The leadership of a massive Chicago-area evangelical church is stepping down and has apologized to women who accused the megachurch’s founder of sexual harassment.

The board of elders of the Willow Creek Community Church announced Wednesday they will all leave by year’s end.

In a statement on the church’s website, the elders apologized for being slow to take seriously all the women who came forward with accusations against church founder Bill Hybels.

“We, as a board, know Willow needs and deserves a fresh start, and the entire board will step down to create room for a new board,” the statement said.

“We realize this has taken too long and left you, our congregation, wondering why we didn’t respond. We are truly repentant,” it added.

Hybels, who resigned in April, has denied the groping allegations dating to the 1980s.

Lead pastor Heather Larson admitted in a separate statement that she made mistakes and that “trust has been broken by leadership”.

“I know I’ve made mistakes, and there are things I wish I could go back and do differently,” she said.

Willow Creek is hosting its 23rd annual Global Leadership Summit, starting Thursday, even though several speakers backed out and over 100 churches cancelled plans to broadcast the event.