and are to be embraced with gratitude and worship. |
| Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church Kelowna Kelowna Buddhist Temple | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – the Catholic church is known for speaking out against same-sex marriage, has openly lobbied against the conversion therapy ban, and considers homosexual sexual activity a sin. Waiting for a response. |
| Kelowna Christian Center | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – When asked if they are supportive of the queer community a spokesperson said “it’s complicated let’s meet in person.” |
| Kelowna Gospel Fellowship | 🔴 Extreme Warning: Openly homophobic and transphobic – KGF Church is a member of the family of British Columbia Mennonite Brethren Churches. Disciples maintain sexual purity and marital faithfulness and reject immoral premarital and extramarital relationships and all homosexual practices. From a first-hand account of someone who was a member for 6 years: “they dismissed me and another queer-identifying friend from volunteering (actually, they said I could “stay”… since I “didn’t appear queer”… since I’m bi and married to another gender… hetero passing… which is a whole other level of discrimination.” |
| Kelowna Islamic Center | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – past experience with homophobic practices. |
| Kelowna Vineyard Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – We do not allow Vineyard pastors to marry same-sex couples. |
| Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – We adhere to God’s original standard of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, with sexual immorality being the only valid basis for divorce. |
| Lake Country Alliance | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – members practice conversion efforts and lead pastor describes homosexuality as a sin. |
| Mission Creek Alliance Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Belongs to the Christian and Missionary Alliance group. Labels homosexuality, same-sex attraction, and those who question their gendered identity as sin and rebellion against God. This church has partnered with Journey Canada, an organization that specializes in “conversion therapy”. |
| Mission Springs Church of God | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – doctrine is that recognized marriage is between a man and a woman |
| Mountainview Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – doctrine is that recognized marriage is between a man and a woman. Is affiliated with Teen Challenge which teaches courses on “Sexual Purity”, which includes conversion practices and curbing same-sex attractions. |
| New Life Church Okanagan Sikh Temple | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – mens’ group teaches the Biblical version of masculinity. Waiting for a response. |
| Praxis Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – We do not condone same-sex marriage or homosexual lifestyles. Additionally, we believe that God has created men and women as two distinct sexual beings. Any discrepancy between one[‘]s biological sex and gender identity is due to the effects of sin in the world. |
| Providence Baptist Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – We believe marriage is the institution of the Lord whereby one man and one woman are joined together in a one-flesh union in which each makes a lifelong covenant with the Lord and one another as outlined in the Scriptures. |
| St. Charles Garnier Parish | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Catholic |
| The House | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Marriage is a provision of God wherein one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others enter into a lifelong relationship. Marriage can only be broken by porneia, which is understood as marital unfaithfulness involving adultery, homosexuality, or incest. |
| Trinity Church Kelowna | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – God’s design – God created us male and female and God intended the male would become a husband and the female would become a wife. All sexual activity would happen between husband and wife within the sanctity of marriage. — Finding Sexual North: Immorality is Still Immoral Wayne Alguire, March 9/10, 2019 |
| Victory Life Westmount Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Partners with Anti-LGBTQ evangelist Kenneth Copeland Ministries. 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – We believe the Bible teaches that marriage refers to the covenant relationship exclusively between one man and one woman, as instituted by God in the beginning. |
| Willow Park Church | 🟠 Warning: Not a safe space – Belongs to Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren. Website states: Disciples maintain sexual purity and marital faithfulness and reject immoral premarital and extramarital relationships and all homosexual practices. |