Thankful for a faithful preacher

I've missed a couple of days of Lent thankfulness posts - good intentions not fulfilled. Today is not for something ordinary, but for someone very special.

Today I am thankful for the life of Keith Weston, a faithful and prayerful preacher and minister of the gospel and a friend. I have had reason to thank God for him on many previous occasions, especially when he acted in his retirement as locum training incumbent during my husband's curacy. He was such an encouragement to him and also to me. 

He graciously agreed to preach on the occasion of my first Holy Communion as a newly ordained priest. That was 14 years ago and I still remember his sermon.

The sermon at his thanksgiving service this afternoon was also a great one.

Including a masterful romp through most of the the first 10 chapters of Romans, Tom Wright preached on Romans 8: 28b

"...those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified."

I especially like the way he placed it not merely in the context of the individual believer in Christ, but in the larger context of Christian hope, the renewal of all creation. I think the late Keith Weston would have approved.

Thanks be to God for his servant Keith and all who have been blessed by his ministry.

Image Credit: my photo of front of service order