Save St. Barnabas' Church Gillingham

Head choirboy in early 1950s

I was a choirboy and server during the 1950's . Cannon Relton was the priest.

this church is an important part of the community it MUST STAY OPEN

Prayer not profit. Have you tried Night Church? A great way to reach out to different age/social groups. I attended Sunday School at St Barnabas in the 1980s. An important part of my own spiritual journey as I am now discerning whether to be a Priest.

I have great memories of St Barnabas. My aunt Alice Church was very involved as a churchgoer and actively involved with the youth of the church in the 50's and 60's. Also my grandmother Nellie Maud Trueman is remembered in the church through a small stained glass window dedicated to her after her death as a young woman in 1929

My uncle was christened in this church, means lots to my mum and gran

I'm not religious, but this church id historical and has provided comfort and support to people of medway for years. How can you close down a historical, spiritual and respectable building when they're a derelict structures still left standing that can be converted into housing. It's illogical and mindless.

Went to Sunday school and got married in this beautiful church save this lovely church it will never be able to be replaced .

Surely there is a property developer in UK somewhere who could design a multi-function facility within such a large building, retaining a portion of it for worship and the ancillary community services with the balance commercial offices, or research labs. It's has such a high vaulted roofline it could accommodate a mezzanine floor easily. Ask Grand Designs, or Restoration Man. They've done it, so it can be done. Australian churches do it all the time too. Just needs vision, creativity and commitment, something the grinding bureaucracy the Church Commissioners don't have. See Gas & Gaters episode in "Yes Minister". Rev. Donald Mills from the 1960's would have found a solution because he rolled his sleeves up.

Now living in Suffolk. Brought up in the parish many years ago.

Please don't close our beautiful church. I was married at this church and my children attended Cub, Scout, brownie and Guide services here and this is another reason not to close it.

How much do they want to sell it for? Perhaps we could buy it?

Me too! Isn't there anything we can do to stop closure? I understand that the church is self funding and the Bishop wants cash from sale to developers for cathedral. Bit of a cheek really, to take from poor old Gillingham for the benefit of Rochester.

I was confirmed at St Barnabas and was a member of the trampolining club. That was thirty years ago!!! Can't believe the church is under threat of closure. This should not be allowed to happen. I still have the new testament given to me after my confirmation.

I was a choirboy at St Barnabas over twenty years ago. It is a wonderful church with so many memories of family baptisms, weddings and funerals. Closure would be a terrible shame indeed. Regretfully I no longer live in the area so don't often get the opportunity to go to St Barnabas but for my family it is an important part of the community.

my sunday school church and my wedding church . please keep this lovely church open so many memories here.

lovely community of people serving the local area. Iattended the church and sunday school throughout my years growing up.

St Barnabas Church was always at the heart of the community. It is already regenerating through the work of it's innovative congregation. Please give 12 months for the progress to be established.

St Barnabas is an important part of the community and history in Medway.I do not believe there are too many churches is a reason to close a perfectly working complex to the worship of God and the use of the community. There are alternatives, possibly a few of the independent churches or community groups might be interested in taking over the complex to keep it alive and functioning for the generations to come.

I cannot beleive that this beautiful building may be torn down or made into flats,it should be protected as part our communites history.Shame on the people who are just interested in making money.