At least one Episcopal minister in Lawrence isn’t concerned about the possibility that the church could confirm the first openly gay bishop in the worldwide Anglican Community.

“Personally, I have no problem with it,” said the Rev. Joe Alford, pastor at Canterbury House at Kansas University.

Pastors were on vacation and unavailable for comment at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 5700 W. Sixth St., and Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vt. But an office worker at St. Margaret’s said the Rev. Darrel Proffitt probably wouldn’t comment on the issue.

In general, most area Episcopal ministers are probably against confirming an openly gay bishop, Canterbury House’s Alford said. Campus Episcopal ministries are probably split, he said.

The Episcopal Church has had gay and lesbian clergy for years, Alford said. “It’s been ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell,'” he said. “A lot of parishioners are aware of that. It’s a personal issue. It’s been pretty much ignored unless there was misconduct.”

Allegations of possible sexual misconduct Monday held up the confirmation of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. Robinson needs the approval of the church’s General Convention.

If Robinson is confirmed, it would set a precedent for all denominations, said the Rev. Vicki Penner, pastor of Peace Mennonite Church, 1204 Oread Ave. It would be a step that other denominations couldn’t ignore by saying it wasn’t possible, Penner said.

Two years ago Peace Mennonite followed in the footsteps of a Kansas City, Kan., Mennonite church by publicly welcoming gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people into its services. It was a controversial step — the Kansas City church was dismissed from a Mennonite conference as a result.

There are a variety of people who attend Peace Mennonite, but Penner said she didn’t know everyone’s sexual persuasion.

“That’s sort of why you welcome all people,” she said. “Then you don’t have to worry about it.”