OCEANSIDE Calif., (AP) – St. Anne’s Church has become the second congregation in two months to break away from the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego as part of a national rift over homosexuality, theology and biblical authority.

The congregation voted by a 97 percent majority to no longer be affiliated with the U.S. Episcopal Church and the San Diego diocese, according to St. Anne’s rector, the Rev. Anthony Baron. He said St. Anne’s would continue to be part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion under the jurisdiction of Bishop Frank Lyons of Bolivia.

Baron said that while homosexuality issues have received the most publicity, the chief concern for his congregation was “the very essence of the Gospel.”

The rift in the U.S. Episcopal church was sparked, in part by, the election of their first openly gay bishop, Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, in 2003.

The Episcopal Church, a Protestant denomination with 2.3 million members, is the U.S. branch of the 77 million member Anglican community.

In December, the Rev. Keith Acker resigned as rector of the Christ the King Episcopal Church in Alpine, about 22 miles east of San Diego, to start a new church under the conservative Anglican Province of America.