Efforts to allow sexually active gays and lesbians to serve as clergy in the Presbyterian Church (USA) have once again been defeated, according to votes received so far from 155 of the denomination’s 173 presbyteries.

On Saturday, the 87th, 88th and 89th votes against deleting a "fidelity and chastity" provision in the PC(USA)’s constitution were tallied, effectively giving opponents of the latest efforts the majority needed to overturn a highly contested vote last year.

Last summer, the denomination’s General Assembly had voted to remove the requirement for prospective ministers, deacons and elders to live in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between and a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness".

Such a change, however, needed support from a majority of the denomination’s presbyteries – support that has fallen short for the fourth time in twelve years.

Previous efforts to delete the provision also failed at the presbytery level in 1998 (55 to 45 per cent), in 1999 (66 to 33 per cent), and in 2002 (57 to 43 per cent).

The final results of this year's vote will be not be known until after all presbyteries have cast their votes. The remaining presbyteries have until June 28 to do so.