The leader of Christian Aid in Scotland is taking a 12-month sabbatical to become the next moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly.
Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton, who has led the poverty relief charity since 2016, will take over from the current moderator, the Rev Iain Greenshields, next May.
The post involves acting as an ambassador for the church for 12 months, within Scotland and internationally, until the opening day of the next General Assembly – an important week-long annual event in the church’s calendar.
Christian Aid Scotland has not yet made an announcement regarding Foster-Fulton’s replacement during her sabbatical.
Patrick Watt, the chief executive of the charity, said: “On behalf of Christian Aid, I want to send my warmest congratulations to Sally on her appointment as Church of Scotland moderator from May 2023.
“Sally’s commitment to social justice and ending poverty is at the core of her faith and is what brought her to Christian Aid. It will also stand her in good stead in this new role.
“Sally’s appointment as the incoming moderator will further strengthen the already deep and broad partnership between Christian Aid and the Church of Scotland.
“Her experience is a great fit for this role, and I wish her all the very best. I look forward to working with her when she takes up the position next year.”
Foster-Fulton said she was looking forward to meeting people involved in church work and offering encouragement to those working during difficult times.
She added: “I’m excited about what the year will bring. I genuinely love and am inspired by the Church of Scotland and its people.
“Over the past years of the pandemic in the face of a global climate emergency and now a cost-of-living crisis, people across the church have been stepping up and doing their very best to make an extraordinary impact in communities, locally, across our nation and in the world.”