Mrs. Simpson was one of a number of people from her church that attended a January conference in Birmingham featuring some of the top global leaders of the Anglican Church, including the Archbishop of Rwanda. And that meeting, sponsored by the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA) was an important step in the congregation's long journey.

Methodism, now a predominantly liberal denomination, draws none of the Biblical distinctions between gender roles in the life of the Church. Their views were already reflected in the Rochester Report and in talks about possible unity they have already stated that they would expect all roles to be open to men and women. Whilst the fact of Bishops has been more problematic it looks likely that they will be willing to swallow this as well.

"We want to build on the positive elements in our culture of the past while urging that our future be purified of those elements that degrade the human person," the group's statement said. "We are people of the spirit. We invite all citizens to draw on the riches of faith and the gifts that God gives to us to respond to our nobler selves as we move forward together."

With the approval of the Bishop and the knowledge of the President of Standing Committee, the deans have called upon the national Episcopal Church's office of Pastoral Development for assistance. The Right Reverend F. Clayton Matthews has agreed to lead us through a process of mediation, beginning with a gathering of the diocesan leadership later this month.