DENVER (AP) — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ended its national convention without reconsidering its ban on gay clergy, but opponents of the policy vowed to keep pressing for change.

“We’ll be back,” read a sign held by a gay-rights activist at the Colorado Convention Center, where the church’s 215th General Assembly was held.

The assembly, the church’s elected policy makers, has asked its members twice since 1997 to repeal the ban only to see regional governing bodies — called presbyteries — vote overwhelmingly to keep the provision. This time gay clergy opponents and moderates fearful of splits in the church teamed up to block a vote.

“If we go through this again, we’re not going to get a different answer. It has wreaked havoc in my church,” said the Rev. Scott Mason of Riverside, California.

Assembly members voted to send a proposed repeal of the ban to a task force that will report on several issues in 2006.

The Rev. Cathy Chisholm of Weyauwega, Wisconsin, said she supports gay ordination but agrees more time is needed.

“I think when we see more gays and lesbians in leadership in other places in society, the church will be more willing,” Chisholm said. “It should be the other way around. According to our theology, the church should be out in front.”

Many people don’t want to wait until 2006, said Cynthia Burse, a seminary student from Atlanta who voted in committee to ask the General Assembly to drop the ban. She said black and female Presbyterians also were told to be patient until they stopped waiting and demanded their place in the church.

“Now, we have one remaining group that’s waiting,” Burse said. “Fear is a major factor for a lot of people.”

The church does not specifically single out homosexuals. It limits ordination to people faithful to their marriage or chaste singles, but in practice that policy has targeted only homosexuals in relationships.

Besides pastors, the ban applies to elders and deacons, lay officers elected by a congregation.

The Rev. Jim Berkley of Bellevue, Washington, said homosexual behavior violates Scripture and church doctrine.

“The simple part of it is that we believe it’s a sin and they believe it isn’t,” said Berkley, who heads the issues ministry for Presbyterians for Renewal, a conservative group that opposes gay ordination.

Referring the proposed ban to the task force was “a gracious middle ground,” Berkley said. “Many of us would’ve loved to have had the thing killed outright.”

Michael Adee, a Santa Fe, New Mexico, church elder who is gay, said that even without a vote, progress was made at the convention.

“What dominated the conversation was, ‘It’s not time,”” Adee said. “What did not dominate the conversation this time was, ‘Homosexuality is sinful and we don’t know what to do with these people.”’