THE Church of Scotland’s most senior figure will take to the skies above East Lothian this weekend.

The Rt Rev Dr Russell Barr, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, is currently carrying out an extensive tour of the county and neighbouring Midlothian.

The visit is the first time in more than a decade that the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has stopped off in East Lothian.

On Sunday evening, the grandfather-of-three was at a praise night, organised through Church of Scotland Guild West Council, at Northesk Parish Church, on Musselburgh’s Bridge Street.

Then, on Monday, he visited Dunbar Primary School before stopping off at the town’s parish church and local charity CrossReach Counselling Lothians, and visiting Torness Power Station.

Today (Thursday), he is taking part in a pilgrimage-themed walk from St Mary’s Parish Church in Whitekirk to North Berwick, before stopping off at the Coastal Communities Museum for lunch. He visits Muirfield Riding Therapy at 5.30pm.

He will return to the county at the weekend, including joining the Saturday Morning Breakfast Theology Club, at Longniddry Parish Church, before heading to East Fortune for his first-ever microlight flight.

Rounding off the visit on Sunday, he will attend a joint service with Abbey Parish Church at St Andrew Blackadder Church in North Berwick, as well as popping in to see the Rev Laurence Twaddle at East Coast FM, before finishing at a CrossReach Thanksgiving service at Haddington’s West Church.