CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Charleston is going by its full name again.

Since August, a black cloth had hung over the word "Lutheran" on the church's sign on Corridor G. It was Pastor Richard Mahan's way of protesting the vote by leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to allow gays and lesbians in lifelong, monogamous relationships to serve as clergy.

The church removed the cloth a little more than a week ago. In its place, a new symbol hung for about a week: A sign that stated "Reclaiming the Name" in red letters, under the word "Lutheran." The church has since removed those words from the sign.

Last week, Mahan declined to comment on why he removed the cloth. He wouldn't say what "Reclaiming the Name" means.

But it's clear the controversy over gay clergy has overshadowed other matters -- not just at St. Timothy, but at Lutheran churches across the country, said Bishop Ralph Dunkin of the ELCA's West Virginia-Maryland Synod.

"This has just diverted the whole mission of the church," Dunkin said.

ELCA leaders took the vote in August at an annual churchwide assembly in Minneapolis.

Homosexuality isn't a "foundational issue" for the ELCA, Dunkin said. At the assembly, people also discussed fighting malaria and HIV worldwide. They heard reports from church missionaries and Lutheran social service agencies.

The media didn't focus on those topics, he said: "They're just not controversial."

Since the vote, Dunkin has attended six church forums to answer questions about gay clergy. He plans to attend at least four more this fall.

"I've spent a lot more time on this than I expected to," he said. "But it sounds like it's going to be a couple years before we get beyond it. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help keep these congregations together."

Many church members throughout the synod are afraid they could be sued if they don't hire gay clergy. That isn't true, Dunkin said.

Since August, a black cloth had hung over the word "Lutheran" on the church's sign on Corridor G. It was Pastor Richard Mahan's way of protesting the vote by leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to allow gays and lesbians in lifelong, monogamous relationships to serve as clergy.

The church removed the cloth a little more than a week ago. In its place, a new symbol hung for about a week: A sign that stated "Reclaiming the Name" in red letters, under the word "Lutheran." The church has since removed those words from the sign.

Last week, Mahan declined to comment on why he removed the cloth. He wouldn't say what "Reclaiming the Name" means.

But it's clear the controversy over gay clergy has overshadowed other matters -- not just at St. Timothy, but at Lutheran churches across the country, said Bishop Ralph Dunkin of the ELCA's West Virginia-Maryland Synod.

"This has just diverted the whole mission of the church," Dunkin said.

ELCA leaders took the vote in August at an annual churchwide assembly in Minneapolis.

Homosexuality isn't a "foundational issue" for the ELCA, Dunkin said. At the assembly, people also discussed fighting malaria and HIV worldwide. They heard reports from church missionaries and Lutheran social service agencies.

The media didn't focus on those topics, he said: "They're just not controversial."

Since the vote, Dunkin has attended six church forums to answer questions about gay clergy. He plans to attend at least four more this fall.

"I've spent a lot more time on this than I expected to," he said. "But it sounds like it's going to be a couple years before we get beyond it. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help keep these congregations together."

Many church members throughout the synod are afraid they could be sued if they don't hire gay clergy. That isn't true, Dunkin said.

He met with Mahan after the pastor spoke out against the assembly's vote. By removing the cloth from the sign and declining media interviews, Mahan might be trying to distance himself from the issue, the bishop said.

"I think he wants to move on in his ministry and not be tied to one controversy or one issue," Dunkin said. "He would like to get back to doing ministry, because that's what he's called to do. And this has been a diversion."

Mahan had received national attention after The Associated Press quoted him calling homosexuality "immoral and perverted" at the ELCA assembly. Covering the church sign attracted more attention from local reporters.

In a sermon posted to the church's Web site, the pastor told his congregation he received both angry and supportive e-mails from people throughout the country. He explained that he believed the vote goes against God's teachings and could damage Lutherans' relationship with other Christians.

Since the assembly, about 50 of the ELCA's 10,400 congregations have taken steps to separate from the denomination, according to a news release the ELCA posted to its Web site last week.

Other churches have stopped sending money to support synod and churchwide ministries, according to the release. Those funds are used to support seminaries, campus ministries and missionaries, according to the news release. They also help fight hunger and aid natural-disaster victims.

Dunkin said he doesn't know whether St. Timothy plans to break away. Church members would have to approve separation by a two-thirds majority, according to the ELCA Constitution. Then, they would meet with Dunkin and take a second vote.

"It seems to me at this point they're not ready to take a vote," Dunkin said.

Dunkin said he senses that fear is at the root of the controversy. Americans are worried about everything from health-care reform to losing their jobs to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said.

"I think we're living in an age of fear right now, ever since Sept. 11. So whenever something new occurs, it adds to the fear," he said. "We're worried about what were going to lose, versus what might we gain."

@tag: Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.