AT its very best, the Church of Scotland parish ministry exemplifies commitment, theological acuity, humanity, breadth of learning, earthy spirituality, a passion for justice and an ability to preach sermons that combine biblical scholarship with grounded pastoral sensitivity.

The Right Reverend, soon to be Very Reverend - what amazing Presbyterian titles - Alan McDonald earns high marks in all these categories.

It's no surprise that he has been an outstanding Moderator.

The Church of Scotland deliberately elects a mod for one year only. This arises out of a Presbyterian distrust of entrenched ecclesiastical power. The ghost of John Knox still walks the land. The system has some obvious weaknesses, but among its strengths is the elevation of a variety of voices from within the Kirk. In his moderatorial year, McDonald has exemplified the highest traditions of ministry.

I've known Alan McDonald since the 1970s, when he was Church of Scotland community minister in Pilton and I was community minister in Easterhouse. Alan and his GP wife, Judith, lived in the middle of the Edinburgh housing scheme at a time when radical ideas about ministry were very much in the air. We had a lot of things to share, and I admired his thoughtfulness, imagination and gritty commitment.

McDonald is a radical with reforming instincts. At his core is a deeply committed personal Christian faith.

His time in Pilton was followed by an outstanding city centre ministry in Aberdeen, and his courteous but steely performances as convener of the Kirk's Church and Nation Committee won plaudits, even from those who disagreed with him.

There have been a number of high-profile events during the past year. The Mod's appearance at Celtic Park with Cardinal Keith O'Brien and other Church leaders made a simple, visual statement against sectarianism. (Moderator and Cardinal in Paradise has a certain ring to it.) The move was strongly supported by anti-sectarian campaigners.

His visit to the peace camp at Faslane confirmed his long-standing opposition to the renewal of Trident - and the general assembly's long record of opposition - as did his sharing of an anti-Trident platform with Cardinal O'Brien. His palpable friendship with, and admiration for, Keith O'Brien, was itself a very important ecumenical statement.

Yet McDonald is no rent-a-quote cleric. He was not afraid to state his views, but he eschewed publicity-seeking gimmicks. Many of the moderatorial duties are not the stuff of headlines, and he resisted a perpetual cycle of ghastly photo opportunities.

He visited Christian Aid projects in Ghana and India, toured several presbyteries, preached umpteen sermons,and generally performed his ambassadorial role with style but without exhibitionism.

This man with a cultural as well as a theological hinterland had wise, challenging and sometimes very funny things to say to Scotland. By the end of next week, he'll be backsaying them to his own parish.

So, the boy done good, and now it's over to the girl. Sheilagh will do the business, too.