Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man elected to be an Episcopal bishop, is scheduled to be consecrated in Durham on Sunday.
New Hampshire Episcopalians who don't approve of the new bishop will gather to pray in a nearby church.
Already, conservative Episcopal groups are calling on local parishes, to organize dissenters against the Diocese.
New Hampshire Public Radio?s Raquel Maria Dillon reports.
The organizers of the Sunday afternoon service at the Whittemore Center are planning a joyful and spiritual occasion for the Diocese. But at one moment: just like in a wedding ceremony, those gathered will have an opportunity to voice their objections to Gene Robinson?s consecration ? they?ll be asked to speak now or forever hold their peace.
It?s a formal part of every consecration, but given the swell of controversy surrounding the Reverend Gene Robinson, there may be some strong objections.
Outside the arena, demonstrators from around the country are expected to gather. Fred Phelps has promised to come with his noisy anti-gay protestors from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas.
And nearby, at the Durham Evangelical Church, the Reverend Bill Murdoch, from West Newbury, Massachusetts has organized an alternative service for local Episcopalians who don?t want Gene Robinson as their bishop.
MURDOCH :11 Eucharist, provide a setting for traditional pastoral care and ministry for Episcopalians in NH who are grieved by action of General Convention this summer.
Murdoch and his parish are part of the American Anglican Council, a group of conservative parishes and clergy. Dr. Kendall Harmon, an Episcopal priest and theologian from the Diocese of South Carolina, is scheduled give the sermon.
HARMON :18 it needs to be a sermon that speaks to sense of frustration and hurt that people experiencing but also give them a sense of hope. we?re concerned that local people in NH have a chance to speak out. Let people know that this doesn?t represent the whole diocese.
Murdoch, Harmon, and other conservative Episcopal leaders are hoping disgruntled Episcopalians use the opportunity to network? and create resistance to the New Hampshire Diocese.
That resistance is already taking shape. Meredith Harwood lives in Orford but attends St. Marks in Ashland. She says her parish held a meeting and voted to join the American Anglican Council.
HARWOOD :09 we, the majority of the parish, it?s not unanimous, but it?s an overwhelming majority do not feel comfortable being in parish headed by Robinson.
Harwood says she doesn?t want Robinson to confirm her children. She doesn?t want to donate money to the Diocese. She wants her parish to leave the Diocese altogether.
HARWOOD :12 hopeful that worldwide Anglican communion will make it possible to be headed by one of conservative bishops in America or talk of Nigerian bishops.
The Anglican Primates laid out an arrangement, called ?adequate Episcopal oversight,? in a statement two weeks ago. But Episcopal Church USA officials say there?s little precedent for a parish to leave and join another Diocese.
In order to invite an outside bishop to oversee their parish, the dissenters at St. Mark?s would probably have to get permission from their pastor and from the new bishop, Gene Robinson. The Reverend Hays Junkin, the chair of the Diocesean standing committee, says he hasn?t heard of any parishes trying to leave.
JUNKIN :16 I don?t know how Gene would answer that but I would be surprised if he were not open to ways that dissenting congregations could receive adequate Epis oversight and stay in a relationship with him.
Junkin says he understands that Robinson?s consecration is painful to Harwood and many others. But he?s hopeful that the New Hampshire Diocese can still minister to traditional Episcopalians.
The American Anglican Council took out a full-page ad in the Union-Leader this morning, urging New Hampshire Episcopalians to stand up against the Diocese. Conservative theologian Kendall Harmon:
HARMON :17 There is a national strategy underway to provide for people to apply for alternative Episcopal oversight. There?s no question that American Anglicanism is heading for a period of messy reconfiguration. But none of us knows the full form of that.
NUNLEY :04 parishes don?t leave Episcopal Church, people do.
Jan Nunley says in the Episcopal and Anglican Church, dissenting parishioners can leave but they can?t take their church with them.
NUNLEY :19 the courts have not been sympathetic to even a majority of congregation going off an saying we are now heirs of this property. It?s held by that parish for good of all Episcopalians.
Hays Junkin insists that the vast majority of New Hampshire Episcopalians support Gene Robinson. And he says they won?t be very receptive to outside organizers trying to dismantle the Diocese.
JUNKIN :18 we don?t like agenda-driven religion or politics. We like our own decisions on our own timetable. People will find NH inhospitable to trying to rally either members of our church or general public against this.
But Robinson?s consecration has created rifts in at least two parish communities in New Hampshire. Bill Hammond says St. James in Laconia is deeply divided, but people are still talking.
HAMMOND :13 we had a big meeting on a Sunday between services and everyone expressed their views: for, middle of road, and those of us adamantly opposed.
Hammond says he?s donating directly to the parish, so his money won?t go to the Diocese. He vows to oppose Gene Robinson to the bitter end. But he?s cautious when it comes to leaving the diocese.
HAMMOND :17 the only way I would part is if the majority of the members of St. James wanted to break from the diocese, I would support it 100%. I don?t want to see my church go awry tho, I don?t want to see it fold up.
Hammond says he?ll attend the alternative service on Sunday. Bishop-elect Gene Robinson admits that some people will leave the church, but he?s hopeful.
ROBINSON :18 I believe that after people see that not much changes on a Sunday morning just because the bishop happens to be gay. They won?t want to leave church they?ve loved so long, married their children in, buried their parents in. My great hope is they?ll come back.
Thousands of Episcopalians and 50 bishops are expected to attend the consecration. The presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Frank Griswold, will lead the consecration ceremony. For NHPR News, I?m RMD.
