The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia urged church members not to allow the consecration of the denomination's first openly gay bishop to create a split in the church.
"Members of a Christian community bear one another's burdens," Bishop Peter James Lee told church leaders at the diocese's annual council this weekend. "Listening to each other and finding those areas of mission where we can unite are important patterns of discipleship."
About 550 lay and clergy delegates attended the two-day meeting here, which ended Saturday.
At the gathering, the group passed a resolution that called on Bishop Lee to appoint a reconciliation commission charged with keeping the church's factions talking, a diocese spokeswoman, Nancy Jenkins, said.
"The controversy has created some pain and anxiety and perhaps some lack of trust behind the factions that have differing opinions," Ms. Jenkins said. "I think this is going to help the diocese move forward."
The 209th annual Virginia council followed national meetings of conservative clergy and lay Episcopalians who formed a splinter group, the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes, in opposition to last year's consecration of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop.
The Virginia council also took a stand on marriage this weekend, passing a proposition reaffirming the diocese's policy that "lifelong, heterosexual and monogamous marriages" are the norm. Bishop Lee has not authorized same-sex unions or ordained gays in Virginia.
Bishop Lee voted for Mr. Robinson's consecration and said at the time that it was important to respect the Episcopal voters in New Hampshire, who knew Mr. Robinson was gay and did not let that deter them.
Since the vote, Bishop Lee has received calls and letters from churchgoers asking him to resign, and some congregations have withheld donations from the diocese.
On Friday, Bishop Lee said the debate over homosexuality was distracting the church from its unifying mission.
The Rev. John Ohmer of St. James' Episcopal Church in Leesburg said he was pleased to hear a wide range of opinions being expressed candidly.
"That's what makes the Episcopal Church attractive to so many people," Mr. Ohmer said. "We bring our differences out so they can be hashed out."