Plea to rethink Highland church closure
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The days are numbered for an historic Black Isle church as a place of worship as the Church of Scotland continues to reassess the number of buildings and ministers it can afford to keep.
Under the Presbytery of Ross’s new mission plan, historic Killearnan Church near Redcastle will be one of those sold along with its hall by the end of 2025 unless there is a change of heart by the Kirk authorities.
The congregation has asked for a review of this decision before final approval is granted.
A dismayed worshipper there, retired cook Jane Weston of Muir of Ord, has deplored the Kirk’s move.
She said: “I have been a member of that congregation for five years and I have noticed a steady increase in numbers attending from 20 to 30 or 40 every week.
“Community spirit is second to none, and with other churches closing we would be able to welcome more people to Killearnan.
“It appears to me there has not been any kind of meeting where the public could air their views, and that the decisions have already been made by faceless bureaucrats who live hundreds of miles away using maps and spreadsheets to arrive at their findings.
“If only these people were to visit Killearnan they would be able to understand what a mistake it would be to close it. Surely we deserve a little more attention before our community breaks up which at present is held together through the church.”
She also found it “unbelieveable” that the hall is earmarked to go as well.
The Ross ministry allocation is to be cut from 16 full-time equivalent posts to 10 by December 2025.
Killearnan and Knockbain Churches currently cover Munlochy, Tore and North Kessock areas.
The congregation wanted to retain the hall and meet there, but the case for retaining either of the buildings has been challenged.
Under the new plan, Killearnan will unite with Urray and Kilchrist Parish Church in Muir of Ord.
A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “As part of wider reforms within the Church of Scotland, Ross Presbytery has been carrying out an evaluation of its buildings to ensure their suitability for the challenges of Christian mission in the 21st century and to create a plan for future growth while continuing to support the communities we serve.
“The new plan, which was approved by an overwhelming majority at the most recent Presbytery of Ross, puts mission at the heart of the life of the church but reduces significantly the number of charges and the Presbytery of Ross has been given explicit instructions to reduce the ministry allocation.”
He added: “The plan offers a viable and credible future for the Presbytery of Ross in the coming years, by making important decisions about the allocation of ministers and ministry roles and the choice of church buildings to retain.
“These changes are happening across Scotland and we acknowledge that many people, where church life has been centred on a particular location, are understandably finding this difficult to accept. The reality is that unless the Church of Scotland responds to decline and implements change, continuing to sustain the number of congregations we have will not be possible in the future.
“The current Presbytery Mission Plan for the Presbytery of Ross offers a way forward that has a clear emphasis on mission and draws on the existing resources of ministers and congregations as a whole, while seeking to make the best possible use of ‘well-equipped spaces in the right places’.”
