CHURCH of Scotland confirmed this week that Cowal Kirk is reviewing the viability of its buildings, as uncertainty surrounds the future of their local churches.
Cowal Kirk, a registered charity, brought together five churches into a single united congregation in April 2021: St John’s, Kirn & Sandbank, the High Kirk, Innellan and Toward.
This union was then reduced following the sale of Innellan Church later that year and then the High Kirk in Dunoon last year.
Questions are now being asked about the future of the remaining churches amid growing speculation the registered charity could be facing financial pressures.
In January, this newspaper reported that Cowal Kirk was more than two years overdue in submitting its annual report and accounts to Scotland’s charity regulator, OSCR. It’s understood those documents have still yet to be filed.
The pressures of bringing together five churches into one congregation was cited as a reason for the delay. However, at the end of last month members of Cowal Kirk were called to a special meeting, the purpose of which was not publicly disclosed.
Since then, speculation has circulated that the congregation could be facing financial pressures and that the possible sale of some church buildings, specifically St John’s, an iconic structure in the heart of Dunoon, may be under consideration.
Responding to enquiries, the Church of Scotland confirmed this week that Cowal Kirk is currently working with the denomination’s property arm, the General Trustees.
A Church of Scotland spokesperson explained: The Church is going through a significant time of change and five congregations in the Cowal area have joined together to form a new united charge called Cowal Kirk.
The congregation has been working with the Church’s property arm, the General Trustees, to examine the viability of buildings it owns to ensure the best use of limited resources for continued missional and community work.
This includes taking into consideration the condition and estimated care and maintenance costs for each building, flexibility of use and how they can best serve future growth and continued service to the local community.
This is work in progress and no final decisions have been made.
