This leads the way forward for a new life of Anglicanism in the United States and North America. "It's a long way to the promised land," said Bishop Duncan, "but we must follow behind the cloud of the Lord who leads our way." He warned that we must not give into impatience, idolatry, or self-righteousness.

The Ozarks Anglican Council, as the new group is called, plans to hold its first weekly service Sunday in a borrowed Lutheran church. The head clergyman will come from Tulsa.

"We're doing what we feel we have to do," said John H. Simmons, who resigned in August from the governing board of St. James' Episcopal Church. He had been a member of the church at 2645 E. Southern Hills Blvd. since 1972.

"It's about the church, larger in the United State and particularly in the Diocese of Rochester just willy nilly rewriting the Bible the way they want it rewritten," said All Saints' attorney Raymond Nague.

The leadership of the parish believes the Episcopal Church violated biblical authority when it consecrated a homosexual bishop in New Hampshire. As a result of this conflict, All Saints is now the first church ever kicked out by the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester.

The approved resolution resulted from the parish's repeatedly declining to pay its $16,000 apportionment for 2005. Parish leaders said their consciences no longer allow them to support the diocese because it favors ordaining gay clergy and blessing gay couples. For All Saints, these leaders said, it became a question of the authority Scripture has over the lives of Christians.