Rev. McCurry chose to start this new church because, he says, "My heart's desire is to leave a spiritual legacy in Montgomery so our children and our children's children can go to church to worship the Lord without fear of compromise to the Truth that has been revealed to us in Holy Scripture."

Members are encouraged by the move. Member J.B. Copeland said, "We are all excited about this move because of the tremendous spiritual need in our country-130 million people are unchurched. We want to reach out to those who don't know Jesus."

Barbara Killion agrees, "The break hurts - a lot, and yet we have no choice. We have to take a stand, God helping us. This is heart breaking for all of us. We are a close knit group and we love each other. But for those of us that hold Scripture to be the un-erring Word of God, it is the only thing we can do."

The members of the new church are hoping to pursue affiliation with the Anglican Mission in America, a growing missionary movement of 70 congregations in the US, sponsored by the Anglican Province of Rwanda.

Bishop Parsley, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, responded on Monday saying "the members of Christ the Redeemer who are remaining in the parish will be pastorally cared for in the coming weeks by Diocesan clergy staff, and in time by an interim priest. The worship, pastoral care and ministry of the parish will continue."

Episcopal Church Splits
http://www.wsfa.com/global/story.asp?s=2857232&ClientType=Printable

The fallout from the homosexual Bishop's acceptance into the Episcopal Church about a year and a half ago is now tearing a local church apart. The pastor at"Christ the Redeemer Episcopal Church announced at the end of the Sunday service that "acceptance" was the last straw, and he is leaving. Now, ninety percent of his congregation say they will follow him.

He explained a little of how it happened. "We finished communion. I took my stole off." Rev. Doug McCurry says it took a lot of courage. "I didn't want to confuse the two events." It took a lot of courage for him to tell the 170 in his congregation that this past Sunday would be his last. He said that he was very troubled about what was happening in the church. The final straw was when the church voted in an openly gay Bishop about a year and a half ago. Rev. McCurry explained "He had been married to a woman. They had a couple of kids. In the 70's he was divorced and came out into this gay lifestyle and started living with a man. Never been married to him and then they approved him as bishop - elected him as bishop. It just didn't seem like somebody you uphold as a leader."

And, when he leaves, most of the congregation is going with him. He'll start his own church which will be a part of a worldwide Anglican denomination based in Rowanda. This has created a lot of tears with members like Doug Cairnes who are leaving with him. "Thinking about the Saints in Africa who are taking us in."

And, there are also tears from those like Pam Long who are staying. "I kind of anticipated it. Knew it was going to happen and I cried, and I'm not a crying person. And I just cried all day Saturday." She's one of the few who is staying, but her beliefs are not far from the others. "I believe everybody who is staying is as opposed as I am to a person with open sin in his life being a leader in the church."

But, they're staying and not leaving with their pastor for their own personal reasons,.and they're the ones he's worried about.

The pastor is meeting with the Bishop Wednesday so he can officially relieve him of his duties with the Episcopal Church. He will have six months to repent or change his mind, but Rev. Doug McCurry says he won't.

Next Sunday, those who are leaving Christ Redeemer Episcopal Church will have temporary services at Young Meadows Presbyterian Church on Vaughn Road until they can find a church of their own.