Obituary: Rev Tom Preston BD, minister

Rev Tom Preston BD, minister.

Born: 4 September, 1948, in Galashiels.

Died: 30 June, 2011, in Livingston, aged 62.

TOM Preston was minister successively of four Church of Scotland parishes - Hamilton-Bardrainney in Port Glasgow, Bedrule with Denholm and Minto, Edinburgh Old Kirk and Breich Valley. In each of these places he exercised significant pastoral and preaching ministry with an emphasis on bringing people to Christ and helping them to grow in him.

He was born on 4 September, 1948, the son of Tom and Nettie Preston. He had two sisters, Gail and Marion, with whom he enjoyed lifelong closeness. He was brought up in the church, and it was while in London as a civil servant that his faith came freshly alive and led to his call to the ministry.

On his return to Galashiels he found fellowship not only in his own church of St Cuthbert's, but in the newly built St John's church in Langlee. Having completed his BD studies at New College he was licensed by the Presbytery of Melrose and Peebles in St Cuthbert's church on 7 July, 1976. The sermon on that occasion encompassed the vision of Tom's life and ministry. The fitting text was the well known words of the apostle Paul:

"We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We beseech you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

He and Ernest Chapman, also licensed that evening, were reminded that an ambassador is one who stands in the presence of the king, who carries the message of the king, but must also have the passion of the king.

The theme of the sermon was of the reconciling of men and women to God and how it is through the preaching of the message of the Gospel that lives are changed and brought into fellowship with God.

In each of Tom's parishes there were those who could tell of how his ministry had brought such life-changing reality to them, and even more who could tell of how in his friendship and consistent loving support they had seen the face of God in a fresh and appealing way.

At the tea after his funeral I was privileged to sit beside just such a man, who told me of how it was through Tom's visiting in his home, always interested in him and his family, that he himself had found his way to church.

Tom's parishes were each in their way demanding.

Willingly to be the pastor of the large housing estate of Hamilton Bardrainney and the massive parish of Pilton, with its many needs, and then later to take on the demanding task of uniting and establishing a new church plant in the Breich Valley all indicate a man of deep commitment to the calling and the task of parish ministry.He had many other involvements in community concerns, in National Church committees, notably in prison chaplaincy, and he was on the point of taking up the task of Moderator of West Lothian Presbytery, but there is no doubt that his focus was on the day-to-day ministry among his flock.

In this he demonstrated in the quiet patient way that was his the effectiveness of long-term pastoral care. Tom never married, but had a wonderful family. His care for his mother, who knew serious ill health through her latter years, was as exemplary as it was unassuming. Every week for many years he travelled to spend time with her.

That sermon in 1976 ended on the theme of the rewards of such a ministry, first of the reward as we see lives blessed and enriched by Christ, and then the reward of the Master's commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

That reward has surely come for Tom, and he has left a legacy of warmth and faith exercised in parish ministry that will be long remembered, treasured and appreciated.