Kirk selects new Moderator
-01/11/06
A female minister is to be the next moderator of t
Kirk selects new Moderator
-01/11/06
A female minister is to be the next moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, it has been announced.
Although not the first woman to the hold the post, she is the first female minister to do so.
Born in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, the Rev Sheilagh M. Kesting (aged 53) secretary of the Church of Scotland Committee on Ecumenical Relations, was educated at the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway. She became a member of St Columbaís Old Parish Church at age 16 and graduated from Edinburgh University in 1971.
From an early age, Ms Kesting was interested in the different churches and during her university years, increased her ecumenical awareness and chose to worship in congregations ranging from conservative evangelical to high Episcopalian.
Ms Kesting spent her probationary period in St Johnís Renfield Church in Glasgow and went on to spend a few months as assistant housemother in the Tom Allan Centre in Glasgow, working mainly with homeless women.
Ms Kesting was inducted to Overtown Parish Church, Lanarkshire in January 1980, just as the steel works were closing. Initially, her appointment was terminable but in 1983 the Presbytery returned her appointment to full status, giving a boost to the local congregation. For a few years she was one of a team of chaplains in the local hospital. In 1981 she became a member of the Kirkís Panel on Doctrine and was later convener of the Presbytery of Hamiltonís Doctrine Committee.
1986 saw Ms Kesting being inducted to the newly united congregation of St Andrewís High, Musselburgh. At this time, the congregation was worshipping in one church building while the other underwent refurbishment and Ms Kesting encouraged and supported them in making full use of a flexible and bright worship space. Together with a curate in the Roman Catholic Church, Miss Kesting gave momentum to the taking up of the ëNot Strangers but Pilgrimsí programme within the town, the setting up of a Churches Together group and planning joint Lent studies and worship in Holy Week and Lent.
In 1993, Ms Kestingís commitment to ecumenical work led her to take up post as Secretary to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations. This involves giving advice to congregations who wish to consolidate their ecumenical commitment in local ecumenical partnerships; being secretary to the Livingston Sponsorsí Council and a member of the Grahamston Advisory Group. Ms Kesting was secretary to the ecumenical conversations, SCIFU (Scottish Churches Initiative for Union), the talks with the United Free Church which led to the recent signing of a Covenant, continuing talks with the Free Church and joint secretary of the Joint Commission on Doctrine (Church of Scotland/Roman Catholic). She is a member of the Scottish Churchesí Forum and a shadow trustee of the new Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. At various times she has represented the Church of Scotland at international assemblies, often facilitating group discussions.
Ms Kesting lists her interests as gardening, singing oratorio in a choir and photography.
The role of Moderator of the General Assembly is an honorary one, held for 12 months. The Moderator, who leads worship, rules on points of order and signs documents on behalf of the Assembly, chairs meetings of the General Assembly. After the Assembly, the Moderator generally travels as a Church representative in Scotland, other parts of the UK 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.
In 2004, Dr Alison Elliot, who is an elder, became the first female Moderator of the General Assembly.
Kirk selects new Moderator
-01/11/06
A female minister is to be the next moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, it has been announced.
Although not the first woman to the hold the post, she is the first female minister to do so.
Born in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, the Rev Sheilagh M. Kesting (aged 53) secretary of the Church of Scotland Committee on Ecumenical Relations, was educated at the Nicolson Institute, Stornoway. She became a member of St Columbaís Old Parish Church at age 16 and graduated from Edinburgh University in 1971.
From an early age, Ms Kesting was interested in the different churches and during her university years, increased her ecumenical awareness and chose to worship in congregations ranging from conservative evangelical to high Episcopalian.
Ms Kesting spent her probationary period in St Johnís Renfield Church in Glasgow and went on to spend a few months as assistant housemother in the Tom Allan Centre in Glasgow, working mainly with homeless women.
Ms Kesting was inducted to Overtown Parish Church, Lanarkshire in January 1980, just as the steel works were closing. Initially, her appointment was terminable but in 1983 the Presbytery returned her appointment to full status, giving a boost to the local congregation. For a few years she was one of a team of chaplains in the local hospital. In 1981 she became a member of the Kirkís Panel on Doctrine and was later convener of the Presbytery of Hamiltonís Doctrine Committee.
1986 saw Ms Kesting being inducted to the newly united congregation of St Andrewís High, Musselburgh. At this time, the congregation was worshipping in one church building while the other underwent refurbishment and Ms Kesting encouraged and supported them in making full use of a flexible and bright worship space. Together with a curate in the Roman Catholic Church, Miss Kesting gave momentum to the taking up of the ëNot Strangers but Pilgrimsí programme within the town, the setting up of a Churches Together group and planning joint Lent studies and worship in Holy Week and Lent.
In 1993, Ms Kestingís commitment to ecumenical work led her to take up post as Secretary to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations. This involves giving advice to congregations who wish to consolidate their ecumenical commitment in local ecumenical partnerships; being secretary to the Livingston Sponsorsí Council and a member of the Grahamston Advisory Group. Ms Kesting was secretary to the ecumenical conversations, SCIFU (Scottish Churches Initiative for Union), the talks with the United Free Church which led to the recent signing of a Covenant, continuing talks with the Free Church and joint secretary of the Joint Commission on Doctrine (Church of Scotland/Roman Catholic). She is a member of the Scottish Churchesí Forum and a shadow trustee of the new Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. At various times she has represented the Church of Scotland at international assemblies, often facilitating group discussions.
Ms Kesting lists her interests as gardening, singing oratorio in a choir and photography.
The role of Moderator of the General Assembly is an honorary one, held for 12 months. The Moderator, who leads worship, rules on points of order and signs documents on behalf of the Assembly, chairs meetings of the General Assembly. After the Assembly, the Moderator generally travels as a Church representative in Scotland, other parts of the UK 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.
In 2004, Dr Alison Elliot, who is an elder, became the first female Moderator of the General Assembly.