▁the ▁United ▁Church ▁of ▁Canada . ▁He ▁or ▁she ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁lay ▁person ▁or ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Ministry ▁and ▁is ▁elected ▁to ▁a ▁three - year ▁term ▁by ▁commission ers ▁att ending ▁the ▁church ' s ▁tri ann ual ▁General ▁Council . ▁The ▁current ▁Mod er ator ▁is ▁the ▁Right ▁Re ver end ▁Dr . ▁Richard ▁B ott , ▁who ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁office ▁at ▁the ▁ 4 3 rd ▁General ▁Council ▁in ▁O sh awa , ▁Ontario ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Ro le ▁ ▁The ▁Mod er ator ' s ▁authority ▁exists ▁by ▁his ▁or ▁her ▁ability ▁to ▁influence ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁den om ination , ▁rather ▁than ▁any ▁sort ▁of ▁direct ▁power ▁to ▁un il ater ally ▁en act ▁changes . ▁D ut ies ▁of ▁the ▁Mod er ator ▁include : ▁ ▁giving ▁Le ad ership ▁(" es pecially ▁in ▁spiritual ▁things , ▁quick ening ▁in ▁the ▁hearts ▁of ▁the ▁people ▁a ▁sense ▁of ▁God ▁as ▁revealed ▁in ▁Christ , ▁and ▁heart ening ▁and ▁strength ening ▁the ▁whole ▁United ▁Church ") ▁ ▁visit ing ▁past oral ▁charges ▁across ▁the ▁country , ▁" g iving ▁sympath etic ▁guidance ▁and ▁coun sel ▁giving ▁sympath etic ▁guidance ▁and ▁coun sel , ▁and ▁reporting ▁to ▁the ▁General ▁Council ▁and ▁its ▁executive ". ▁ ▁being ▁the ▁primary ▁sp ok esp erson ▁and ▁representative ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁Church ▁ ▁pres iding ▁at ▁the ▁meet ings ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Church ' s ▁highest ▁court , ▁the ▁tri