Elie Church is a beautiful historic building located in the heart of the village of Elie.
In May 2024 it was confirmed that Elie Church would no longer be used for worship and is to be disposed of by the Church of Scotland.
Where are we now?
After the news broke that the church building is to be disposed of, a local steering group was set up to look at possible community ownership. The neighbourhood outreach undertaken last summer resulted in 92% of 171 responders being in favour of the church being taken on by the community.
Based on this we have now set up a Community Benefit Society – Elie Kirk Community Enterprise Limited to allow us to continue to investigate the option of community ownership.
What’s Next?
The general consensus from the feedback was that the space would be great as a welcoming café, with a heritage information display and small gallery for local artists. The space would also continue to be available for weddings and funerals and possibly other events.
Before we can do this, we need to determine if taking on the church building will be financially viable. This is an important step to make sure the long term future of the church building for the community is secured.
To do this feasibility and viability work we need to raise £20,000.
How you can help
- Donate: Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Click the donate button at the top right of this page to support us.
- Spread the word: Share our campaign with friends and family - every mention helps us reach a wider audience.
What would the money be used for?
- A Community Business Planning and Feasibility Study to look at the different options for future use of the church building and the financial viability of any future uses.
- A Building Condition Survey to identify any repairs, both imminent and longer term, that will be required.
- Architect Support to determine what alterations would be required to the building to make the space user-friendly and welcoming and to improve the energy efficiency of the building.
What would be the next steps after completion of the feasibility work?
If the feasibility work shows that a community buy out of the church building would allow for a sustainable future for the building, then we will look to proceed with raising funds for the purchase of the church. This would be through potential grant funding and through a community share offer through Elie Kirk Community Enterprise Limited.
We have the opportunity to look at how this historically important landmark can be repurposed for a new lease of life.
With your help we aim to ensure that this historic building is available for all within the community for generations to come.