Disenchanted Episcopalians to realign?

WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) — Thousands of Episcopalians who oppose the church's election of an openly gay bishop gathered Saturday to discuss forming their own network of dioceses and congregations — a move that could become official next weekend.

The two-day "Plano East Conference" attracted about 3,000 church members from 47 dioceses across the country.

They discussed forming the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, a group of 12 dioceses that hopes to realign itself with the worldwide Anglican Communion without separating from the Episcopal Church.

"We're in a mission to take back the church, to create a whole new way of life," said the Rev. Thomas G. Herrick, vicar of Christ the Redeemer Episcopal Church in Centreville.

Conservative Episcopalians are angry over church decisions last year to approve gay priest V. Gene Robinson as a bishop in New Hampshire, and to allow blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples.

"Homosexuals are due their civil rights, and I am in no way challenging that," said Fred Haeberer of Stafford County, Va. "However, this is a spiritual realm, and our church is founded on Scriptures that define homosexuality as a sin."

Internationally, Anglican church leaders have threatened to cut ties with the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church, the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion.

The Virginia gathering was sponsored by the American Anglican Council, a network of conservative bishops, clergy and laity within the Episcopal Church.

Council chancellor A. Hugo Blankingship Jr., said the group is not asking anyone to leave the Episcopal Church, but to consider a program allowing congregations in parishes who disagree with their bishops' beliefs to align with a bishop outside their diocese whose views they share.