The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Minister to the ministers’ has key role
Aformer Chaplain Ge n e ra l of the Army will take up a key role in the new Presbytery of Fife. The Rev Dr David Coulter, who is serving as the parish minister of St Andrew’s in the Grange on the island of Guernsey, has been appointed clerk of the administrative body, which will begin work in January.
He will start his new post at Easter.
The group is being fo rmed f rom the presbyteries of St Andrews, Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline, and is part of a wider reform programme under way across the Church of Scotland.
The goal is to reduce the number of presbyteries, from more than 40 to around 12.
Dr C o u l t e r, who is originally from Northern Ireland, said he felt “humbled and delighted” to accept the new role, which will require him to provide strategic and organisational leadersh ip to the presbytery.
He said: “I felt it sounded very similar to the role I had as Chaplain General to
HM Land Forces from 2014 - 2018. One of my congregation in Guernsey, a retired minister’s wife, said ‘so you are going to be the minister to the ministers’.
“I really like that and hope that I can quickly get to know all the ministers across Fife and do my best to be the ‘minister to the ministers’.”
He also paid tribute to his parish in Guernsey, saying he will leave with a “heavy heart”.
Dr Coulter holds a PhD from Edinburgh University and his thesis looked at the role of Church of Scotland chaplains in the Second World War.
In another step forward for the new Presbytery of Fife, the Rev Jane Barron, an honorary chaplain at St Andrews University, has been nom inated as moderator.
The former English teacher and radio journalist said being the moderatorelect was a “privilege”.
“I’m delighted to be part o f a n ew t e am commissioned to care for, challenge, resource, trust and sustain one another across the three historic a rea s ma rked by monarchs, martyrs and economists, and follow Jesus in the 21st Century,” she said.
“We are working to be freed of outlived ways, put mission at our very heart – and pray Christ’s invitation ‘Come, follow me’, recovers anew its e d g y, r i s k y, exciting, compassionate love’s call.”
T he Re v Barron has previously served in parishes in Israel, Dundee, Aberdeen and St Andrews.
She will also be taking up a post as locum minister in the parish of Ceres, Kemback and Springfield.
T h e R e v A l e c Shuttleworth, convener of the Presbyter y of Fife Transition Group, said: “We are delighted to announce these appointments.
“In a time when the church nationally and locally has huge challenges to face, we have caring, committed, and creative people to lead us.
“We are also recruiting a director of mission who w i l l he lp a l l the congregations adapt to the new ways we need to work to serve the people of Fife.”