When Keith Richter was just four years old, he listened to his mother read the nativity story for the first time from colporteur books they had received. It was Christmastime in Goodsoil, Sask., and young Keith was enthralled. From that moment on, he gave his heart to Jesus.
As a young child growing up on the farm, Keith also learned the importance of being careful with money. That lesson became a habit, and then a passion, and he eventually moved to Edmonton in 1977 to pursue Business at NAIT. It was there, at an open house, when Keith met a lovely young lady named Lorraine. He and Lorraine shared a common spiritual longing, and together they found what they were looking for in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
But God was still working and weaving Keith’s story together, because in 2006 he joined the Alberta Conference office family as Associate Treasurer, blending his love for God, talent for business administration, and his servant-leader heart.
Keith lives by the motto “To love and restore people like Jesus did,” inspired by one of his favourite bible verses, Luke 4:16-19. He says he has enjoyed being able to live this motto for the last 20 years while “working with a devoted team of people helping to proclaim God’s amazing kingdom [so that others can receive] the gift of reconciliation through Christ.”
Alberta Conference President Jeff Potts, remarked, “For twenty years Keith Richter has faithfully served the Alberta Conference. He became our Associate Treasurer in 2006, and was elected to serve as Treasurer in 2010. In addition to faithfully overseeing the finances of our conference, Keith has been a caring friend to our employees and church members. He has worked tirelessly to advance the mission of the church. His wise and godly leadership has been a tremendous blessing to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Alberta and the NWT!”
Keith and Lorraine have two grown sons, Derek and David. Derek is a pastor currently serving at the Edmonton South church, and he and his wife Rena have one son, Emerson. David is an ER doctor in Wisconsin. Keith is looking forward to the opportunity to spend more time with family in retirement, and has no plans to stop supporting the conference’s work of the gospel ministry.