Shake-up plan puts 14 Perthshire church buildings under threat of closure

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A consultation has been launched to discuss radical new proposals to reform the Church of Scotland in Perth and Kinross - with 14 church buildings under threat of closure.

The planning and development committee of the Presbytery of Perth has produced a draft mission plan to determine how limited resources should be allocated over a five-year period to ensure that the Church meets 21st Century mission needs.

Members of the presbytery are being asked for their views concerning the proposals for change which is a work in progress and subject to amendment.The plan prioritises allocating resources to support congregations with “the greatest potential where there is evidence of growth, sustainability and innovation”.The presbytery has 45 church buildings within its boundary and is asking members to consider the possible closure of 14 of them sometime within the five-year life-span of the plan.These are Cleish, Portmoak, Arngask, Forteviot, Forgandenny, St Leonard’s in the Fields, two buildings attached to Craigie and Moncrieffe, Kilspindie and Rait (one building), Collace and Trinity Gask.Presbyters have been advised that two buildings connected to Mid Strathearn Church and one building in Crieff may have to be closed.Convener of the Presbytery of Perth’s planning and development committee Rev Allan Wilson said: “We are at the beginning of a process to determine how limited resources should be allocated to congregations over the lifetime of the draft mission plan which is five years."It is a significant time of change and the proposals, which are based on evidence provided to the committee by congregations, represent a concerted effort to continue the mission of the Church and nurture green shoots of growth within the