Wearing a red and white vestment, his voice soft and soothing, Benitez played cheerleader to a congregation whose actions stunned national church leaders.

"Now I turn from the present circumstance and urge each one of you ... to focus not on the past, where you have been, but focus on the future, on what lies ahead," said Benitez, an outspoken critic of the confirmation last year of an openly gay bishop in the New Hampshire Diocese.

"Pray fervently for the Episcopal Church, that it may be an instrument for the furtherance of God's kingdom," he said to an outburst of applause from the congregation.

The Los Angeles Diocese has fired back at the decision by St. James and two other rebel churches – All Saints in Long Beach and St. David's in North Hollywood – to align themselves with the Luweero Diocese of the Anglican Church of Uganda, an order 9,500 miles away that mirrors their conservative beliefs.

On Friday, the diocese informed officials at the three churches that new Episcopal clergy have been put in charge of their congregations. The Rt. Rev. Robert M. Anderson was appointed priest-in-residence at St. James, officials wrote.

The previous week, the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Los Angeles Diocese, had ordered the parishes to give up their church buildings, financial records, even prayer books and hymnals.

"I believe today, as I did when I was first ordained, that the Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation," Bruno wrote to the parishes. "Yet I will not let the Holy Scriptures be compromised by those who seek to make their literalist and simplistic interpretation the only legitimate one."

St. James officials said Sunday that no one from the diocese has come to the 55-year-old, white-stucco church situated near shopping areas and the beach on Balboa Island – or talked to anyone there.

Even if they did, they would have no authority because the churches are separate California religious corporations, said Eric Sohlgren, a church attorney.

"They can rattle all they want, but they have no control over us anymore," said Jim Dale, senior warden at St. James, after the 9 a.m. service.

At that service, the full chapel seemed at times abuzz with excitement. The 290 audience members gave Benitez a standing ovation. They cheered at what they said was a higher-than-usual number of visitors.

Several said they came from as far as Bakersfield to voice their support.

They expressed solidarity with the congregation's interpretation that Jesus Christ is the Lord and savior and the "only way to salvation," and that the Bible should not be changed to fit the cultural climate.

"Praise God for this church. Don't be afraid," said John Chandler of Yorba Linda.

Claude Potter of Huntington Beach talked of how he has seen the same debate at his church, Faith Lutheran.

"To me it's remarkable," Potter said after the service. "To take a whole congregation like this and walk away from what's going on in the United States. They're truly taking a biblical path."

John Gobbell, a member at St. James since 1988, said the years leading up to the split were "gut-wrenching."

"It took the life out of the church," said the novelist from Laguna Niguel. "I am so happy that we're doing this – taking a stand."

END