Cuts could leave Ness Bank as the only church in Inverness city centre after Church of Scotland merger plan for Inshes and East Church in Academy Street
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Significant cutbacks by the Church of Scotland could see Inverness city centre being served by just one of its churches.
A decision is still awaited on the Presbytery of Inverness Plan which could see the number of buildings it operates reduced by more than 60 per cent.
The historic A-listed Old High Church was recently placed on the market after holding its final service earlier this year. Now, the B-listed East Church in Academy Street could close its doors and merge with Inshes, leaving Ness Bank as the Presbytery’s city centre church.
But the draft mission plan envisages there will be many new opportunities for Ness Bank to explore for partnership work.
“It is ideally placed within a future culture and arts quarter of the city, with Highland Council’s development of Inverness Castle,” it states.
“There are also established relationships with the Community Justice Partnership, with the new Justice Centre within the extended parish.
“Ness Bank will still have responsibility for areas of deprivation and has a well-established community support operation in the form of Inverness Foodstuff, who partner with Highland Council, the NHS and other support agencies, serving the homeless, the vulnerable, and disadvantaged in the city centre and surrounding area.”
The re-organisation in the Inverness area is part of a wider plan as the Church of Scotland tries to cut costs and remain viable.
The Inverness Presbytery currently operates with 41 buildings but more than 25 could be ‘released’ although numbers have not yet been finalised.
The interim minister at East Church is Rev David Scott, of Inshes, who did not wish to comment at this stage on the plans.
The draft plan has to be approved by the Church of Scotland and will then be returned for a further meeting of Inverness Presbytery to finally approve and adopt it.
The entire process must be complete by December 31.
