THE decision to close a number of Three Towns churches has been rubber-stamped after the Church of Scotland nurture forum concurred with the Ardrossan mission plan.

The decision was made in Edinburgh just over a week ago, which agreed with the recommendations made in the earlier plan by the Ardrossan presbytery.

The plans also detail the decision to close two churches in the Garnock Valley as the mission plan looks to join Ardrossan with five other presbyteries to create the Presbytery of the South West Scotland in September 2022.

Further updating the plan previously reported in the Herald back in May, the latest update also includes the intended closure dates for all of the buildings that have been deemed “no longer suitable for purpose”.

In the Three Towns, this decision would see Saltcoats North Parish Church, St, Cuthbert’s Church and the Stevenston High Kirk all close by December 2023. They would join Ardeer church which was dissolved earlier this year.

In the Garnock Valley, the Auld Kirk in Kilbirnie, which was selected for closure, has also had this same date. Though St Margaret’s in Dalry has been given a slightly longer lifespan, until December 2025.

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The properties will be closing due to “a surplus of buildings” described in the plan, and the closures will lead to the union of several congregations in the areas.

The decision on which buildings should be closed was based in conjunction with ‘asset management building audits’ (AMBAs) carried out on each church.

Upon closure, the presbytery mission plan will leave each of the Three Towns with only one Church of Scotland church: Park Church in Ardrossan, The Kirkgate in Saltcoats and Livingstone in Stevenston.

This decision is paralleled in the Garnock Valley with Beith’s only Church of Scotland building remaining open, only the Trinity church remaining in Dalry and in Kilbirnie, only St Columba’s will remain.

What has, however, not been made clear, is what the future will hold for the church buildings which are to be made redundant.

The Herald tried to contact the Church of Scotland for clarity on what their plans are for the buildings, though were unable to reach them before going to print.

The congregations affected by the nurture forum’s decision to rubber stamp these plans will have the opportunity to fight their case and appeal these impending closures.

However, given the rationale behind the decisions that have been made, any adjustments would require a strong case and backing.

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