BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- This gym at Conklin Avenue Baptist is the Church of the Good Shepherd's new home of worship; at least for now.


Sunday was the congregation's first service since being evicted last week.


"At first, when it started, I felt kind of empty. Because it's a gym and I've never been here before, but as the service took place and with the music going and the communion, it just brought us back together as a whole," said Pauline King, who has attended services at Good Shepherd for more than 45 years.


The Binghamton-based congregation was forced from its Conklin Avenue church by the Episcopal Diocese after a court ruling last month.

The church broke with the diocese over interpretation of certain sexual lifestyles.

Parishioners were upset at first, but have started to move on.



"I'm not angry, but I'm not very Christian-like either. That's something I had to get over at the beginning. I know why they did what they did, but it's hard to accept them taking everything from us," added King.


While Sunday's services were certainly different than the usual accommodations, many discovered it's not so much where you worship, but who you worship with.


"We've always defined the church as the group of people who follow Jesus together. The building is where that happens, but that's not the most important thing," said Carrie Moorhead, a Good Shepherd parishioner.


Father Matt Kennedy has been the pastor at Good Shepherd for the last seven years.

He had to uproot his wife and four children after the diocese seized the rectory, but he believes it's a move inspired by the divine.


"God has a plan for our congregation and a new purpose for us to fulfill, and our new location, wherever that might be, we are looking forward to doing that."


Father Kennedy also finds some virtue and religious strength from his church's recent trials.


"Not just in the gospels, but the Israelites, they never had a home for 40 years. And every time they had to stop and set up church again. And that's sort of what it feels like. We're carrying our worship with us."

Good Shepherd said they made several offers to buy the property of their former church, but all were turned down.

There are tentative plans to find a semi permanent home at another church in the next few weeks.