CHURCH communities across Scotland have been urged to consider shedding historic buildings in favour of modern rebuilds as the extent of managing the Kirk's crumbling estate was revealed.
The Church of Scotland said managing its property is “one of the biggest problems that is facing the church”.
The General Trustees, who own the deeds to most of the Kirk’s £458m estate, said talks are under way with Historic Environment Scotland to help preserve any buildings that have to be sold.
Iain Douglas, General Trustees chairman, said: “Of course I am not advocating the indiscriminate disposal of church buildings - but in certain instances it is appropriate and bold decisions need to be taken.”
He said in his address to the General Assembly, the annual gathering of around 730 senior Kirk figures, said its aim is to invoke a law-change that would protect such buildings.
The current approach to preserving the ecclesiastical heritage landscape is haphazard, said the chairman - who steps down this year - with some developers letting promises lapse and buildings fall into ruin, while in contrast others have gone as far as to allow congregations to continue worshipping until almost the moment they have to vacate.
Mr Douglas said: "Many of our buildings are much too big and expensive to maintain.
"Sometimes outreach to the local community is being hampered because congregations are over-burdened with the cost of maintenance of buildings which no longer serve them well.
"Although many buildings are used throughout the week - many of our sanctuaries lie empty six days each week."
He added: "Are we prepared to address this by creating more appropriate buildings - or do we love our buildings more than we love our mission?
"Of course I am not advocating the indiscriminate disposal of church buildings - but in certain instances it is appropriate and bold decisions need to be taken.
"Since its inception our Church has always developed to meet the needs of the people in parishes across the country."
The estate includes 1,345 churches, 197 halls and 835 manses.
The imminent problems facing local parishes and congregations are forcing the issue to the top of many local agenda, he said.
It comes as the Kirk grapples with providing full territorial ministry across Scotland.
Rev Bryan Kerr, of Greyfriars in Lanark, who is a senior presbytery figure involved in estate management, told how one congregations had to sell all its assets in order to survive within a linked parish.
The assembly heard from another minister that at least one historic building in its presbytery is simply "disintegrating".
The last day of the historic gathering of general assembly, first held in 1560, also heard an address from Loretta Minghella, chief executive of Christian Aid UK, who said poverty is “an avoidable scandal that robs people of their dignity and diminishes us all”.
In a powerful speech to the assembly she said ending impoverishment means changing attitudes here at home as well as in the world’s poorest countries.
“Never has there been a more important time to connect the local national and global pictures: to challenge the devastating myth of them and us.”
The speech came at the end of a landmark general assembly for the Kirk.
The commissioners - Church figures from across Scotland as well as around the world - presided over the move towards setting out the next steps to same sex marriage being held in church.
The Church this week also agreed to apologise to LGBT people for decades of discrimination.
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