The Church of Scotland has selected the Rev. Alan D. McDonald, minister of the Fife parishes of Cameron and St Leonards in St Andrews, as the new Moderator Designate of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

|TOP|The Glasgow-born Rev. McDonald, who studied at Glasgow Academy before going on to study law at Strathclyde University, succeeds the outgoing incumbent, the Rev. David Lacy, in May 2006.

The moderator-designate also trained as a legal apprentice before working as a solicitor in Edinburgh, before answering a call to ministry by returning to University for a degree in divinity at New College.

Rev. McDonald’s first post in ministry was as the assistant minister at Greenside Parish in Edinburgh, before becoming one of the first Community Ministers in Scotland, in Pilton, Edinburgh.

He remained in this post for four years before moving to Aberdeen where he became minister of the city centre church of Holburn Central, whilst studying part time for a masters degree in theology at Edinburgh University.

McDonald took up the duties of a parish minister seven years ago in St Andrews, in the local Cameron church and the more historic St Leonards, which has strong links with local schools and St Andrews University.

From 2000 to 2004, Rev. McDonald served as convener of the Kirk’s influential Church and Nation Committee during the foot-and-mouth crisis and conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rev. McDonald will assume the honorary position in May 2006, and will remain in the office for 12 months.