Alan McDonald (moderator)
Encyclopedia
Alan Douglas McDonald is a parish
minister
and was Moderator
of the General Assembly
of the Church of Scotland
, from the Assembly of May 2006 until May 2007.
McDonald was born in Glasgow
and trained initially as a lawyer (gaining an LLB from the University of Strathclyde
). He studied for the ministry at New College, Edinburgh
(BD, MTh). He served as assistant minister in Greenside Parish Church, Edinburgh
, and was subsequently a community minister in West Pilton
, Edinburgh. He served for 15 years in Holburn Central Church, Aberdeen
, before being called, in 1998, to the Fife
parishes of Cameron and St Leonards (St Andrews
).
He was convener of the General Assembly's Church and Nation committee for four years until May 2004. He is married and has two children. His formal title (following the end of his Moderatorial year) is the Very Reverend Dr Alan McDonald.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
and was Moderator
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland is a Minister, Elder or Deacon of the Church of Scotland chosen to "moderate" the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every May....
of the General Assembly
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, from the Assembly of May 2006 until May 2007.
McDonald was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and trained initially as a lawyer (gaining an LLB from the University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
). He studied for the ministry at New College, Edinburgh
New College, Edinburgh
New College was opened in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland, later of the United Free Church of Scotland, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh...
(BD, MTh). He served as assistant minister in Greenside Parish Church, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and was subsequently a community minister in West Pilton
West Pilton
West Pilton is a housing estate in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is north of Ferry Road, east of Muirhouse, and immediately west of East Pilton and then Granton....
, Edinburgh. He served for 15 years in Holburn Central Church, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, before being called, in 1998, to the Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
parishes of Cameron and St Leonards (St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
).
He was convener of the General Assembly's Church and Nation committee for four years until May 2004. He is married and has two children. His formal title (following the end of his Moderatorial year) is the Very Reverend Dr Alan McDonald.