Rosemary Frew | |
|---|---|
| Moderator of the General Assembly | |
.jpg) Frew in 2025 | |
| Church | Church of Scotland |
| In office | May 2025 to May 2026 |
| Predecessor | Shaw Paterson |
| Other post(s) | Minister of Largo: Trinity |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1988 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| Spouse | Dave Frew |
| Children | Two children |
| Education | New College, Edinburgh |
Rosemary Frew is a minister of the Church of Scotland, who became the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May 2025.
Early life
[edit]Frew was raised in Clarkston, Glasgow.[1]
Career
[edit]Church of Scotland
[edit]She was ordained in the Church of Scotland in May 1988, originally serving Largo and Newburn with Largo: St David's. After 17 years in Largo, she served in Abbotshall Parish Church in Kirkcaldy. Since March 2017, she has served as the Minister for the parish of Bowden and Melrose in the Scottish Borders.[2]
Within the denomination, she has been Presbytery Clerk of the former Kirkcaldy Presbytery. In 2019, Frew became convener of the Ministries Council then the first convener of the Faith Nurture Forum.[3]
On 19 December 2022, she conducted the funeral of Doddie Weir in Melrose Parish Church.[4]
Moderator of Church of Scotland
[edit]
On 31 December 2024, it was announced that Frew has been nominated to serve as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.[3] She took her place on 17 May 2025[1] and she will serve until May 2026.[3] Her Principal Clerk will be Fiona Smith who had welcomed the appointment of Lady Elish Angiolini as Lord High Commissioner to the 2025 General Assembly.[5]
Frew described her appointment as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland as "incredibly humbling", saying she was humbled by the fact she has "the qualities needed for the role".[6] She vowed to bring her "faith, hope, passions and enthusiasm to the position".[6] She had previously been approached several times prior to her appointment to the position about the possibility to assuming the role in the place, but claimed it was "easy to say no" as she didn't feel the time was right prior to her eventual appointment in May 2025.[6]
Personal life
[edit]She was raised in Clarkston, in East Renfrewshire, before moving to Linlithgow when she was 14. She was raised within the Church of Scotland, being part of Giffnock South Church, and then St Michael's Church in Linlithgow where she later became a Sunday School teacher and a member of the Youth Fellowship.[3]
She is married to Dave, and has two grown-up children, Peter and Bex.[2][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Scotland, The Church of (2025-05-17). "'Excitement and trepidation' as new Moderator takes on key Kirk role". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ^ a b "Meet Our Minister". Bowden and Melrose Parish Church. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Scotland, The Church of (2024-10-31). "Rev Rosemary Frew is Moderator Designate for 2025-26". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ "RECAP: Memorial service for rugby legend Doddie Weir held in Borders". Border Telegraph. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ Scotland, The Church of (2024-12-10). "Lady Elish Angiolini appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the 2025 General Assembly". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ^ a b c "Melrose minister to be next Church of Scotland moderator". BBC News. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Borders Minister Announced as Moderator-Designate for 2025". www.lifeandwork.org. Retrieved 2024-11-01.