Portobello churches to merge?

[wangi]

Forth 1 news were running a story yesterday re the Church of Scotland's finances and plans to close & merge churches to reduce costs.

Specifically mentioned were the three Church of Scotland churches in Portobello:

• Old Parish Church, Bellfield St
  St. Philip's Church, Joppa
  St James Parish Church, Rosefield Pl

Presumably merging the congregations and selling off property is on the cards; 3 to 2, or 3 to 1?Expect more info around March.

[wangi]

On Twitter:

TalkPorty~Portobello: Will cost saving measures by @churchscotland see Portobello's 3 churches reduced/merged to 2 or even 1? http://fb.me/1sbdheOX6 #edinburgh

Lilly Hunter: @talkporty Sounds like a good idea to me. Too many churches in this city, waste of space.

TalkPorty~Portobello: @LillyLyle I'm a non-believer; but since having a baby it dawns on you the number of community activities churches & halls host

Lilly Hunter: @talkporty They do that as part of their indoctrination activities. It would be better with secular community halls for local events.

TalkPorty~Portobello: @LillyLyle indoctrination is a bit hardline But yes if this means loss of facilities is there any possibility of retaining the halls

So, in the worst case if two churches are lost then Portobello will be down two venues where many community activities take place. Is there enough existing capacity elsewhere to take that on, or is there need for additional community space?

L/

[Epykat]

It might mean that the Community Centre is used more or maybe the Council will give us cheaper rates for the Town Hall (that was a joke.........)

[Mark Cameron]

Slightly off on a tangent but I think Porty is ideally placed to become an extension on the Edinburgh festivals but good spaces to host such events would be needed.

Perhaps there's an opportunity there for any excess churches? Look at Oran mor in Glasgow and imagine something similar in portobello linked into the Edinburgh Festivals with proper promotion. Link in Big Beach Husk and have 'Festival by the beach'.

VisitScotland would be interested in promoting a local festival.

[Bazza]

Big Beach Husk...?

[Mark Cameron]

Ah...... should of course read busk and that was before any alcohol passed my lips yesterday

[Peter Bradley]

Afternoon all, perhaps this is an opportunity for the community council to get involved to actually help the community. If 3 churches merge we will lose 2 well used and necessary halls and many youth and community groups will be homeless.

Any ideas?

[regent]

hi peter
do you know what is planned for the empty buildings?

[Maria]

I agree it is something that will impact on much of our community Peter and it is certainly something the PCC should be considering. The churches, however, have a representative on the CC and we were asked by him not to get involved in the issue, until the churches themselves knew fully what was happening.

[regent]

could one of the churches be a focus for a community trust?

[Sceptic]

The Old Parish is part of a graveyard. Development is somewhat limited. There is activity to merging St Philips and POP. St James' is somewhat still in limbo. If merger of St Ps and POP goes ahead, thoughts are to use POP as a Church Centre, using the Building a a meeting centre, dividing the church into areas for Portobello, or even outside, groups to meet. Combining the two could be a viable business plan. The halls at POP are home just now to Towerbank After School Club.

[Stephen Dishon]

I'm not sure what the actual deadlines for the merge are. I've heard a number of different dates. The two problems that I see are.

1) Are all or part of the churches listed in anyway and therefore restricted in demolition or conversion?

2) All the halls are used heavy for the community but how "profitable" is it to maintain a hall if the associated church(s) go?

Obviously some of us are looking at it from a slightly selfish angle not being members of one of the churches. But ultimately this has wider community issues.

[Sceptic]

Old Parish and St Philips merging still on the cards, as I said, St James' still in limbo.
Possibility of having one hall keeper to manage two sites strong possibility.
Until St James' makes their minds up, they could be left at the starting line.

[fresian]

Perhaps if the churches do close and we lose tha halls, the homeless youth could start making use of Portobello Park. Lets see how long before PPAG start whinging about that

[Pal of Porty]

Old Parish and St Philips merging still on the cards....

I would say inevitable.

[Sceptic]

Probably. Would prefer to see all 3 go together at the same time, but that is unlikely at present.