Bishop John Howe retiring in his own time — on his own terms

From Orlando-

In September 2007, Episcopal Bishop John W. Howe ushered four members of his Central Florida diocese into his small office on Robinson Street. The four men made the 64-year-old bishop an offer: step aside, retire now, and we'll pay off the mortgage on your lakeside home and the difference between what you make now and what your pension would be at the mandatory retirement age of 72.

There's a train wreck headed your way, they said, and we're offering you the chance to step out of the way.

The conservative, evangelical bishop who took over the 15-county diocese in 1990 was deeply embroiled in the issue of gay clergy in the Episcopal Church. He led a group of bishops who opposed the same-sex marriage and ordination of openly gay V. Gene Robinson as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire in 2003.

The ordination of Robinson resulted in a split within the Episcopal Church that extended to the diocese in Orlando, where members and clergy in nine congregations were planning to leave and take their church property with them.

More here-

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-02-14/features/os-bishop-howe-retires-profile-20110214_1_episcopal-diocese-gay-clergy-bishop-john-w-howe