While the battle rages elsewhere across the country, the weapon of choice in Middle Tennessee is the election of the next bishop early next year - to be voted on by delegates elected to January's 174th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Tennessee.

A group of moderate/liberals called the Continuing Episcopalians of Tennessee (CET) is recruiting likeminded individuals to be elected as voting delegates before the convention.

It reads: "There is ample evidence from church history, not least, and most recently, in the Anglican Communion, that actions by individual provinces touching the scriptural and traditional faith and order of the Church, actions that inevitably unchurch those who cannot accept such changes, do not serve the unity which Christ asks of his Church."

The church here was scandalised last year when some sister churches in Europe and America endorsed homosexuality and lesbianism.

Known as sexual politics, the controversy that threaten the unity of the world wide Anglican communion is yet to be resolved.

Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi is expected to brief the synod on the progress of the recent crisis meetings that he attended over the controversy.

The Superior Church Tribunal of the IEAB unanimously ruled that Cavalcanti was guilty of the charges against him. The IEAB decision means that all canonic, sacramental, pastoral and liturgical ties for the Bishop cease and he also loses the rights and prerogatives of ministry in the Church.