Church back from the brink?
A Renfrewshire church that was threatened with closure could be on the verge of being saved.
The Clyde Presbytery had planned to close Renfrew North Parish as the Church of Scotland seeks to reduce the number of ministers from 60 to 40.
The Paisley Daily Express first reported on the news of the potential closure back in November.
In response to the planned closure, a petition was set up with the intention of showing the strength of feeling in the local community against the closure. The petition has nearly 2,000 signatures.
The community response seems to have had some effect, with the Clyde Presbytery said to be considering saving the church.
The church is now being earmarked to be reclassified as a“Category A” building.
A confirmation of this is expected at a meeting of the Presbytery on Saturday, March 18.
Reverend Phillip Wallace shared the good news of the change in heart from the Presbytery, though the decision is not yet final, and he warned against celebrating too early.
He said:“I have now been informed that the current thinking of the Presbytery Planning Group is to propose that the Renfrew North building is categorised as Category A, that is, required for future use. When the next version of the draft Presbytery Plan is published the text will read something like: ‘Union between Renfrew North and Inchinnan, both buildings Category A, with one Minister of Word and Sacrament; Renfrew Trinity buildings Category A with one Minister of Word and Sacrament.’
“This will come as a great relief to all of us. However, we are also reminded that the Plan still needs to be approved by the meeting of Presbytery on March 18, the Presbytery Mission Plan Implementation Group (a national Church of Scotland committee) and the Church of Scotland General Trustees.”