Honour Spotlight: Ed Garton

This honour post is bittersweet. Last week another cherished member of our church community died and it is this man's life and attitude that I want to honour. Ed Garton has been described as a 'rough diamond' he wasn't posh or well-spoken, he came from a tough background, he always wore his heart on his sleeve and was without a doubt one of the most geniune people I have ever met. He loved Jesus with such an excited passion, I'll never forget the way he would pray so openly in church meetings, how he used to call God 'Daddy', how he would greet me with ''Ello sweetness' everytime he ordered a coffee at the coffee bar, his dedication and commitment to the church drama ministry, I remember once he phoned me up and talked me through his thought process and character development of the Roman Centurion he was playing in our recent production of The Vigil - he took every opportunity to perform very seriously! Ed was always willing to serve, I remember him directing cars in and out of the Kerith Centre dressed in one of the big highlighter jackets with a pen in his mouth because he was trying to give up smoking and who could forget the warmth of his smile when he served on the welcome team?! What I loved most about Ed is that despite his difficult circumstances, even though to the rest of the world his life would seem an unhappy one, he radiated joy. He believed wholeheartedly that Jesus had saved him and therefore he was more than willing to dedicate his life to following him. His attitude to church and life as a christian was beyond inspiring. I can just imagine the look on his face when he realises that he's arrived in heaven and I can't help but smile.