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In the first general debate about sexuality and ministry since 2003, eight proposals were put to the 250 delegates gathered for the week-long meeting.

Under the 2003 assembly's Resolution 84, it is up to the regional bodies, or presbyteries, to decide whether to appoint gay ministers, which means the church has no national policy on the issue.

The conservative Evangelical Members of the Uniting Church and Reforming Alliance groups blame the leadership's liberal approach to gay clergy for the decline in church numbers.

The networking proposal was put by the Reverend David Pitman, who said it had been "born out of the rage and abuse I experienced as one of those who did their best to help congregations understand the nature and purpose of Resolution 84".

The moderator of the West Australian synod, the Reverend Robert Watson, said there was a variety of views on gay clergy, all held with integrity.

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