Complex sentence: Continued controversy over the issues led to the matter being submitted to a congregational vote in 1982 in which six of the 12 deacons-and about one third of the membership-sided against Kendall.
Split into simpler sentences: Continued controversy over the issues led to the matter being submitted to a congregational vote in 1982. Six of the 12 deacons and about one third of the membership voted against Kendall.