“Confirmation as a requirement for participation in the governance of the Church, for ordination, and other aspects of the life of the Church has tended to create difficulties, confusion, or has been simply ignored,” the Rt. Rev. William O. Gregg, Bishop of Eastern Oregon, wrote in an introductory draft paper. “The confusion is compounded in terms of polity, liturgical actions, and the definition of ‘member’ by ‘reception’ and ‘reaffirmation.’”

The results of the year-long survey of 14,000 UK residents by the interdenominational Ecumenical Research Committee has been called 'surprising' by mainstream secular and Christian media. The overwhelming response is to call on churches "to robustly defend moral values with conviction and courage and cease being 'silent' and 'lukewarm' in the face of moral and social collapse."

"On April 1, all the wardens and trustees will be in the church. If Mr. Lemon shows up with the intention of taking over the church, we'll call the police," Mayo says.

Last year, Mayo and many of his congregation left the Anglican Church of Canada to protest Bishop Michael Ingham's decision to allow the blessing of same-sex couples.

The disaffected congregation linked itself to a remote African diocese -- the Rwandan Anglican church -- under Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini.

One of the group, the Rev John Richardson, said yesterday that he thought that their numbers could swell significantly over the next few weeks.

He said that a number of conservative parishes would not be able to participate in services of confirmation, baptism or communion with Bishop Gladwin.