Bill Buchholz, leader of the 4,000-member Family Community Church, believes the court will invalidate the marriages. "If that is what happens, the upheaval of the moral issue caused by [the council's] approval of civil disobedience will have become settled by the court," he said.

Like toppling dominoes, if the court rules the way Buchholz expects, he said Gonzales would ask the San Jose City Council to rescind its resolution to extend benefits to same-sex spouses of city employees.

Gonzales also said he would not recognize Massachusetts same-sex marriages.

Finally, San Jose would abstain from helping San Francisco appeal the state decision at the United States Supreme Court.

However, no one will lose benefits, regardless of what happens, according to David Vossbrink, the mayor's spokesman. The council voted in April to extend benefits to all city employees with enrolled domestic partners regardless of gender.

Buchholz's newfound serenity with the way the case is proceeding in the state Supreme Court follows a 10-1 city council vote to allow his church to relocate to larger facilities in the middle of Edenvale industrial park.

According to Vossbrink, the two decisions have nothing to do with each other.

"As far as the mayor is concerned, the decision on the Edenvale location for FCC that was approved by the council last week on a 10-1 vote was entirely a land-use matter," said Vossbrink. "As a result of substantial revisions to the original proposal, it now would develop new job-supporting uses on the land and would retain the long-term industrial potential and appearance of the site. With these changes, the council felt that approval was appropriate."

While Buchholz and his flock are pulling back from the recall issue, another community leader isn't abandoning the attempt to kick Gonzales out of office, though.

"Nothing's changed," said Larry Pegram, a former San Jose city councilman. "I'm not sure that the church leaders have expressed that they're no longer interested in a recall. If the Supreme Court acts and the mayor acts, there's less of that sense of urgency. If they don't act, I think we're committed to act."

Pegram said a report compiled by consultant Sal Russo affirmed his sense of general dissatisfaction with City Hall. But he did not elaborate.

Asked which demographic group was most unhappy, Pegram said, "the angry ones."

Amorphous masses of angry residents aside, the mayor has already moved beyond the recall threat.

"From the time the subject of a potential recall threat was mentioned, Mayor Gonzales regarded it as divisive, inappropriate and a distraction from the more pressing issues facing the community," said Vossbrink.