Concerns have been raised over the future of a Johnstone church as it becomes the latest at risk of closure due to Church of Scotland cuts.
Johnstone High Parish Church could be no more in just three years time as the Clyde Presbytery seeks to reduce the number of ministers in its area from 60 to 40.
The Paisley Daily Express has previously reported that Renfrew North Parish Church was facing the threat of closure – and can now reveal that worshippers in Johnstone could lose their church, too.
Johnstone High Parish Church session clerk, James Wallace, told the Express the Presbytery is proposing the Johnstone congregation be moved to Elderslie. He says the Presbytery has earmarked the Johnstone church for closure due to upkeep costs.
The building is more than 200 years old and, as the Presbytery seeks to cut costs, it envisages fewer problems with the other, newer Church of Scotland churches in the town at St Andrew’s and St Paul’s.
However, James explained the church currently funds its own upkeep through rental agreements it has with various activity groups and other users who make use of the church’s halls.
He says the church, a B-listed building, although old, is made of long-life materials and sees it outlasting the other churches in the area.
“I feel it’s solid,” he said. “And the other two churches enjoy some modern building, certainly, but will they be here in 50 years time, or will they have to be rebuilt?”
As well as welcoming worshippers weekly, the church is a hive of activity, with various groups making use of the church’s halls.
These include a Sunday school, which James says is attracting more and more people, as well as hosting a Women’s Guild, with the ladies from St Paul’s attending Johnstone High Parish Church for this.
It also hosts meetings of alcohol, drug and mental health recovery groups. A Boys’ Brigade pack operates out of its space as well.
“We just feel ours is in the right place,” added James. “We interact with the communities in the town centre, the halls are in use for lots of community groups. It seems to me that it will be the most active church that will be closed.”
A decision on closure was originally planned for November last year, however, after opposition from churches facing closure, this was extended until early next month. The Paisley Daily Express understands this has been postponed again until March.
Any decision would not mean the immediate closure of the church, but upon the retirement of the church’s minister – a new one would not be installed and at that point it would close.
The current minister, Reverend Ann McCool, has around three years left until retirement. A petition has been launched to save the church, which was built in 1792, to demonstrate the strength of feeling against its closure.
It has so far gained more than 760 signatures and can be accessed at change.org/p/reconsider-closing-johnstone-high-parish-church
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