Canon Keith Weston, who exercised one of the most influential ministries of his generation amongst students, died on February 5 at the age of 86.
He was Rector of St. Ebbe’s, Oxford, from 1964-85, where his preaching and pastoral ministry proclaimed and showed the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. His expository Bible preaching, carefully applied, was an outstanding example of such ministries gradually developing in university cities through the example and influence of John Stott. Keith’s preaching, backed by warm Rectory hospitality from Keith and his wife Margaret, touched and changed many lives.
Famous congregants
In addition to the vigorous citywide ministry, which included many families and young professionals, there were hundreds of students in the congregation — among them the former Bishops of Durham and Rochester, Tom Wright and Michael Nazir-Ali, and the Regius Professor of Moral Theology, Oliver O’Donovan. Keith was also Rural Dean of Oxford for five years, and on General Synod for ten, where he was one of its chairmen.