His election and consecration sent shockwaves through the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion of which it is a part. Many argue his homosexuality violates God's laws. Robinson has lived with his partner, Mark Andrew, a state administrator, for 15 years.

"(A bishop) is called to be above reproach," said Jerry DeLemus, senior ward en at Church of the Redeemer in Rochester. Robinson may be "a nice guy, but he's a bad example," DeLemus said.

In January, church members there elected a new governing council that voted to affiliate with the American Anglican Council, a fledgling group formed by a dozen conservative bishops angry over Robinson's consecration. That group has since launched a new Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes.

Already, Redeemer has pasted an insignia over its sign marking it as affiliated with the new group. Now they are waiting for the network to assign a conservative bishop to serve them in place of Robinson.

St. Mark's in Ashland has taken similar steps to apply for membership and is waiting for word it has a new bishop.

Robinson says he's willing to consider alternatives for these two congregations but they will have to work with him, not around him.

"If there were to be any kind of alternative arrangements, I am the person that Rochester or Ashland would need to deal with. And I'm perfectly willing and happy to work with them," he said.

Robinson has already defused tensions at Redeemer by assigning them a priest who shares their view that homosexuality is a sin.

Former Bishop Douglas Theuner fired Redeemer's longtime priest in November, saying he was insubordinate. Churchgoers were outraged.

That outrage has since eased.

"Gene actually called me at home," DeLemus said. "He was very decent to me o n the phone. We've got definite scriptural differences - that's certain - but it was very cordial."

Redeemer's new priest, the Rev. Gordon Allen, opposes Robinson's consecration but agreed, at Robinson's request, to come out of retirement to serve at Redeemer.

Members of Redeemer say they are very happy with their new priest.

"He's just a scriptural man and he's doing his best to serve God's word," De Lemus said. But leaders at Redeemer still want a bishop who shares their view of biblical law.

Robert Newton, a member of St. Mark's, was doubtful that Robinson would allow a bishop who opposed his consecration to work within the diocese.

"I don't think Robinson would pick someone like that," he said.

Robinson says otherwise.

"There are plenty of bishops who voted against my consent ... whom I would b e happy to have come in and minister to those folks," he said.

However, he'd need assurances that they would not try to undermine his authority, he said. By church law, the bishop of a diocese has certain responsibilities, including periodic visits to parishes, guiding people within the diocese who wish to become priests or recognizing a new Episcopal fellowship.

The latter is not just a hypothetical situation.

About 40 Episcopalians from the Seacoast who opposed Robinson's consecration
have been meeting in Durham as the Seacoast Mission Fellowship.

"They're not an Episcopal mission. There is a process and they've not even inquired about it as far as I know," Robinson said. If they wish to be part of the national Episcopal Church, they'll have to affiliate with the diocese, he said.

But Christopher Klukas, one of two seminarians working with the Seacoast group, says they have no intention of approaching Robinson.

The group doesn't want a visiting conservative bishop, they want a conservative "to be our bishop," he said.

They will look to the new Anglican network to provide them with that leadership, he said.

Despite the divisions that Robinson's consecration triggered, there is less talk now about a split within the Episcopal Church. The American Anglican Council says it will remain within the church but provide an alternative affiliation for conservative churches.

Lewis at Redeemer said her church is "committed to being included in the Episcopal Church."

Robinson said he's not surprised at these developments, despite earlier threats of a schism.

"I think we're going to find a way to live with each other as we have with other controversial issues," he said.

END