The turmoil centers on New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, installed and affirmed last August at the U.S. church's national convention in Minneapolis.

The Rev. Laura Truby, interim rector at Christ Episcopal, said she won't know until after summer vacation how attendance will shake out.

"In the past, groups have broken off into little splinter groups, but they come back over the years," said Bishop Edwin Leidel of Saginaw, head of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan, where the resignations have taken place. Leidel and the entire eight-member delegation from the eastern side of Michigan affirmed Robinson's ordination.

"This is kind of the hair that broke the camel's back," said the Rev. Steven J. Dewey, 55, conservative rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Lapeer. "At this juncture, the real issue is the authority of Holy Scripture.

"Does it have any authority in the church?" he added. "Our national church has said 'no,' our diocesan bishop has, by action, said 'no.' "

Although other Episcopal dioceses have ordained gay priests, Flushing's Kulchar said ordaining Robinson at a national convention was especially galling.

"What made last summer so critical is that ... the general convention is the only real body that can set policy for the church," Kulchar said.

Leidel, who doesn't shy away from the issue, last September discussed homosexuality in the church at a closed meeting in St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Flint and later wrote a letter for the diocesan newspaper.

"I do have a bias to be open to giving gay men and lesbians a more inclusive role in the church," said Leidel.

"It's a frightening thing." said Dewey, who intends to stay as rector of Grace Episcopal. "I guess the part that is really hard for me is that I really believe that our presiding bishop believes that what he is doing is the right thing, the caring and compassionate thing."

Opponents say Robinson's ordination and other issues have sent the Episcopal church in the wrong direction. They're hoping a 14-member international committee will give the Archbishop of Canterbury - who presides over the worldwide Anglican church that Episcopalians are part of - reason to order changes in the United States.

Kulchar said he hopes the archbishop will at least allow conservatives to have their own Anglican network in the United States.

The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the international Anglican Communion, consisting of denominations that stem from the Church of England. Many foreign Anglican churches have denounced or broken fellowship with the Episcopal Church over Robinson, who has lived for years with a gay partner.

Locally, Danforth resigned Feb. 1 after almost 10 years as St. Dunstan's rector and left the denomination. He now is considering teaching at the secondary level, among other options.

A former tennis partner with Leidel, Danforth said he had an ongoing frustration with the direction and theological path of the church and saw no hope of change. He said he had considered leaving the church for two years, but the Robinson issue had a bearing in his final decision.

"I really had no more grace to be able to navigate through the waters as a clergyman," he said. "It was time."

Kulchar, who continues to live in the Trinity parish rectory with his family, just finished a three-month sabbatical to ponder his future. He said he wants to remain in the Anglican church and was willing to do weddings, funerals, preach at Episcopal churches and be a fill-in rector, but was turned down by Leidel.

"I have a great affection and love for him (Kulchar) and have tried to help him find employment and other things," Leidel said, "But he cannot function as a priest without being in communion with the bishop."

Kulchar, a member of the Flushing Board of Education, said he hopes to stay in Flushing at least through the 2004-05 school year so his son can graduate from Flushing High School.

Tournoux is on sabbatical for six months from Christ Episcopal but is looking for work in the U.S. Anglican churches. He resigned effective June 12 after 12 years as rector and has started work on a second doctorate.

He is considering posts in Mississippi and his home state of Ohio and describes himself as committed to Anglicanism.

"I absolutely loved my time at Christ's Church," he said.

"I will not give up the priesthood," he continued. "I believe strongly in the ordained leadership, and I am looking forward to getting back into the saddle."

Leidel said the Episcopal Church has a number of priests able to fill the vacated rectorship, with a number of other seminarians studying for the priesthood.

Kulchar said there were 70 people worshiping at Trinity Episcopal when he resigned, but attendance is now down to 30.

St. Dunstan and Christ Episcopal also have lost parishioners - but VanKirk Carlson, junior warden at Christ Church, is hopeful.

"During the last month and a half, the folks who were unhappy have pretty much left," Carlson said. "Those who are left pretty much have a positive attitude. We are looking to start over with a fresh slate."

© 2004 Flint Journal. Used with permission