He was ordained by the Free Church of Scotland in 1992. He originally served as minister of
Kilwinning and
Saltcoats in
Ayrshire. In 2001 he moved north to
Dingwall and served the joint parishes of Dingwall and
Strathpeffer. In October 2017 he was elected Moderator for May 2018 - May 2019 in succession to Rev
Derek Lamont of St Columba's Free Church in
Edinburgh. His address to the General Assembly in May 2018 was entitled "The Shalom of Jesus: Peace in a World of Rage". MacRae served as Chair of the Board of Ministry for the Free Church and on the Board of Edinburgh Theological Seminary from 2013 to 2021. He accepted a call from Dingwall Free Church to serve as minister at the Free North Church in Bank Street, in the City of Inverness. His induction to the Free North took place in March 2020. As this took place during a national Covid-lockdown the service of induction was held online. MacRae was succeeded in Dingwall and Strathpeffer Free Church by Rev Matty Guy who was ordained and inducted to serve in that church in September 2023. == Personal life ==