Rev. Harvey Self, minister of Tweedsmuir Memorial Presbyterian Church in Orangeville, will become moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in June.

Rev. Stephen Kendall, Principal Clerk of the church's General Assembly, on behalf of the Committee to Advise the Moderator, announced last Wednesday that Mr. Self's name will be placed as the sole nominee to be Moderator of the 135th General Assembly this June in Hamilton.

The news was disclosed at Tweedsmuir during a mid-week Lenten service.

Three other nominees, Rev. Richard Sand, Ms Marilyn Clark and Ms. Karen Hincke, had withdrawn their names.

Mr. Self was born a "son of the manse", to parents The Rev. Dr. Stanley and Mrs. Christine Self, in Cornwall. The ministry travels of his father, both as a minister within The Presbyterian Church and as a chaplain in the Canadian Forces, meant that Harvey was educated in seven different schools across Canada and in Germany.

Harvey graduated high school in North Bay. His undergraduate studies were at Queen's University, Kingston where he received a B.A. in history. He then enrolled in theological studies at Knox College in Toronto where he completed his M.Div. degree in 1981.

Harvey was involved in Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship in his university years at Queen's serving as chapter president in his final year.

Following his ordination in 1981, Harvey served Grace Church in Castlegar, B.C., and St. Paul's Church, Leaskdale, Ontario. He then sensed a call to ministry within military chaplaincy in the Canadian Forces, serving nine years at three postings: CFB Petawawa, CFB Goose Bay and CBF Esquimalt; and a six-month United Nations posting in Cyprus.

Harvey and his wife Jayne have three sons. He has been minister at Tweedsmuir Memorial since 1996. His pastoral response to a number of difficult community situations earned him a high level of respect within the community. He also serves as chaplain to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch and is the chair of the Orangeville Ministerial Association. He is also the Presbytery missions convener and a member of the Canada Ministries Advisory Committee.