Archbishop Dr Philip Freier has suggested that the Anglican Church in melbourne could start having a graceful conversation about how to minister to those gays and lesbians in our congregations and beyond who are taking advantage of the new provisions of the Marriage Act and getting married.

Archbishop Freier told clergy: "I am very conscious of the pain that members of our church who are in same sex partnerships experience at this time when the society has changed in a way that the church hasn't. Beyond these members of our church there are the parents, grandparents and family friends who will be sharing the family table at Christmas and wondering about what the church says about the relationships of loved ones that are now equivalent at law to heterosexual relationships."