NEW YORK — The outgoing leader of The Episcopal Church is asking Episcopalians for patience amid meetings about divisions over the Bible and gays.

Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold said in a Sept. 28 letter to Episcopalians that they should follow the discussion process laid out by Anglican leaders and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the Anglican spiritual leader, who plan to meet in February.

Griswold said it should be "a process of mutual growth which calls for patience, mutual understanding and generosity of spirit."

Griswold was reacting partly to a meeting of Anglican leaders in Kigali, Rwanda, last month, who are known as the Global South bishops. The church leaders, who believe the Bible bars gay relationships, backed the creation of a separate Anglican entity in the United States for Episcopal conservatives. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. representative of world Anglicanism.

Griswold said such a move would create "chaos" and hurt the church's mission.

The Global South leaders also said they would not recognize the incoming presiding Episcopal bishop — Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori — who supports gay relationships. Jefferts Schori, the first woman presiding bishop, will be installed Nov. 4.

Separately, a group of 21 Episcopal bishops met in Texas last month and said in a joint statement that the top Episcopal policy making body, the General Convention, did not properly respond to the concerns from overseas Anglicans about electing partnered gays as bishops.

The Episcopal Church caused in uproar in 2003 when it consecrated V. Gene Robinson as its first openly gay bishop. The General Convention, which met in June, voted to ask U.S. bishops to "exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration" of candidates "whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church." However, the measure is not binding.

Griswold said that he will "pray that our mutual concerns will allow us to work together for the healing and reconciliation of the world, and thereby find the source of our healing and reconciliation as a Communion."