Members of Calgary’s LGBTQ community are protesting the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada for setting up its chaplaincy truck just one block from the city’s pride crosswalk on Stephen Avenue.

The Billy Graham Association is under fire for stating on its Canadian website that sex is, “only to be enjoyed within a marriage between a man and a woman.”

The group has parked its Rapid Response truck across the street from the Telus Convention Centre to act as an exhibitor during the 25th annual Pentecostal World Conference, running from Aug. 27 to Aug. 30.

According to the Billy Graham website, the truck is meant to be used for the organization’s disaster relief program, to provide emotional and spiritual care for anyone affected by a natural or man-made disaster.

LGBTQ member Mike Morrison invited other allies of the Pride community for a peaceful demonstration at noon Thursday in front of the Billy Graham truck. 

Morrison says he’ll proudly be waving the rainbow flag.

“It’s Pride Week in Calgary and pride is absolutely meant to be a protest,” he said. 

“Billy Graham is one of the most homophobic organizations in the world and they basically spend their time trying to dismantle LGBTQ rights and I just wanted to let people know that we’re here.”

A spokesperson for the City of Calgary said the decision to allow the Billy Graham truck to set up on Stephen Avenue was made by the Calgary Downtown Association. 

Executive director Marco de Iaco says a vehicle access permit was granted for the Pentecostal World Conference to have an “emergency response vehicle” parked on Stephen Avenue during the convention.

“Who the Pentecostal Convention invites is their decision," he said.

“We are very supportive of Calgary Pride and the pride crosswalks”.

He had no answer for how allowing the trailer represents support for pride and said there’s no plan to remove the trailer.

The convention ends Friday.

Meanwhile, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says it is more than happy to engage with pride community members through peaceful and loving conversations. 

Merle Doherty, manager of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, says the group was not aware it was pride week in Calgary, but they believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. 

“We follow our scriptural tidings and those are to say that we are to be like God and God is love, so we demonstrate that by being with you in the present,” Doherty said. 

“As an example, if you were having something in your life that was traumatizing, then we would be with you in the present and we would be your ears listening to what’s going on with you in your heart and we would love into that situation.”

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says it loves everyone and has provided relief around the world, including at the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando where gay community members were directly targeted. 

Calgary police officers were seen on Stephen Avenue and will be in attendance for the peaceful protest at noon.