The nomination process has begun for the next moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly.  There are three candidates and a 54 member nominating committee will select the moderator designee in about two weeks on Oct. 31.  The committee hears from a proposer and seconder for each candidate.

The Church of Scotland announced the nominees yesterday on their web site and today the Scotsman.com profiles the three candidates who are:

The Rev Sheilagh Kesting, 53, of St Andrew’s High in Musselburgh,
East Lothian.  She has been active as the secretary to the committee on ecumenical relations in the Church of Scotland and was selected as one of the rotation ministers to preach to the royal family at Balmoral last month.  If selected, she would be the first woman minister to serve as moderator.

The Rev Dr Norman Shanks, 64, at one time a career civil
servant who, since 2003, has served as the minister at Govan Old Parish Church in Glasgow.  He has also been a theology lecturer and the leader of the Iona Community.

The Rev William Wallace, 67, formerly a dentist, has for over 30 years been the minister for Wick.