Dingwall minister named Free Church of Scotland Moderator Designate

THE COMMISSION of Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland met on Wednesday October 4 when Reverend Angus MacRae, minister of Dingwall and Strathpeffer Free Church in Ross-shire, was announced as the Moderator Designate of the 2018 General Assembly.

He succeeds Reverend Derek Lamont of St Columba’s Free Church in Edinburgh.

Rev MacRae has been a Free Church minister for 25 years. Born in Glasgow in 1967 he was brought up in Laxdale, Isle of Lewis, and was educated at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, Edinburgh University and the Free Church of Scotland College (now Edinburgh Theological Seminary).

He was ordained to the ministry at Kilwinning Free Church, Ayrshire, in 1992, moving to his present church in Dingwall in 2001. Married to Ann, a speciality doctor caring for patients with addictions, the couple has three adult children.

Rev MacRae said: ‘It is a great honour and a privilege to be elected to serve as next Moderator of the Free Church General Assembly. I would welcome the prayers of the Christian family around the nation as I prepare for this responsibility.

‘The church faces many challenges in our secular era but I am thankful for God’s incredible kindness and faithfulness to the Free Church.

‘This decade has seen vibrant growth and renewal in many local churches and the denomination as a whole is united and encouraged.

‘I am thankful for a steady stream of new leaders in training. Our churches and seminary are working together to meet the needs of existing churches and an exciting movement of new church plants around Scotland.

‘The General Assembly is not just a talking shop. It is an opportunity for leaders to meet together in God’s presence. Our vision is to work together to bring the message of an unchanging gospel to all the people of our land.

‘We do this individually, together in our local churches and in gospel partnership with all those who respect the authority of the Bible as God’s message for truth for every age.’ Rev MacRae is chairman of the Board of Ministry, a group appointed by the General Assembly to arrange for training and pastoral care of candidates for the ministry.

He is interested in training the next generation of church leaders and in developing praise and worship that is rich in Bible content and focused on God. He supports international mission and has a particular interest in East Asia and the work of OMF International.

Clive Bailey, a member of the Board of Ministry, welcoming the appointment, said: ‘The nomination of Angus MacRae as Moderator Designate is very suitable. Angus brings a wealth of experience and breadth of vision, developed throughout his pastoral ministry and chairmanship of the Board of Ministry. He has a servant heart and a passion to see God’s kingdom extended both in Scotland and worldwide. We pray God’s richest blessing on Angus and Ann as God prepares them for their service in the coming year.’

For more information about the Free Church of Scotland visit www. freechurch.org or contact offices@ freechurch.org