"We're disappointed that it had to come to this," said Jeff Brodeur, spokesman for the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. "It's been an emotional situation for everyone."

Melnyk's wife, the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk, led services yesterday at her church in Malvern, St. Francis-in-the-Fields, Brodeur said, but still faces possible discipline. Telephone messages left at St. Francis were not returned.

The couple's participation in modern Druidism - a New Age religion whose adherents worship the sun, nature and trees - became public after national Christian groups and Internet bloggers accused the Episcopal Church USA of promoting paganism through the priests' activities. The national church denied the accusation.

Some churchgoers at St. James' wept at the news of William Melnyk's resignation, while others said they wanted an explanation. Melnyk was not at the Downingtown church yesterday. A home telephone number for the couple could not be located.

"It's like a death," said Barbara Monaghan, a 19-year parishioner who was among many who were visibly upset by the resignation. "This is a parish that's been flourishing, and we owe a lot of that to Bill Melnyk."

The Melnyks, who have directed their respective parishes for nearly four years, wrote letters to Bishop Charles E. Bennison of the Diocese of Pennsylvania on Thursday, saying they "recanted and repudiated" their connection with Druidism.

In their apologies, the couple said they had been active as Druid leaders to reach out to marginal Christians, and that they believed in the historic creeds of Christianity. They also asked for "the mercy of the Church and of our Lord Jesus Christ."

According to the letter that parishioners received yesterday, the vestry - the church's lay leadership - talked to Melnyk on Friday, then decided that his actions had "so compromised his continued effectiveness that it would be best were he to resign."

Their decision was communicated to Melnyk on Saturday by a church leader. Melnyk said then that he would resign, according to the letter.

The Melnyks' involvement in New Age nature worship came to light last month after the Episcopal Church's women's ministry listed two of the Melnyks' Druidic liturgies on its Web site for possible use in developing feminist liturgies. The church quickly removed the liturgies, one of which was a eucharistic service including praise to "God the Mother." But the controversy continued.

The letter informing parishioners of Melnyk's resignation was read aloud at the beginning of services. The congregation then proceeded to sing and pray, and there was no more mention of Melnyk.

The silence angered one overwrought parishioner, who stood up to speak her mind.

"I'm sorry, but our priest and this congregation are in severe crisis," she said, adding that she was angry that no other explanation was given about Melnyk's resignation.

The woman wept as she left the church and said, "I'll pray for all of you."

Another woman said after service that she was angry the priest had resigned.

"He's a saint," said Jessica Kenworthey, who belongs to another church but attends services at St. James' with her husband, Mark, who is a member. "This is what happens to saints."

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