ATTLEBORO - The spirit is hopeful at All Saints Episcopal parish on North Main Street, which is being rebuilt after some former members left two months ago as part of a breakaway Anglican congregation.

"My sense is that they are glad to be back," said the Rev. William Underhill of the members who are returning to help revive the Episcopal congregation. "They are excited about the Renaissance."

But there is some concern, some anxiety, over whether or not the new parish will succeed, he said.

"It is a challenge," he said.

Underhill, who was named as interim priest by the diocese, celebrated the first service there on Feb 4. About 150 people attended, but many were visitors offering support. Attendance dropped off by about two-thirds after that first Sunday, Underhill said, but has been rebuilding ever since. Jane Merkle, a longtime member who left in recent years as the congregation became more conservative, is now back and serving as one of two wardens. She said she sees new people every Sunday, and she sees people who have been gone for a while.

Attendance at the Sunday morning service, she said, is now around 70, and the parish has begun its youth group, Sunday school, altar guild and choir. It also has started a newsletter, and set up a Web site.

The parish has six young people and one adult preparing for Confirmation in May, and has two baptisms scheduled.

Some members also have attended conventions and conferences, and have plans to reconnect with the Attleboro Area Council of Churches, which All Saints had been part of for many years.

"We've got some energy and some excitement about moving on," Underhill said.

But they are aware of the hurdles still ahead.

"There's been a lot of hurt on both sides," Merkle said.

During the tenure of the Rev. Lance Giuffrida in recent years, the congregation became increasingly conservative and began attracting like-minded Episcopalians from other churches, but began alienating more liberal ones, who left and went elsewhere.

Giuffrida and parish leaders also aligned with conservative Anglican groups and renamed the parish All Saints Anglican, then officially broke with the Episcopal Church and the diocese in mid-September. Parishioners later affirmed the break, and Bishop Thomas Shaw in January ordered them to leave the parish property. They relocated temporarily to leased space at Fisher College in North Attleboro, and are now planning to buy a former church in the Hebronville section of Attleboro.

Diocesan officials said they had been contacted by a number of current and former parishioners who said they would return if a new priest was assigned to All Saints and the church returned to its Episcopal affiliation. Underhill, who had been assisting at a parish in Hingham, was asked to come out of retirement to serve the Attleboro parish temporarily. But the division into two congregations left its mark on families and on friendships because some chose to go, while others chose to stay.

Also, some former parishioners who started going to other Episcopal churches have chosen to remain there rather than return to All Saints, which Underhill said he respects.

"Our relationship with other parishes is very harmonious," he said.

He has been assigned to All Saints only until June, and the diocese is currently looking for a permanent priest for the parish, said the Rev. Gregory Jacobs, diocesan staff officer of urban ministry.

"We are proud of the clergy and the lay leadership there," he said.

Underhill said he has tried to let people know that all are welcome at All Saints.

"We try to make it upbeat, and all-embracing," he said.

Although conservative Anglicans insist on a literal reading of scripture, Underhill said the Anglican Communion does not enforce a particular interpretation that has to be agreed upon by everyone. The Episcopal Church, he said, does view the Bible as the word of God.

"We take it very seriously, but not literally," he said. "We don't exact a particular interpretation for members to adhere to."

What the church teaches, he said, is that reason and tradition should be used along with scripture to understand God, and that allows for differences of opinion on issues, including same-sex marriage that some people in the parish may agree with, and others may not.

"We allow people to think for themselves," Merkle said. "We agree on freedom of thought."

GLORIA LaBOUNTY can be reached at 508-236-0333 or at glabounty@thesunchronicle.com.