Editor -Your recent front page coverage about the current situation with Cowal Kirk drew attention to the serious problems Church of Scotland members are currently facing in our area.
It would seem quite drastic if Dunoon were to lose its iconic St John’s church, the last Church of Scotland, left open in the town, and an iconic A-listed building, one to be cherished, in my view.
It is frequently used by local groups and has special assets including an excellent hall and rooms, a central position, a car-park nearby, a good acoustic and excellent pipe organ.
Yet I understand that about three years ago, a flawed decision was taken to reduce the previous five Sunday services in South East Cowal to just one, this despite our area being very fortunate indeed to have some excellent ordained local ministers, who had been coping admirably with the previous situation.
Surely it would have been sensible and practical to have kept two services on Sundays, which could
have minimised losing disheartened members, (after the closure of the High Kirk), and maintained at least one service in the greater Dunoon area every Sunday.
Considering that the church wishes to be at the heart of the community, I think that our community should at least be consulted on any future plans to close the last Church Of Scotland in the town. After all, people and buildings both matter.
I also can’t help wondering if it isn’t time we learned from elsewhere. Where Scotland at present seems content to lose churches and sideline church-going, here is a contrasting example: Kilbarchan West Church closed, sadly, about six years ago, but its fine Hill and Son pipe organ has been bought, transported, and re-assembled in the Marienkirche in Prenzlau in Germany, where in mid- May there will be four days of events, services, recitals, lectures, a Highland Games, a Choral Evensong and concerts in celebration of the arrival and dedication of their Hill organ from Kilbarchan.
The programme includes two choirs, an orchestra and eminent organists from England, Scotland, Berlin and Prenzlau. And their Saturday night concert is already sold out.
Such a project engenders optimism – I suggest we need some in Dunoon.
Philip Norris
Hunter’s Quay
