Vicky Hartzler, a spokeswoman for the Coalition to Protect Marriage in Missouri. "This is a message of the heart, and here in the Heartland, we value marriage. I'm very gratified and encouraged and thankful that the people of this state understand our current policy's a wise public policy and they want to see it protected from a legal challenge," she said.

"The Alpha course can reach nominal Christians who don't go to any church in Egypt. Try it, and it will bear fruit."

The Anglican bishop warned church leaders that welcoming newcomers may lead to tough choices for existing congregations - and he recommended that they tell their church council.

"When you start Alpha, youth will come to your church. They will come with their problems. They will come with clapping and noise."

The rectors of two other parishes taking part in the joint DEPO request are also under potential discipline from the bishop, having received the same pastoral directive from Bishop Smith via certified letter. He sternly insisted that they meet with him individually at his office. While an original deadline had been set for July 24, conflicting vacation schedules resulted in a delay.

The Rev. Dr. David McDowell-Fleming thinks he knows what the problems are and he may be right. The priest is no arm-chair systems management wonk. He's an active priest in the diocese and holds a Ph.D. on the whole subject of institutional management. He's also a deeply committed orthodox and Evangelical Catholic priest, a graduate of Duke University Divinity School and General Theological Seminary and he has been in the thick of things in that diocese for more than 17 years.