Date of the final service at Corby’s St Andrew’s Church of Scotland confirmed

The final service will take place on Sunday, February 26
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The date of the final service at St Andrew’s Church of Scotland has been confirmed following the decision to unite Corby’s two Church of Scotland churches.

The final service at St Andrew’s will take place on Sunday, February 26, at 3pm. Former Moderator, the Very Rev. Dr Russell Barr will be preaching.

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The congregation at St Andrew’s will amalgamate with the one at St Ninian’s Church of Scotland in Beanfield Avenue.

St Andrew's Church of ScotlandSt Andrew's Church of Scotland
St Andrew's Church of Scotland

Although this will be the final regular service at St Andrew’s, there are currently no plans to immediately close the church halls and the buildings and halls will transfer to the new congregation.

Interim moderator for St Andrew’s, Professor Paul Middleton, said: “The two congregations of the Church of Scotland have played a hugely important role in the life of Corby over many decades.

"But it was agreed a number of years ago that the mission of the Church to the community would be best served by St Andrew’s and St Ninian’s coming together to form a single stronger united congregation.

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“After a review of both buildings, and considering a number of options, the Presbytery of England and the Channel Islands recommended that this united Church of Scotland congregation should be housed in the church and halls in Beanfield Avenue.

St Andrew's Church of ScotlandSt Andrew's Church of Scotland
St Andrew's Church of Scotland

"This union will enable the Church to make the best use of its resources in order to serve the whole Corby community, through spiritual and practical support.

“We recognise there is sadness and disappointment that the St Andrew’s church building will be closing.

"We will ensure that the 85-year history and legacy of the congregation, along with the former congregation of St Ninian’s will be both cherished and honoured by the new united Corby Church of Scotland congregation.

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"The union of the two congregations will help make sure there is a Church of Scotland presence in Corby for many years to come.”

It has been known that one of either St Andrew’s or St Ninian’s would be closing since last year, with the original vote at presbytery scheduled to take place in October. This was later delayed to November, due to a legal technical issue.

This will be the second church to close in Corby in less than a year, following the closure of St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Millais Road.

St Andrew's opened in 1938 to serve Corby's Scottish migrants who were making the town their home as the steelworks grew. The church had begun operating from a wooden hut in Weldon Road on July 1, 1934, and then from the church hall.

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The building was the last church to have been wholly built of the famed Weldon Stone which had been quarried for a thousand years.

It was one of the earliest buildings in 'new Corby' and was designed by Laurence Gotch, who was the S&L Company Architect and nephew of famous Kettering architect John Gotch.

Gotch also designed the Odeon in Rockingham Road and Our Lady of Walsingham RC Church that also opened in 1938.

Architects at his private practice, L.M. Gotch and Partners then went on to design St Ninian's Church of Scotland in Beanfield Avenue that opened in 1967 and St Patrick's RC Church that opened in 1958.