A Stirling University economics graduate who spent three years living out of a car in Zambia has been chosen as the Moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly.

Rev Colin Sinclair, who is the minister for Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh, will take on the year-long role in May 2019.

He will succeed Rt Rev Susan Brown.

He said: "I am honoured to be selected for this opportunity to represent the Church of Scotland nationally and internationally.

"It will be a pleasure to encourage church members in their faith and to see the impact of their faith in communities across our country.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed being a parish minister and despite the challenges we face I believe the Christian faith is still relevant to Scotland.

"Our message is still 'Good News' and it still changes lives."

Rev Sinclair grew up on the south side of Glasgow, the second son of Alex and Isobel Sinclair, who were "occasional churchgoers".

It was as a pupil at Glasgow Academy that Rev Sinclair first became interested in the Christian faith.

Hiding from a prefect after taking the wrong staircase, Rev Sinclair came upon a Scripture Union camp video which was showing in a darkened room.

"I enjoyed the film, thought the activities looked great and I felt I could put up with the 'religious stuff'," he said.

"I did love the camp and had great fun, and I liked the leaders. But to my surprise I also enjoyed the meetings with their lively singing and straightforward message about Jesus Christ.

"I went back to camp the next year and decided then to follow Jesus Christ. So started an exciting adventure of faith that has lasted over 50 years."

A keen rugby player at university, Rev Sinclair said he wasn't immediately attracted to the idea of becoming a minister

"I thought ministry was about having tea with old ladies so as I wasn't interested in either tea or old ladies I thought it wasn't for me," he said.

Eventually he went to selection school and even though around six in ten applicants were rejected, he was accepted.

Before he could begin his ministry studies, Rev Sinclair was approached by Scripture Union and asked if he would consider going to Zambia as a training officer in an exchange with two students.

The job, which involved travelling around Zambia, living out of his car and speaking at schools, churches, hospitals and colleges, ended up lasting three years.

"Those three years changed my life," he says.

"Being away from everything familiar I was able to sort out which parts of my faith were mine, and which were not. I encountered people from many different countries and with many different beliefs.

"I met all the Church of Scotland missionaries there and everyone was very supportive. I learned to trust God."

After earning a first in Church History from New College, where he also played rugby for the Lions, Rev Sinclair completed his probation and was ordained at Palmerston Place Church.

His first solo parish was at Newton on Ayr.

In 1981 he married Ruth Murray, a medical social worker and the couple went on to have four children -  Joanna, 35, Timothy, 31, Rachel, 28 and Bethany, 22.

After six years in Ayr, Scripture Union offered Rev Sinclair the job of general director in the Glasgow office - a job he held for the next eight years while staying involved in his local parish.

Scripture Union became an enduring commitment even after he returned to Parish Ministry at Palmerston Place, in Edinburgh, in 1996.

Rev Sinclair and Ruth ran a Scripture Union holiday camp for teens in the Highlands, at Alltnacriche near Aviemore for 27 years.

In 2004, he took on the role of International Chair of Scripture Union, working with 130 SU movements around the world and travelling widely to countries such as Ghana, Peru and the Philippines.

"What I love about Scripture Union is the opportunity to pass onto the next generation faith and the Bible and get them out serving in a world in need," he said.

Rev Sinclair's contribution to the Church of Scotland has included serving on many councils and committees at both local and national level.

Most recently, from 2012 to 2016, he was convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council, which also involved serving on the Kirk's governing body, the Council of Assembly.

Since 1996, he has been the minister at Palmerston Place, where he and Ruth - now grandparents- have offered marriage classes, nurtured a thriving congregation and hosted many groups of students and probationer ministers.

"I love being the minister for Palmerston Place," he said.

"The heart of everything we do is Jesus and that's what excites me.

"The message of the Bible is still extraordinary, challenging and hopeful. I still teach the Bible and people want to hear it."