[3] At age 16, Macdonald began his lifelong career in the ministry when he joined Camperdown Parish Church as an organist.

[5] Macdonald married Elma, a primary school teacher, and produced two sons, one a doctor in Perth, Western Australia, the other an architect in Edinburgh.

[3][6][7] After finishing his studies, Macdonald became assistant minister at Bo'ness Old Kirk, but within two months he found himself in sole charge.

[1] In 1977, Macdonald moved to Jordanhill Parish Church, in the west end of Glasgow, where served as minister for nineteen years, from 1977 to 1996.

At Jordanhill College, Macdonald chaired the PTA Action Committee, which campaigned successfully for the school's survival as a local primary and secondary within the public sector.

[1] In 1983 he completed his PhD thesis entitled "Law and Doctrine in the Church of Scotland with particular reference to Confessions of Faith".

From 1993 until 1996, Macdonald was a lay member of Strathclyde University Court, chairing the education faculty advisory committee.

[1] In 1996, Macdonald succeeded the Very Rev Dr James Weatherhead as the Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

As Principal Clerk, Macdonald helped bring about the culture of change which produced the Church Without Walls report.

As secretary to each Moderator, he knows the job as well as any, and since the Queen will act as her own Lord High Commissioner next year, a safe pair of hands is needed.

[12] Macdonald himself was gracious and understanding of the importance of gender and the Moderator position saying, "Clearly I don't know what considerations swayed the nomination committee today.

[5] As the new Moderator, Macdonald saw the primary task for the Church of Scotland as becoming more appealing to a younger audience to turn this tide of more than 30 years of falling congregations.