Rev Bob Tremewan was recently recognised at the annual Order of St John Founder's Service for 25 years service as a Chaplain. We asked Bob to tell us more about it.

The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 and the later mosque attacks upped the workload of the Reverend Bob Tremewan, volunteer St John Chaplain in Christchurch. He provided pastoral care and counsel to St John members and, at times, their families.

Bob has a long history with the Order of St John having joined as a Cadet at the age of 11. As an adult he was an operational volunteer in both ambulance and events. When he was ordained nearly 30 years ago, Bob was appointed a St John Chaplain, a role he recently retired from. His service, and the support of his wife the Reverend Justine, was acknowledged at the recent annual St John Founders Day Service at All Souls, Merivale-St Albans. Two ambulances were also blessed at the service  - it was suggested the blessing "God bless her and all who ride in her" would be a good prayer to pray when you hear a siren or see an ambulance rush past, lights flashing!

St John in New Zealand was started 136 years ago at All Souls (then St Mary’s, Merivale). The then Vicar called a public meeting because of the widespread concern that there was no qualified help or suitable transport available to people should they have an accident or suddenly become ill, apart from trying to find ‘a medical man.’ It was such a success that within a few years St John had spread throughout the country.

The roots of the Order of St John go back to 1080 AD when Benedictine monks started a hospital for pilgrims in Jerusalem. It was built next door to a church dedicated to St John the Baptist, and so the Order took on its name, St John.