In 2014, following the withdrawal of Angus Morrison on health grounds,[1] he was nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for 2014–15;[2] he was duly formally elected as Moderator on the first day of the General Assembly's week-long annual session.
In 2011, during the General Assembly, his youngest son John-James was severely injured whilst serving with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan.
[3] Since 1995 he has worked full-time in the Church of Scotland Offices, including as Principal Clerk since 2010.
As Moderator, during the Scottish independence referendum campaign, he called for respectful dialogue [4] between the proponents and post-referendum he encouraged the church to be an instrument of healing and reconciliation.
[6] More recently he has continued his interest in mediation and peacemaking and has worked with the Church leaders of South Sudan helping to equip them to participate in local and community peace building.