Colin Sinclair (minister)

The Very Reverend Colin Sinclair
Moderator of the General Assembly
Sinclair in 2020
Church	Church of Scotland
In office	May 2019 to May 2020
Predecessor	Susan Brown
Successor	Martin Fair
Orders
Ordination	1981
Personal details
Born	(1953-09-16) 16 September 1953 (age 71)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Presbyterianism
Occupation	Church Minister

Colin Sinclair is a minister of the Church of Scotland. He was Moderator of the General Assembly for the year from May 2019. He served as the minister at Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh from 1996 until June 2022.

Early life and education

Sinclair grew up in Glasgow, Scotland. He was educated at Glasgow Academy, a private school in the city. He studied economics at the University of Stirling: he was an extra in a Monty Python film during this time. He graduated with an honours degree at the age of 20. ^[1]

He became a Christian while at school, his parents had been rare church-goers, and became involved in the Scripture Union (SU). He continued to be involved with the SU while at university, and also attended the Christian Union. Feeling the call to ministry, he successfully underwent selection for the Church of Scotland. However, he was offered the opportunity to work with the SU in Zambia, where he spent the next three years. Having returned to Scotland, he trained for the ministry at New College, Edinburgh, graduating with a further degree in church history. ^{[1] [2]}

Ordained ministry

Meeting with the First Minister of Scotland, February 2020

He was previously General Director of Scripture Union in their Glasgow office. Prior to working full-time with Scripture Union, he was a minister at Newton-on-Ayr Parish Church. He was ordained in 1981. ^[3] In addition to his parish duties, he has also served as International Chair of Scripture Union since 2004, has led Scripture Union holiday camps for children in the Scottish Highlands, was Convener of the Church of Scotland's Mission & Discipleship Council (2012-2016) and has served as Chair of the Spring Harvest Council. Sinclair is within the evangelical wing of the Church of Scotland, having also spoken at the 'Church of Scotland Evangelical Network'. ^[4]

On 9 October 2018, it was announced that he had been nominated as the next Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He took up the position in May 2019. ^[1]

He returned to parish Ministry at Palmerston Place, but retired from there in June 2022. He subsequently retired to Peebles. ^[3]

Personal life

In 1981, he married Ruth Murray; they have a son and three daughters. ^[1] His son, Timothy, is also a minister in the Church of Scotland, serving at Partick Trinity Parish Church.

See also

• List of moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

References

1. "Rev Colin Sinclair is Moderator Designate for 2019-20". The Church of Scotland. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
2. Weldon, Victoria (10 October 2018). "He's not the Messiah... he's the new Kirk moderator". The Herald . Retrieved 2 June 2019.
3. The Church of Scotland Yearbook 2023-24 (138 ed.). Edinburgh: St Andrew Press. 2023. p. 89. ISBN   9781800830394.
4. "COSEN". The Steeple Church. Retrieved 4 November 2019.

Religious titles
Preceded by Susan Brown	Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 2019-2020	Succeeded by Martin Fair