The DUP leader, asked by the News Letter about rumours he will stand again for the position, said: “I do not comment on internal church matters.”

But church insiders have said they would be stunned if Mr Paisley put his name forward again and that “the matter of him standing down and the need for keeping church and politics separate was settled in September (at the last Presbytery agm)”.

One source said: “The overall mood in the Presbytery then was clear. Church and politics has to be seen to be separate and there is no going back on that.”

Any nomination for Mr Paisley could be divisive.

It is anticipated, therefore, that there will be a change in Moderator for the first time in over 50 years at a meeting of the Church Presbytery in Lisburn Free Church on Friday evening.

In September, a Presbytery statement said: “It was agreed by an overwhelming majority of members that all Presbytery offices remain as at present for the remainder of this calendar year.

“In January all offices will be vacated.

“Dr Paisley has indicated that he will not be standing for the office of Moderator of Presbytery.

“Ministers left this meeting united and determined to go forward to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and continue to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.”

The two main names in the frame for the Moderator’s position appear to be Deputy Free Presbyterian Moderator the Rev Ron Johnstone and Ballymena minister the Rev John Greer.

Those in the know seem to lean towards Mr Greer.

He is minister of the Ballymena congregation – the largest in the church, with around 600 members.

Notably, he was chairman of the commission which reported back to the agm in September on the mood within the church in relation to Mr Paisley being First Minister in power with Sinn Fein and remaining moderator.

There is a view that he handled that difficult job fairly, while he has also maintained harmony within his own church despite divisions in the Ballymena area politically in the wake of devolution.

A source said: “It seems that in Ballymena John has taken a strong line on leaving politics at the door of the church. It is a congregation which includes Jim Allister and councillors such as DUP group leader Maurice Mills and Roy Gillespie who has left the DUP.

“There has been potential there for division but they have left their differences at the door of the church and that suits what the Presbytery is moving towards.

“John is very much of the view that people can have their political opinions but church is about preaching and the gospel. That will be pleasing to the ear of ministers and elders in the church in the current political situation.”

Mr Johnstone has a congregation in Armagh and has been Deputy Moderator.

Many view him as the obvious successor to Mr Paisley.

A source said: “Some may see Ron as being too close to the Paisley era given that we are seeking to change.