Welcome to The Moderator's Musings

A friend of mine thought I might be interested in an engineering definition of a 'moderator', given that I was a qualified engineer before I became a minister. He was right. It is both amusing and informative.

A moderator is 'a mechanical device to regulate the flow of hot air.'

That's what a Moderator does at the General Assembly. He controls the debate and makes sure that all the 'rules of engagement' are properly adhered to.

Contrary to the common chatter amongst Presbyterians, I enjoy the General Assembly each year, and my enjoyment of it this year was enhanced, not diminished, by being in the chair.

Beyond the Assembly, the Moderator's role is less to do with regulating anything, but instead it provides a visible figure-head for the church, as well as a kind of pastor-at-large.

I was delighted to be served by two wonderful chaplains during the Assembly, Andrew Venn and John Dekker, who 'moderated' me! They kept me on track with the demanding schedule, reminded me of names, pointed me to the right page in the code book, accompanied me to functions, turned up for the early morning prayer meetings and of course led the Assmbly in devotions.

Together with the 'team at the table', John Wilson, Peter Phillips and Jared Hood, I think we all got through the week unscathed, and maybe even having made a positive contribution to the Kingdom of God.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any matters that you'd like to discuss, or functions you'd like me to attend. Use the link above to get all my contact details.

Rt Rev Douglas R. Robertson BSc, BD