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So -- I take it this is a good thing. ?

(I'm not familiar with Anglican doctrine.)

Do you happen to know what a congregational church is? I'm thinking it's a little like a Unitarian church. I'm wondering because an aunt I'm very fond of belongs to one of these and the services at that particular church were .. a little wierd.

Well, it's a loss to the Anglican world, but I would *not* call it a bad thing. Given the small size of this group, probably just the two churches, this is a good thing.

As regards the Congregationals, they are not at all like the Unitarians. My experience of them (and more properly, my wife's because she attended one for a while, there having been no functional Episcopal church in that New England town for decades): they're generally a pretty solid Protestant church. It may be that this pastor has gotten into New Age or other stuff.

Do you happen to know what a congregational church is?

Congregational churches have Calvinist roots, like the Presbyterians, but a form of church government more like the Baptists, with a high level of local church autonomy. They are strongest in New England.

As a practical matter, like most of the mainline groups, they have trended strongly liberal in recent years, but there is a wide range of current belief and practice.

Most (but not all) Congregational churches today are affiliated with the United Church of Christ, a liberal group which allows homosexual ministers.

As for the Unitarian question, here's a quote from Wikipedia:

"Despite the efforts of Calvinists to maintain the dominance of their system, the Congregationalist churches, especially in New England, gradually gave way to the influences of Arminianism, Unitarianism, and transcendentalism. "

Sorry, cut and paste: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congregational_church

And here is some of what the UCC says about itself:

"1. What does "Open and Affirming (ONA) mean?"
To say that a setting of the UCC (a local church, campus ministry etc.) is "Open and Affirming" means that it has publicly declared that "gay, lesbian, bisexual" (GLB) people (or those of all "sexual orientations") are welcome in its full life and ministry (e.g. membership, leadership, employment etc.) It bespeaks a spirit of hospitality and a willingness to live out that welcome in meaningful ways."

http://www.ucc.org/lgbt/ona.htm