BANGOR – Episcopalians answered their bishop’s call to love and sacrifice at their annual convention last weekend.

As a result, larger congregations will “sacrifice” a bit more so that smaller ones can experience some financial relief.

Delegates and clergy representing 17,000 of the faithful from 86 churches throughout the state met Friday and Saturday in Bangor.

They agreed to change the flat formula used to determine the amount of money each parish pays annually to support the operation of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, based in Portland.

“Love is always about sacrifice … about surrendering ourselves – and what we have – for others,” Bishop Chilton Knudsen said in her remarks to delegates, posted on the diocesan Web site.

The weekend vote was the culmination of three years of studying alternative ways to fund diocesan activities. This is the last year congregations will pay 17.1 percent of their normal operating income to support the diocese.

The two-step formula passed by delegates will decrease the annual assessments of 37 churches and raise the assessments of 29.

St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bangor, with a reported membership of 568, will see an increase of 3.9 percent, or $2,047, in its annual assessment – the third-largest increase in the diocese.

Small churches without full-time clergy will contribute less.

The 17-member Messiah Episcopal Church in Dexter will see its assessment reduced from $325 to $104. The assessment at medium-sized churches such as 88-member St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Calais will decline slightly. St. Anne’s will contribute $306 less in 2003 than it did this year.

Other assessment resolutions presented to the convention would have increased the assessment on large-membership churches even more, according to information on the diocesan Web site.

In other money matters, delegates approved resolutions that included:

. A $1.6 million diocesan budget with all but $240,00 coming from churches.

. An increase recommended for clergy and church staff salaries.

. A feasibility study on the implementation of a diocesan endowment and capital campaign.

Delegates also approved forming a companion diocesan relationship between Maine and Haiti.