Howard opened the convention with a sermon that called for reconciliation between the diocese and those theological conservatives who demand the Episcopal Church repent for its actions.

"We may disagree and have heated conversations, but I insist we remain engaged ... and never, ever leave the table to which God has called us," Howard said.

But he quickly added that efforts at dialogue will not come at the cost of dividing the diocese, diverting it from its gospel mission or ending its relationship with the Episcopal Church.

"Those who feel you must leave, I say, follow your conscience," Howard said. "But if you leave I will not follow you. (And herein is the ONLY Good News) I cannot follow you because I am charged with guarding the unity of this church."

It was a victorious day for Howard and other Episcopalians in the 35,000-member diocese opposed to splitting from the Episcopal Church.

On the table during the Jacksonville-based diocese's convention were a handful of resolutions calling for the diocese to distance itself from the Episcopal Church and to strengthen ties with the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which the denomination is a part. All those resolutions were defeated.

The one-day convention was at the diocese's rural retreat center in Suwannee County west of Lake City. Nearly 500 Episcopalians, including 350 lay and clergy delegates, attended from 77 parishes in 25 Northeast Florida counties.

The first sign of the convention's direction came in mid-morning, when delegates defeated a resolution to allow congregations that may leave the diocese to retain ownership of parish property.

Another resolution urged the diocese to declare itself "in serious theological dispute" with the denomination because the Episcopal Church is "in contradiction of Christian moral standards."

That measure, which also asked the diocese to seek oversight from the Anglican Communion, was voted down.

Lay delegate Johnny Sarber of Calvary Church in Jacksonville, a co-sponsor of the resolution, said alternate leadership is necessary to distance itself from the "sexual immorality" condoned by the Episcopal Church.

But retired Bishop Charles Keyser, interim rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Ortega, countered that the resolution would marginalize Howard's effectiveness as an orthodox bishop at the denominational level.

A resolution asking Howard to refrain from receiving communion with the gay bishop, the Right Rev. V. Eugene Robinson, was withdrawn. Another, prohibiting the diocese from forwarding parish money to the denomination, was defeated.

Another key item of business Saturday was the election of deputies who will represent the diocese at the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church. That convention is considered to be pivotal because the denomination could decide to reverse course or continue its recognition of actively gay clergy and same-sex unions.

"The ultra-conservative candidates were not elected," Paul Van Brunt, a spokesman for the diocese, said of the four lay, four clergy deputies and eight alternates who were chosen.

There was a heated moment during the afternoon session when a priest announced from a microphone that he had been "physically assaulted" by a layman who was upset over the priest's public support of another priest who had left the diocese and the Episcopal Church. As the two men leveled the charges at each other, Howard pointed to both and demanded an end to the shouting.

"Enough, enough, enough," Howard said from his seat behind and to the right of the podium.

Episcopalians who wanted the diocese to take a tougher stance against the denomination Saturday were disappointed, but not surprised, at the outcome of the day's voting.

"We expected all these things to go down," said lay delegate Lynn Lindsay, a parishioner at All Souls Church in Mandarin. "The deck is stacked against us."

The Rev. David Sandifer, vicar at Calvary Church in Jacksonville, said he was saddened by the outcome of Saturday's voting.

"The difference in our diocese is not whether it [the denomination] has erred, but to what degree we ... identify ourselves publicly with the Episcopal Church USA," Sandifer said.

The Rev. Neil Lebhar, rector at the Church of the Redeemer in Jacksonville, said the day's outcome "may well be [the] straw that breaks the camel's back for some."

But during his morning sermon, Howard said the diocese, the denomination and the Anglican Communion share a common future.

"We will remain Episcopalians and we will remain Anglicans," Howard said. "We will reject any movement and any resolution that would deter us from that course.

"We are not going to sacrifice either part of that identity," he added. "We must remain both -- and we will."

Howard announced that he will no longer allow the Robinson controversy to consume his time and that the diocese "from this day forth" will dive head long into ministry issues such as prison outreach, youth ministry and the continuing construction at Camp Weed.

END