Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is an honorary role, held for 12 months.

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Meetings of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, held in May each year, are chaired by the Moderator. He or she leads daily worship, keeps order, rules on points of order, and signs documents on behalf of the Assembly.

Related Topics:
General Assembly - Church of Scotland

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It should be noted that the Moderator is not the head of the Church, nor the leader of the Church of Scotland, or its spokesperson. When asked for an opinion on important issues, the Moderator is expected to have in mind the views of the General Assembly or the relevant Church board or committee.

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After the Assembly, the Moderator spends much of the rest of his or her time in office travelling as a Church representative in Scotland, other parts of the UK, Ireland and overseas in an ambassadorial capacity. Every Moderator carries out a series of visits to several Church of Scotland presbyteries, as well as undertaking a number of international tours.

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Regular features on his/her itinerary are visits to one of the armed forces and a stay in London around St Andrew's Day (30 November), which includes a meeting in Downing Street with the Prime Minister. The Moderator also visits the Scottish Parliament.

Related Topics:
Downing Street - Prime Minister - Scottish Parliament

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The Moderator has two chaplains who assist him or her in preparing for the General Assembly and provide support throughout Assembly week.

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