The troubled congregation of St. Mark's Church in Smith's Parish will tonight be urged to unify at a service given by visiting Anglican Bishop Sehon Goodridge.

Bishop Sehon said he knew nothing of the discontent at the church but whatever affected one congregation, affected everyone in the Church.

As part of his mission in Bermuda, the Bishop is speaking at different churches to spread the word of the Anglican way, and to preach on unity.

Controversy has surrounded St. Mark's for the last couple of years after members of the vestry and the congregation voiced concern over the capabilities of new rector, Rev. William Hayward.

Parishioners took their allegations and accusations to the media and Bishop Ewan Ratteray, claiming Rev. Hayward did not give inspiring sermons or services, regularly turned up late for mass, had done nothing to sort out the church's mounting debt and had driven about 100 members away.

Also cited as a major concern was the fact that Rev. Hayward was not married.

At first, the rector was given three months to turn the situation around by Bishop Ratteray. Last month he was given six more months to improve the situation, with Bishop Ratteray urging those vestry members against the rector to step down at the next AGM on May 21.

The latest developments have led to a further outcry from some members, who claim the dwindling numbers have made the church no longer viable.

But yesterday, Bishop Goodridge said: "If there is an issue there, then it's an issue for the priest, the people and the Bishop, and I can't really get involved. St. Mark's Church will be just a place to meet - a venue - as part of the mission. There will not only be the congregation of St. Mark's there. Unity is going to be part of my address - what it means to be Church and the whole being of a mutual ministry, and so on. If there's a problem at St. Mark's, it is not favourable. We are all our brothers' and sisters' keepers and what ever happens in one place affects us all. There is a support system that we must maintain."

A number of people have voiced their unhappiness at Rev. Hayward's leadership, which they claimed left them feeling "spiritually undernourished".

But this week, long-time St. Mark's parishioner William Zuill Sr. said he believed some of the accusations were exaggerated and untrue. He said there were some ministers in the past who were not liked but never had there been the same outcry as there had been over Rev. Hayward. He said he believed the Church was bigger than any one person.

Mr. Zuill said the vestry members had to take some of the responsibility for the church's poor financial state and called on people to support the rector.

However, parishioner Alfred Spearing said the allegations were correct and there were very few people who would speak out in favour of the rector.

He admitted there was never this outcry before but insisted there had also never been the number of people who had left the church.

He said: "Many of the allegations are true and can be substantiated. They are not exaggerated. There are a lot of people that disagree with his management style. He was initially put in place by a vestry who wanted him..., but at the end of one year we had people dropping off and the vestry found that he was not as co-operative as he could be. He would not go with suggestions from the vestry or from the guild.

"Rev. Hayward was not of the calibre St. Marks' was used to."

But asked by The Royal Gazette whether the public airing of the church's dirty laundry had been in the best interests of St. Mark's or the Anglican Church, Mr. Spearing conceded that it probably had not.

But he said members of the church had tried to privately talk to the rector and their concerns had been ignored.

He added: "People would prefer a family man to lead the church. It would have been desirable, but it's not at the top of the criteria. But the last four ministers have been more worldly people. Rev. Hayward quotes from the Bible, which is fine, but he does not relate his readings to today or personal experience. There is no humour - his sermons are not inspiring or thought-provoking. We have never turned away anybody. We are very inclusive.... And people have tried to keep it within the church, but when things didn't seem to happen, they felt it had to go public. We know it's not going to do us any good at all we have already lost a lot of people to other denominations already."

The mission meeting at St. Mark's Church starts at 7.30 p.m.