St Giles’ and Elgin High are among the possible closures as part of the latest Church of Scotland budget cuts in Moray.
Places of worship are being put forward for closure across the country as part of a plan to reduce costs amidst falling congregation numbers with fewer ministers in training.
Already the Church of Scotland has confirmed 10 closures in Aberdeen and 13 across Inverness and Nairn amongst others.
Now the Church of Scotland has put forward four churches in Elgin for closure with only one and a neighbouring hall due to be retained
Which churches in Elgin have been proposed for closure?
The Church of Scotland has proposed that St Giles’ Church, Elgin High, Birnie Kirk and Pluscarden Church will all close by 2027.
The buildings are part of a consultation that will run until November with plans due to be reviewed annually and could be subject to change.
Only St Columba’s South and the neighbouring Williamson Hall are due to be kept open.
The remaining buildings are expected to be “released”. It has not been confirmed what that means but it is expected that some could be sold on the open market.
As part of the streamlining of the Church of Scotland, the former Moray presbytery has been amalgamated into a new Presbytery of the North East and Northern Isles.
It has been proposed that the Elgin congregations will all be combined into one parish at St Columba’s South on Moss Street.
Elgin church closures: Why is it happening?
A spokesman said: “Changing population patterns along with falling membership, fewer people training for ministry and a reduction in financial contributions mean that it is necessary to reduce the number of buildings the Church owns.
“The Church recognises that buildings have meaning and value to their local communities so we know that some of these decisions will be difficult.
“Work to finalise a legacy Presbytery of Moray mission plan is underway but has not yet been completed.
“The legacy Moray Presbytery plan is not proposing a new permanent shape to church life, but offers a first step with some longer-term directions of travel.
“The gardener in John 15 prunes the branches that bear fruit and those that are overstretched or exhausted so the local church sees that as a cause for hope for new growth.
“The mission plan is not primarily about buildings, it is about the mission of Christ that can be resourced by appropriate buildings.”
What impact will church closures have?
St Giles’, which was Elgin’s first parish church, forms the centrepiece to the Plainstones on the High Street and hosts the annual Remembrance Sunday services.
The current building was built in the 1820s but it can trace its roots back to the late 12th Century.
It also holds concerts with Moray Concert Brass due to hold their annual autumn performance there this weekend.
Meanwhile, Elgin High is a B-listed building from the 1840s and has held Moray Food Plus events previously.
Elgin City South councillor Peter Bloomfield said: “If both St Giles’ and Elgin High close then it’s concentrating the closures in one place.
“I could understand if they wanted to keep one or the other, but to close both forces worshippers to go further.
“It’s sad that it’s all come to this.”
Birnie and Pluscarden serve more rural communities and now only hold fortnightly services with them alternating between the two.
Ancient 883-year-old Moray kirk – one of oldest in Scotland – faces closure in church budget cuts
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