SUPPORTERS of St Johns Church gathered in Dunoon on Saturday in a public show of opposition to the Church of Scotlands decision to sell the historic town centre building.
The gathering brought together members of Cowal Kirk and representatives from community groups which regularly use St Johns, as efforts continue to demonstrate the strength of local support for retaining the Category A-listed church.
It follows the decision to release St Johns for sale after accepting recommendations made following a review by the Church of Scotlands General Trustees.
The decision has proved controversial among members of the congregation, with Cowal Kirk having previously indicated that its preferred option was to retain St Johns and instead release Kirn and Sandbank Church.
Saturdays gathering was the latest indication that opposition to the decision extends beyond those who attend services at St Johns, with a number of community organisations which use the church buildings represented.
Supporters say there is widespread concern about the potential loss of a building which serves not only as a place of worship but as a community facility in the heart of Dunoon, not to mention a popular sight for visiting tourists.
St Johns has been described as one of Scotlands top 20 churches by architectural historian John Hume and has played a prominent role in town life for generations.
Its future has been under consideration as part of a wider review of Cowal Kirks buildings, prompted by concerns that maintaining three churches along with the Hanover Street Halls behind St Johns was financially unsustainable.
However, the decision to sell the church has been met with frustration from those campaigning to retain St Johns.
Following the closure of the High Kirk three years ago, supporters have pointed to the significance of St Johns as the remaining Church of Scotland church building in Dunoon itself.
For many of those opposing the sale, the issue also extends beyond the future of Sunday worship.
They argue that St Johns remains an important community space and a building in which generations of local families have celebrated weddings and baptisms, attended funerals and marked significant moments in their lives.
Saturdays turnout brought those different strands of the community together as supporters continue to make the case for the historic building to remain at the heart of Dunoon.
