The largest Presbyterian Church in the state has elected a gay deacon.

This comes just a day after the Presbytery of Arkansas votes to allow gays and lesbians to be ordained ministers, elders, and deacons. The Presbyterian denomination nationally, changed the interpretation of the constitution last June.

Now they've voted locally to actually change wording of the constitution, giving churches such as the second Presbyterian church in Little Rock the ability to ordain gays and lesbians in the church.

"The amendment that's getting all the attention is amendment b," Sallie Watson with the Presbytery of Arkansas said.

Amendment B is a change of wording in the Presbytery Book of Order. "That was to change the wording currently in the book of order that's specially prohibits ordination of practicing gay and lesbians," Watson said.

That change allows gays and lesbians to serve as a minister, elder, or deacon in the church. Arkansas Presbyterians voted for that change Saturday, 116-64.

A vote not everyone expected. "The interesting thing to me is that the vote here was 2-1, in favor and that surprised everyone," Watson said.

Just one day later, the Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock elected a gay deacon.

"The timing was coincidental. They elect officers every spring and this just happened to fall the same weekend. The two events are really unrelated," Watson said.

Now, it's up the discretion of each Presbyterian Church in north and central Arkansas to decide what they'll do.