He also wrote that increasing costs to run the church had something to do with the decision. "St. Thomas', while privileged to have a large congregation, oversees a 42-acre campus with nine separate buildings that must each be heated, protected by a security system and insured in an environment where the utilities and health care coverage costs have been rapidly escalating. A two-year increase of 75% for utilities and 35% for health care costs have taken the equivalent of one full-time priests to serve almost 1,700 members who live in about 70 zip codes."

Zabriskie said the Vestry voted to escrow the monies in 2007, which will be released once Bishop Charles Bennison officially resigns as the Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. "These monies will be forwarded to the Diocese as soon as Bishop Bennison resigns from office." He said that the parish wanted to support the retired clergy's health care coverage and support the few remaining staff serving the Diocese and support their sister parishes with the diocese.

"This pledge, however, in no way reflects any changed sentiment on our part about Bishop Charles Bennison. We remain convinced that he must resign as our Bishop at the earliest occasion possible, in order that the Diocese of Pennsylvania can begin healing, rebuilding and defining a clear and realistic strategy for serving Jesus Christ and God in the five counties that our Diocese serves and in partnership ministries across the nation and around the world offered by our collective parishes."

Since 2002 the evangelical Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli, Pa., has been redirecting what would have been its diocesan pledge to other evangelical ministry partners.

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