Leaders of the Episcopal Church dioceses of Chicago and neighboring Quincy have agreed to develop a plan and timeline for future reunification discussions and meet again on August 18.

The leaders, which included Provisional Bishop John Buchanan of Quincy and from Chicago, Bishop Jeffrey Lee and Assisting Bishop Christopher Epting, attended the meeting on Saturday along with other clergy and lay leaders from both dioceses, the Episcopal News Service reported.

"This is not just a structural conversation," said Buchanan. "It is about people."

The development is part of continuing talks between the dioceses, who will form a due diligence working group to examine issues involved in reunification.

The Springfield Diocese, the third diocese created in an 1877 split of the Diocese of Illinois, is not involved in the talks.

The Diocese of Quincy is seeking to regain buildings and funds currently held by a group of Anglicans who left the Episcopal Church in 2008 over theological disagreements.

The group who left cited an unwillingness to be led by Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, who they noted moved to allow the Diocese of Nevada to offer blessings of same-gender unions and voted in 2003 to approve the consecration of Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay bishop in the church.