Female minister becomes moderator

Miss Kesting is the second female moderator of the General Assembly

The first female minister to be appointed Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has been sworn into office.

The Reverend Sheilagh Kesting, 53, took the position at the opening of the Kirk's annual gathering in Edinburgh.

She becomes the second woman to hold the honorary role after Dr Alison Elliot, an elder who was appointed three years ago.

The minister, from Stornoway, succeeds the Rev Alan McDonald.

They formally exchanged greetings and positions during the historic ceremony on Saturday, watched by a gathering of VIPs.

I think it will be tremendously inspirational for women in many churches around the world who are longing to be able to be ministers Sheilagh Kesting

Speaking before the ceremony, Miss Kesting said she hoped her appointment would inspire women across the world to follow in her footsteps.

She said: "I think it will be tremendously inspirational for women in many churches around the world who are longing to be able to be ministers in the church but it is not yet possible."

She added that she was "acutely conscious" that she was the first woman minister to hold the 12-month post, but insisted she was happy that those who nominated her placed her gender "low on the list of attributes".

Among the audience were Scotland's new First Minister Alex Salmond, The Duke of York, and Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini QC.

Congratulating the new moderator, Mr Salmond said: "I warmly congratulate the Rev Sheilagh Kesting, the first female minister and only the second woman to hold this distinguished and historic post.

"The moderator carries my best wishes for the hopes and ambitions she wishes to take forward over the next 12 months."

The first Mminister also welcomed comments made during the occasion by the Duke of York, who said that the union of the Scottish and English crowns predated the union of parliaments by more than 100 years.

He added: "The Duke of York spoke movingly about his family, and was very well received by the General Assembly.

"He was on fine form, and I welcomed his good natured remarks about the election."

Battle sectarianism

Miss Kesting, the current secretary of the Kirk's committee on ecumenical relations, said she hoped to work to battle sectarianism and to help give a voice to the country's smaller churches.

A keen gardener and singer, she was educated at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway and Edinburgh University.

She was inducted to Overtown Parish Church, Lanarkshire, in 1980 and in 1986 she was inducted to the newly united congregation of St Andrew's High, Musselburgh, East Lothian.

The Duke of York will represent the Queen all week in his role as Lord High Commissioner of the General Assembly when he is due to visit Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Fife as the week progresses.

This year's annual gathering, at the Assembly building on The Mound, runs until Friday 25 May.