The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, today presided at a “secret” Eucharist for lesbian and gay clergy in the Church of England.

At the service, in London, he gave a talk on “present realities and future possibilities for lesbians and gay men in the church.”

Conservatives condemned the Archbishop for the move, warning that it will make him the “focus of division”.

The venue, originally at St Peter’s Eaton Square, was switched to another location in London to avoid media attention after news of the meeting emerged on the Church Society website earlier this year.

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The meeting was organised by the Clergy Consultation, a support group for gay clergy, ordinands and Anglican monks and nuns. Secrecy was so tight that a list of names attending was sent to Lambeth Palace with orders that it be shredded as soon as he had read it.

The consultation, has between 250 and 450 members at any one time, was set up in 1976 by three Anglican priests, Malcolm Johnson, Peter Ellers and Douglas Rhymes.

Many consultation members are married, one with six children, and are faithful to their partners. The organisation helps them cope with staying faithful to what they regard as a Christian lifestyle while dealing with a sexuality that sometimes does not emerge until later in life.

Dr Williams views his taking part in the meeting and celebrating the eucharist as part of the “listening process” recommended in the resolutions of the 1998 Lambeth Conference.

A spokeswoman said: “The Archbishop of Canterbury is committed to the listening process which was agreed at the Lambeth Conference as part of the discussions on human sexuality. That means listening to and engaging with gay and lesbian clergy in a pastorally sensitive setting. That is what he is doing.”

But he was criticised by evangelicals who believe this will be interpeted as Dr Williams endorsing the Church’s liberal wing.

David Phillips, General Secretary of the Church Society, said: “This is not something that should be happening. There is obviously serious doubt in our mind about some of the people present and their standing because of being in homosexual relationships. But we do not really have much regard for Rowan Williams anyway. We came to the conclusion a long time ago that he was not really fit to be Archbishop so this does not change anything.”

In a joint statement Dr Richard Turnbull, chair of the Church of England Evangelical Council and Dr Philip Giddings, Convenor of the evangelical group Anglican Mainstream, said: “Every occasion for listening pastorally to people is to be welcomed.