On St John’s Day 2025, the Right Reverend Tim Stevens will hand over his duties as Prelate of the Order of St John. For the past 9 years, he has advised the Grand Prior and Lord Prior on how the Order interacts with Christian churches and other faiths around the world. He has graced St John International with his wisdom and sage counsel, honouring the staff and volunteers within the Order around the world with his devotion, openness and respect – three of our values, which he so eloquently put into words during his tenure.
In addition to convening the Order’s college of Deans and chairing the Nominations and Appointments Committee he has worked to illustrate how the Order’s history remains relevant in the modern world, consistently reminding us of the importance of diversity and inclusion. He always encourages us, including in his regular reflections to the Trustees’ Executive Committee (TEC) – 30 during his tenure – to bear in mind that the Order has always served those who needed it, whatever their faith. At his last TEC meeting as Prelate, he said:
My hope and prayer is that…you will be ever bolder in opening up to the world the link between faith and service in the two halves of our motto. As you do this, I hope you will:
- Value, cherish and constantly deepen the relationships of trust and understanding across cultures and faith which have been built up over the years.
- Consistently resist tendencies to create hierarchies of status or power based on wealth, background or gender.
- Take and deepen the opportunities which come your way to broaden your own faith and share it lovingly with others.
Tim was Bishop of Leicester from 1999- 2015; he was Convenor of the House of Lords Bishops from 2009 to 2015; Chair of the Children’s Society 2004 to 2010; Board member of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS mental health trust 2015 to 2019 and is now chair of the Woolf Institute in Cambridge. He was appointed CBE in 2016.
As we prepare to say farewell to Tim in his role as Prelate, we do so with heartfelt gratitude and admiration. His legacy within the Order will be one of spiritual insight, moral clarity, and an unwavering commitment to inclusive service. He leaves behind not only a legacy of leadership but a challenge to live out the values of the Order with compassion, humility and courage. Thank you, Tim. Your service has been a blessing.
