Modeling respectful communication on controversial issues, the Churches of the Porvoo Communion held a consultation on marriage in Finland in November as reported by Thinking Anglicans:
Delegates represented the Anglican Churches in England, Ireland and Scotland, and the Lutheran Churches in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. Observers were present from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, and the Latvian Lutheran Church Abroad.
Without a need for centralized governance the churches were able to support one another and affirm the value of belonging to one another:
The consultation concluded that differences over the introduction of same-sex marriage remain unresolved. The Churches hold a variety of views and pastoral practices along a theological spectrum. Some believe same sex marriage to be a legitimate development in the Christian tradition, whilst others see the potential for a serious departure from the received tradition. Nevertheless the consultation affirmed the benefits of “belonging to one another” and the value of honest encounter. The strong relationship of the Porvoo Communion, provides a “platform of sustained communication in the face of issues which raise difficulties for [the Churches]” ~Bishop David Hamid (CoE Suffragan Bishop in Europe).
(click on photo to enlarge)