Shetland set to close 20 churches

The Church of Scotland says not all its buildings can remain in use

The Church of Scotland has announced 20 kirks across Shetland will close.

The church said keeping 31 buildings open in the isles had become "unaffordable" due to dwindling congregations and a shortage of ministers.

It is the largest tranche of kirk closures ever to be announced in Scotland.

But church leaders say the "difficult decision" will help them build a more "sustainable future" for worship.

Over the next three years 20 out of 31 churches in Shetland are expected to shut their doors.

The Church of Scotland will reveal the individual buildings earmarked for closure later this week, after all local congregations have been informed.

Historic kirks

Some of the kirks which are due to close have been open since the 18th Century and used by generations of the same families.

It is understood that congregations will have the opportunity to appeal against any of the closures.

However if they do appeal, they risk delaying efforts to enact the new presbytery plan.

The announcement followed a meeting in Lerwick which saw local worshippers endorse the closures as part of a new Presbytery plan.

The plan could also see 13 local parishes merged into a one, with three parish ministers covering Shetland in addition to three ministry development staff, including a newly appointed youth worker.

'Sustainable future'

There are 975 members of the Church of Scotland in Shetland and about two thirds of them contribute financially to the church.

It means that there are less local resources available, both financially and with regards to volunteer numbers.

Shetland's Presbytery, the local organising body of the church, could also be dissolved, with a new joint Presbytery for Aberdeen and Shetland proposed.

Church representatives said this, combined with the national financial crisis at the Church of Scotland which has a rising deficit of about £4.7m, has made it inevitable that difficult decisions need to be made.

In a statement, the Church of Scotland said: "Shetland Presbytery has been helping Church of Scotland congregations collaborate to meet the challenges of ministry and mission in the 21st Century.

"The Presbytery has a legacy of many more church buildings than they need and has faced some difficult choices on which buildings should be retained and which should be let go.

"At the heart of our decision making is the desire to see a sustainable future for the Church of Scotland, its mission and pastoral care for the whole of Shetland.

"We have now identified 11 churches to retain out of 31 buildings throughout Shetland, and we will work with our congregations as we move towards a new model of ministry which could result in a single parish and the formation of a new Presbytery of Aberdeen and Shetland.

"These are both challenging but exciting times in Shetland as we explore a new model of ministry, which may in future years, provide an example to the national church."