Dr McLean (51) has been minister of Summerhill Parish Church, Aberdeen, since 1981 and has been chaplain to several schools in the city.

Prior to his appointment to Summerhill, he was assistant minister at Bearsden. He also served in the Royal Naval Reserve from 1974-84.

A graduate of Edinburgh University and the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr McLean is vice-convener of the General Assembly's legal questions committee and from 2001 - 2006 he was convener.

He has also been a member of the board of ministry working party on enquiry and assessment and convener, local involvement of the board of world mission.

Dr McLean is married to Elaine and they have two children, Gavin and Laura.

The new minister has said he is settling in well to his new post.

He was inducted two weeks ago, filling a position which had been vacant for almost 16 months.

He said: "I certainly have been made to feel very welcome, and people have been very hospitable. It will take some time to get to know everyone but so far so good.

"It's been a big change for me. I was minister at my last church for a long time so I was in a situation where I was known to everyone and I also knew everyone. It's like that in any job but as a minister it is very people orientated and people based."