Bishop Howard spoke for 30 minutes, assuring members that St. John's would "move forward with hope, optimism and confidence." He said he was already working to find an interim pastor, who might serve for as long as a year before a permanent rector was chosen.

"This is simply one of the historic moments this church has witnessed," Howard said. "As the days go on, I do not think it will be the historic moment of this church."

Despite a few critical remarks during a question-and-answer period, it appeared the majority of those in attendance intended to remain at St. John's. They greeted Howard with a standing ovation and broke into applause at several points in the meeting.

"I was unhappy about the direction this church was going (under Dudley). But now, I'm totally happy," church member Elizabeth Blount said after the meeting. "I feel everyone is welcome here now and that's what the Episcopal Church has always stood for. "

Dudley, who was pastor at St. John's for 10 years, was the second Tallahassee Episcopal priest to break with the church since the 2003 ordination of a gay bishop by the national church. Dudley announced his resignation at three Sunday services and in an e-mail to church members. St. John's two assistant pastors, plus 12 of the 14 members of its vestry, also resigned.

Dudley and his followers have formed a new church, St. Peter's Anglican Church, which will hold its first service Sunday. On Monday, Dudley said he and his followers were leaving because of the national Episcopal Church's departure from Bible-based teaching and because of his dissatisfaction with Bishop Howard's leadership.

Howard, the bishop of North Florida for two years, urged listeners Tuesday to bear no grudges to the departing clergy and church members. He drew laughter with an apocryphal story about a small town with four Baptist churches: The second broke away over an argument about Jesus, the third in a dispute about atonement and the fourth "because we disagreed about the color of the carpet."

"I'm convinced this is a moment for good humor, it's a time for humility, it's a time to put the past behind us," said Howard, who was an attorney before being ordained 16 years ago. "I will speak no ill of any (former) leader or member of this church, and I ask everyone to join me in that."

Howard said Carrabelle pastor Harry Douglas and retired St. John's pastor Lee Graham would preside over services while Howard searches for an interim and eventual permanent priest. He said all Sunday, Wednesday and noon services, plus Sunday school and youth programs would continue - though he issued a plea for volunteers to sign up for church duties previously handled by departed members.

Howard asked Jack Buford, one of only two vestry members who didn't resign, to report about the church's finances. Buford said all bills had been paid through last Friday and $42,000 remained in the bank account. Howard noted St. John's still has a capital debt of $450,000 and has not paid its tithes to the diocese in several months - two issues over which he reportedly sparred with Dudley.

Several St. John's members who said they were staying with the church nonetheless expressed their dissatisfaction over the direction of the national Episcopal Church. And Howard conceded other congregations in his 76-church diocese have indicated they might possibly break from the Episcopal Church.

But Howard explained the Episcopal Church was guided by the same sort of representative body that rules American government. He expressed hope the 2006 national convention would "nudge the church to the middle (political ground)." In the meantime, he urged patience.

"Like the government, one, two or even a decade of decisions does not form the entirety of ethos of a church," he said. "There is always time in God's way to edify things."