Closing Fraserburgh's Old Parish Church and resettling the congregation at the South Church will have a detrimental impact both on our town in general as well as for the future security of the Church of Scotland in Fraserburgh, contrary to the mission and objectives of the Presbytery Plan. 

Ten reasons why the decision is the wrong one for the congregations and people of Fraserburgh, as well as the Church of Scotland itself:

1: The closure of the Church would leave the most prominent building in our town centre empty with an uncertain future. Its listed status make it difficult for the building to have any other function, except the role it is presently fulfilling.

2: The building is located in the middle of a regeneration area, recently completed by the local authority and other parties at a cost of millions. Closing the Kirk would be detrimental to that community project. 

3: It is arguably the most historic building and site in our town centre, the site of the Established Church since 1571 giving it greater cultural and spiritual significance to our town's place and story. 

4: The Church building contains some of the most culturally significant religious art and artefacts enjoyed by our town, mainly the Douglas Strachan stained-glass window and a War Memorial Pulpit, which will be put at risk by closure. 

5: To this day the building is the most widely used Church of Scotland building by the community, particularly those who belong to no congregation or church membership. It remains a functional building and gathering place. It has always been the Church of choice for marking important town events, punctuating the shared experience and history of our citizens. 

6: Being the largest, it is the only Church of Scotland building able to accommodate the largescale religious/civic events, consistent with the responsibilities and obligations of the Established Church of Scotland to serve the whole parish, not just its congregation. 

7: Its closure for a smaller Kirk demonstrates a distinct lack of ambition in the Presbytery Plan. The South Kirk gives any future minister limited potential for future expansion limiting the reach of any future investment in the ministry in Fraserburgh.

8: The Old Parish Church, and the West, continue to have strong youth elements. It seems wrong that these efforts will now all be moved to a Church which in recent years has made little to no effort in this area. 

9: We believe this is purely a financial decision based on short-term expenditure commitments by the Church of Scotland, despite how injurious and devastating the closure of this Kirk would be to our Church community, the wider community, our traditions and indeed to the general aims of the Presbytery Plan.

10. The decision will have a detrimental effect not only on the Church's ability to deliver its mission but it is also an attack on some of the last functioning vestiges of our civic life and identity in this town, so important is the site as a functioning hub for our people.

We therefore ask that the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland reject the recommendations sent to them by the Presbytery of Buchan regarding the settlement of the Church in Fraserburgh and urge them to retain Fraserburgh's Old Parish Church. The damage the recommendation would inflict on Fraserburgh would outweigh any good it has the potential to do and it would be injurious to their presumed aims for the future growth of the Church when finally they settle a minster here.