It amounts to little less than a recalibration of our existence. Things we have taken for granted all our lives -- ease of movement and of assembly, freedom from pestilence, indeed the relative salubrity of life itself -- are threatened. Apart from the profound consequence that many will die before what was expected to be their time, we shall be forced back on resources of character we did not know we had, and made to change patterns of behaviour for the common good.

"Through the generousity of a number of chaps I know who have access to various trusts, I was able to secure the money to supply Renew with a number of white flags," Bishop Rod explains, "But not only that, when I mentioned my plan to Justin over our morning kippers, he managed to secure an extra £2k to make sure that the flags were durable enough to last through the coming 12 months.

But in the past few years its current Bishop Primus, John Fenwick, has been introducing Anglo-Catholic practices into the FCE, especially in its northern diocese. Convocation, which is supposed to be the governing body of the FCE, does not seem to have been doing much to stop this ironic departure from the FCE's founding convictions.

For decades, the church has been divided over how to deal with LGBT issues and rights, and the House of Bishops is set to approve the final LLF document in March.

However it emerged on Tuesday during a Synod debate that little progress has since been made. The admission sparked frustration from all corners of the Church who share diametrically opposed views on LGBT rights.