The Scottish Kirk where Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren tied the knot more than 25 years ago is under threat of closure as part of a major cull of Church properties. The actress, 77, married Hollywood director Taylor Hackford at the Parish Church of Ardersier, near Inverness, in 1997, in a nod to her husband's Scottish ancestry. A Church of Scotland spokesman confirmed Ardersier Parish Church is under threat of closure as presbyteries Scotland-wide consider which properties can be sold off to cut costs and ensure the Church is "lean and fit for mission in the 21st century". The Church of Scotland has been downsizing its property portfolio for several years amid shrinking congregations, plummeting income and falling numbers of ministers. A Church of Scotland spokesman said: "The Church is going through a monumental period of change as it reconfigures and reshapes for mission and service around fewer buildings and fewer charges.

Source: Express August 28, 2023 08:33 UTC