Kirkcaldy church unveils £2.3m plan to become key community hub

Less than one year on, and the new church has set out its plans for a £2.3m transformation of its home in Torbain to create a community hub. The plans on the walls as you enter the building on Carron Drive give just a hint of the scale of the project, and the impact it could have on the largest parish in the Lang Toun.

At a time when churches are managing declining congregations and rising costs - and many historic places of worship are closing - Torbain is looking to expand and welcome more people and groups through its doors.

From a practical point of view, it wants to bring its 1960s building up to scratch with better access to make it easier for disabled people and parents with buggies to get in, and install a lift so they can navigate the different levels inside.

But it’s inside that the real change will take place.

Kirkcaldy Hope Church wants to transform its sanctuary to a place where people not only worship, but can meet, enjoy quiet space, and even share a cuppa from a newly created cafe.

To create that space, the traditional pews will be removed, and chairs brought in which can be stacked and re-configured to suit what is happening in the heart of the church. The sanctuary will have a kitchen, while small meeting rooms about the organ loft can be opened up to local groups. Partitions will also be added to make the most of a flexible new space which will remain the main place of worship.There is also sco pe for a small studio which could open up collaboration with Fife College, and a place for school students to study.

The church has submitted a formal planning application to Fife Council, and is hopeful of getting started early in 2025 with phase one.

The aim is to create a space that is accessible, welcoming, and transparent.

Fiona Cunningham, a member of the development group which has led the project, said: “We want to build a church for the future. The next generation which uses it won’t see it as just a church - they will come here during the week.” Kirkcaldy Hope Church is already fit to burst with groups from Brownies and Guides to toddlers, Slimming World and a Stamp Club bringing some 600 people power week through its doors. It sees its plans as key to lifting that number to 1000.

And opening up the sanctuary as a meeting place and usable space sits at the heart of the new vision.

Andy Leggate, church member, said: “Churches are all about people. We hope what emerges is something fresh and flexible and welcoming - a building fit for all the different people and groups who come in and make a huge difference.

“Since Josh came in, these plans have come to fruition and taken on shape. There has been a lot of reaction - some mixed. People will have been used to what has gone before and what they are familiar with - but the building is also there for people who have not been before and this gives it the relevance that a church has to have to a wider community.

“If more people who don’t have a connection with the church realise what is going on here, our t numbers can only rise and rise.”

The plans underline how far the Hope Church ahs come in a short space of time. Templehall’s 67 years of worship ended when its building became surplus as part of the Church of Scotland’s estates review. In 2021 it shared services with Torbain - alternating each Sunday - before creating its new identity in September 2023, and moving to Torbain. Templehall went on to become a vaccine centre for NHS Fife, but its presence, and history, will also be recognised with plans to display its stained glass windows at Torbain as part of the transformation.

“We still talk about Torbain and Templehall buildings - that sums up where they are - but as time passes people will become more used to Hope Church. They see the signs outside our church,” said Gordon Thomson, session clerk.

“There is a big demand for young members and families for activities in this area. We know there is funding available for our project, and we have been pleasantly surprised what we could be able to tap into, but there is still a lot of work to be done.” Added Andy: “We want to carry forward the momentum generated and strike while the iron is hot. There is a lot of optimism within the church around this project.”

Councillors will give their decision on the church’s planning application in the coming months - and that could be the signal for work to begin in earnest.

Rev Milton said: “The first phase, which will cost £1.6 million, focuses on creating the core infrastructure necessary for the sanctuary and community spaces. The remaining work will be completed in the second phase of the project.

“We are confident that by successfully completing the first phase, we will build further momentum and support for the full realisation of our vision. Our strength truly lies in the credibility of the work we have done over the years in our parish, which includes some of the most economically disadvantaged areas in Kirkcaldy -Chapel Hill, Fair Isle, and most importantly, Templehall. We believe that our expansion at Hope Church is driven by genuine need.

“Our vision for the multi-purpose sanctuary is not only to continue serving as a place of worship but also to become a vibrant hub for the community—a café, a safe space for parents and toddlers, a production facility for high school students, and a venue for our church activities.”

He hope that offers is also central to its values embedded in the church’s very name.

Introducing the name Kirkcaldy Hope Church’ last year, Rev Milton said: “Even with all the changes around us, we aim to be a beacon of hope”