A draft plan to close more than 30 historic church buildings across Inverness and west Moray has emerged from the Church of Scotland.
A list of 31 church buildings and at least seven church manses will be “released” as the kirk moves to a streamlined ministry that builds mission plans for each of the new areas within the presbytery.
The presbytery will move from more than 30 distinct parishes to 13.
The plan will be discussed at a presbytery meeting on Saturday, September 10. A consultation period is also due to continue to the same month.
The proposals have not been published by the Church of Scotland but have been leaked on the website of St Laurence Church in Forres, which is one of the buildings under risk of closure.
Church of Scotland has already confirmed 10 closures in Aberdeen this year.
The cash-strapped church will create four mission districts to divide the churches across.
Which churches could close?
Nairnshire and West Moray
15 churches under risk of closure: Alves Church, Burghead Church, Findhorn Church, Dallas Church, Rafford Church, St Laurence Church, Dyke Church, Edinkillie Church, Nairn St Ninians Church released by December 31 2025, Auldearn Church, Lethen Hall (Auldearn), Cawdor Church, Croy Hall, Daviot Church and Dalarossie Church.
New parishes will be: Forres & West Moray, East Nairnshire, Nairn Old and The Straths.
There will be five ministers who serve the church communities in the district. Two ministers will be retained in Moray, one with a primary focus on Forres and immediate surroundings, and the other on the more rural communities within the charge.
There will also be a development of local school chaplaincy teams, partnerships working with other churches and more.
The timescale is “as soon as possible”.
The congregation at St Laurence in Forres is planning to fight the draft proposal.
Inverness South and East
10 under risk of closure: Ardersier Church released by December 31 2025, Petty Church, East Church, St Stephen’s Church, Old High Hall, Dyke Church, Edinkillie Church, Nairn St Ninians released by December 31 2024, Auldearn Church and Lethen Hall (Auldearn).
Five new parishes will be created: Culloden & Ardersier, Inshes, Hilton, St Columba and Crown & Raigmore.
Five ministers will be appointed to the mission district along with two parish assistants, known as a MDS, working across the five parishes.
The parish will include the chaplaincy to the University of the Highlands and Islands as well as exploring connections with NHS Highland’s Spiritual Care service, and to shoppers at Inverness Retail Park.
Workplace chaplaincy will also be developed in the city’s main commercial and industrial area.
Inverness Central and West area
Eight churches are earmarked to potentially close in the draft plan: Kirkhill Church released by December 31 2025, Kiltarlity Church, Beauly Church released by December 31 2025, Beauly Hall, Struy Church, Dalneigh Church released by December 31 2027, Trinity Church and Kinmylies Church released by December 31, 2025.
Four new parishes will be created at: Inverness City Ness Bank, Inverness Westside and the Firth of Beauly.
There will be three ministers and two parish assistants, known as MDS to serve the mission district.
This mission district encompasses an urban priority area, and other areas of significant social and financial deprivation.
A minister, two mission assistants, and a local community worker in a westside parish serving communities places such as Merkinch.
Councillor Bet McAllister, who represents Inverness Central, previously spoke out against a proposed closure of the church.
Loch Ness area
Could close: Corrimony Church.
Discussions between Inverness and Lochaber Presbyteries are continuing with a view to exploring the possibility of one full-time minister post to serve a single parish around the south of Loch Ness.
This would be achieved by uniting Urquhart and Glenmoriston, Boleskine to be disunited from Dores, Fort Augustus and Glengarry.
Seven manses are also set for closure. They are St Laurence, Dyce and Edinkillie, Ardersier, East (Inverness), St Stephen’s, Dalneigh and Trinity. The fate of two manses at Kirkhill and Beauly are to be confirmed.
‘Change is necessary’
Rev Mike Robertson, convenor of the Inverness Presbytery, explained the proposals have been a year in the making and plot a course for the next five years.
In the introduction to the report he explained that while the plans will save and generate money, the “high cost” will be “an emotional one”.
When contacted by the Press & Journal, he explained the proposals would ensure the Church of Scotland is fit for the the future in the area.
He said: “This is a draft plan and is still to be considered by presbytery in September.
“However, change is necessary in order to deliver sustainable and realistic new expressions of ministry and church and ensure all buildings are suitable for the needs of mission in the 21st Century.
“We recognise that throughout the Inverness Presbytery and beyond, there are buildings where congregations are engaging in positive outreach work to support their communities, so we know that some of these decisions will be difficult.
“However, a proposed closure of a particular building is not a judgement on the congregation, but part of a mission plan for the whole of the presbytery area.
“As the Inverness Presbytery Plan, it makes no proposals concerning Ross, but as our presbytery borders Ross, it will doubtless have a future impact as wider presbytery reform takes shape.
“Whilst there appears to be significant reductions, as a necessary consequence of us not having addressed these issues over recent decades, the plan does not see the church lifting its tent pegs or retreating from the area. Far from it.
“It is pruning and re-shaping to be a missional church, fit for today and the future, for growth.”
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