That failed to soothe ruffled feathers at the American Jewish Congress, which said in a Wednesday statement that the advisory panel's action smacked of "half a loaf (being) better than none."

"But this is a stale loaf indeed," said American Jewish Congress President Paul S. Miller.

A big part of that growth came from establishing new congregations - a process commonly called "church planting."

Bishop Bertram Nelson Herlong, who is retiring later this year, has led the Nashville-based diocese for the past 12½ years. The diocese now has more than 16,000 baptized members, up from 12,000 in 1994, Herlong said.

Between November 8th and December 13th the Deans offered repeatedly to assist the Bishop in creating a process for "listening" in response to the actions of Convention. This included a clergy gathering on November 16th at which the Bishop proceeded with his own design and defense of his actions.

"I really want to get in and see everyone that's been supportive of me," he said with his arm wrapped around his fiancee, the Rev. Stephanie Green, also an Episcopal priest.

Tramel is believed to be the only Episcopal priest ordained while in prison. He earned a master's degree in theological studies from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley in 1998.

He won parole earlier this month from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.