"Nobody knows how this is going to work, or what everyone is willing
to accept," she said.

She attended the meeting of parishioners and Robinson to discuss their
differences Monday night.

"He asked a lot of questions last night. He said he's willing to do
what it takes to make this work," she said Tuesday.

However, while Robinson has said he is willing to allow visiting
bishops to provide pastoral care to the congregation, he said they
must accept his leadership of the diocese.

Under his scenario, the church would have a say in who serves as its
priest, and the bishop, as is routine at most churches, would visit
only once or so a year for special events, such as confirmations.

But the opposing parishioners want to be clear of Robinson entirely,
and put under another bishop spiritually and administratively, Ball said.

Robinson left with a written letter of their requests, and said he
would provide them a list of conservative bishops from which they
could choose whom he would accept as a visitor to his diocese.

Meanwhile, parishioners are trying to put aside the memories of a
difficult winter.

Ball said they have about 70 members after about 10 Robinson
supporters left during the winter in protest. Only four Robinson
supporters remain in one of the two Episcopal churches in the state in
which a majority opposed Robinson.

"I'm still here," said Ann Elkins, one of the four who was the
church's senior warden until the conservatives voted her out.

"Others just couldn't stand the tension. The tension was terrible,"
she said.

That goes back to November when about 30 conservative members walked
out of a service when their priest was replaced temporarily with a
priest from the diocese after they opposed Robinson's selection.

"For months, we didn't come to Communion," Ball said.

Two more priests supportive of Robinson came and went, the last after
a confrontation with the opposition.

Elkins said the priest "reprimanded them from the pulpit, and some of
his sermons were quite pointed, and they didn't like that."

"That was the most fire and brimstone I've ever heard in that church,"
she said.

"He threw the prayer book on the ground, and they didn't like that at
all and wanted him removed rapidly."

But about four weeks ago, Robinson gave them what they wanted — a
priest who views homosexuality as a sin. Retired Priest Gordon Allen
took over, and Sunday church services returned to normal.

"They finally sent us someone we can work with," Ball said.

Elkins could see the change.

"They're now taking Communion because they like the person," Elkins said.

"I don't think there's a lot of tension now. We get along with them."

But she said her thinking would change if Robinson gives in and allows
the church to come under the auspices of another bishop.

"I think at that point I would have to go," she said.

Ball said none of the conservatives wants to leave either.

"Nobody wants to leave. If we wanted to leave, we would have been up
and gone by now," she said.

END