A Highland-born minister who was forced to stand down as moderator of the Kirk’s General Assembly because of ill health is to be asked to take on the role next year.
Commissioners agreed that the assembly arrangements committee should ask the Rev Angus Morrison, 61, leader of Portmoak Church at Milnathort, if he was prepared to step back into the job.
They backed a motion which called on officials to ask the Glencoe-born minister if he was “available and willing” to be considered for nomination as moderator designate for the General Assembly of 2015.
Former moderator the Very Rev John Christie said Mr Morrison, who was educated at Oban and Stromness on Orkney, had to step down due to “completely unforeseen circumstances” which left the Kirk dealing with a “difficult and unprecedented situation”.
He added that the past few months could not have been the “easiest of times” for the minister and his family and many people were trying to “understand God’s will and purpose”.
Kirk principal clerk the Rev John Chalmers was chosen to take Mr Morrison’s place as moderator this year.
He told assembly commissioners that they possessed a “gracious instinct” by agreeing to give the committee until August 31 to make the offer to the minister, who used to lead St Columba’s Old Parish Church in Stornoway.