A Saskatchewan Minister Wrote A Heartwarming Letter To The LGBT Community Asking For Forgiveness

"I ask you something which maybe I have no right to ask."

This is Rev. Jim Tenford and he has a message for his LGBT neighbours in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Jim Tenford

In honour of the prairie's city's third annual Pride festivities, Rev. Tenford wrote a heartfelt letter asking the LGBT community for forgiveness.

"Realistically, I know that persecution is still a reality for many of you and that indeed, the church is still a part of this," he wrote, adding that he's seen fellow Christians struggle with hostility from those who believe "being gay and Christian are mutually exclusive."

But this is the part that hit the hardest:

Another important part of Christianity is forgiveness and so I ask you something which maybe I have no right to ask. I ask that you forgive the church and those of us who claim to follow the Way of Christ. As in so many other matters of civil rights that humanity has struggled with, the church has often been slow to get on board but once we do, we can be powerful allies. A rapidly growing number of us want to walk with you into a better future, a future where there will be no us and you, but only we.

The original letter was published by Moose Jaw Times-Herald but can be read in full on the Moose Jaw Pride website.

The response was so overwhelming that Moose Jaw Pride's website went down, CBC reported.

Facebook: MooseJawPride

St. Andrews even held a Spirit of Diversity service in honour of Pride.

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Although the United Church of Canada is a relatively progressive faith, there are still those in the community with conservative views on LGBT issues.

Chris O'meara / AP

The organization has had policies welcoming members of all sexual orientations and identities since the 1980s and although the church's governing council officially welcomes same-sex marriages, different congregations hold different views.