A parish is selling two churches because insurance costs have doubled and an earthquake-strengthening bill looms.
Palmerston Dunback Presbyterian Parish joint session clerk Heather Paton said the parish was selling two of its churches by tender.
The brick Morrisons church in Morrison-Kyeburn Rd, Palmerston, was built in the 1950s by residents and Knox Theology College students on donated land, she said.
The church had been used for weddings but had been unused for many years, Mrs Paton said.
The stone Macraes church in Valley St, Macraes Flat, was built in 1906 and was still being used for an annual Christmas service.
The sale was a result of insurance costs doubling since the Christchurch earthquakes and the recent earthquake-strengthening inspection of the parish's St James church in Palmerston.
''We are expecting that there is going to be considerable cost involved so we can't afford to keep buildings we are not using.''
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand was encouraging parishes to sell unused buildings, she said.
The churches were not protected and could be demolished if the new owner wanted to build on the land, she said.
''Once they're sold it's totally out of our hands. If it happens, it happens.''
Cutlers agent Nicky Oliver said the Macraes church was built on 5059sq m of land and had a schist rock wall and a $44,000 Government valuation (GV).
The Morrisons church was on 1012sq m of land and had a GV of $26,000. Neither church had a water supply, septic system or power supply.
There had been a good response since the churches were listed last Friday, she said..
''Most people are looking for a weekender. If you've got it as a weekender it's not quite so important to have your septic system because you can have a chemical toilet.''
The furniture, including pews, is not included in the sales, which are by tender, closing on July 3.
