At a special meeting September 13 of Diocesan Council, the Standing Committee and deans, Bishop John Lipscomb wanted to know what they've been hearing in their congregations. "I need your counsel," he said, "and I need us, together, to make clear decisions that we will use to lead this diocese in the next few months and the next year."

At this summer's General Convention in Minneapolis, the church approved an openly gay priest, who is currently in a committed relationship, as the next bishop of New Hampshire.

And while the convention backed away from resolutions calling for preparation of a liturgy for blessing same-gender relationships, it did recognize that such blessings are taking place in some dioceses and that "local faith communities are operating within the bounds of our common life" when they do so.

Conservatives have predicted that these votes would split the church and could possibly lead to the Episcopal Church's expulsion from the Anglican Communion. The American Anglican Council, a coalition of orthodox clergy and lay persons, is planning a meeting in Dallas, Texas, October 7-9, to discuss strategy, including "to prepare our congregations and ministries for possible realignment to insure an orthodox and vital Anglican/Episcopal presence in the United States," the AAC web site says.

One week later, the Archbishop of Canterbury will gather the 38 primates of the worldwide Anglican Communion in Lambeth Palace to discuss the actions of General Convention.

Diocesan position clear early on

Even before the votes at General Convention were taken, Bishop Lipscomb made it clear what the policy in the Diocese of Southwest Florida was going to be. He voted against the consent to the election of the Rev. Canon Gene Robinson as bishop coadjutor-elect in New Hampshire, and will not allow priests to perform same-gender blessings in the diocese.

That clarity has appeared to help soften negative reaction. At Church of the Holy Trinity in Clearwater, where the Rev. Joe Diaz has held classes and discussions on these issues over the years, said he had a "number of people come up and say 'thank you for the clarity.' "

The Rev. Chris Thompson, rector of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in St. Petersburg, observed that national issues may not interest parishioners as much as they used to. "We've moved to a place where the local congregation is of more importance than the diocese or the national church," he said. "You're not an Episcopalian for life anymore. You'll go where you're being [spiritually] fed. "I don't think it's that they don't care," Thompson added. " 'How is this going to affect me?' is the issue. And they don't see it affecting them."

Financial fallout?

Conservative groups including the AAC have encouraged parishioners and dioceses to protest by withholding funds to liberal dioceses and the national church. Bishop Lipscomb disagrees with that tactic and says the diocese is committed to paying its full asking to the national church, which in 2004 will be $428,731. Whether or not enough people will withhold pledges to affect the diocese remains to be seen. The bishop, though, has said he will continue to focus on the mission and ministry of the church. "I'm going to continue to lead this diocese within the Episcopal Church and do the best we can to be a force for healing and reconciliation with the life of our church and the life of our community," he said at the Sept. 9 Tampa Deanery convocation.

Meanwhile, diocesan leaders will continue to meet. Clergy in the diocese will gather for the second time in six weeks to discuss sexuality issues in Sarasota on October 2. Several clergy and well as three members of the Standing Committee from the diocese are scheduled to attend the Dallas meeting in October. And Bishop Lipscomb has a meeting with another group of bishops to discuss sexuality issues in Toronto.