John Ballantyne Cairns KCVO

KStJ The Order of St John, short for Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (french: l'ordre très vénérable de l'Hôpital de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem) and also known as St John International, is a British royal order of ...

(born 1942) is a retired minister of the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

. Following a career as a solicitor, he studied theology and was ordained in 1974. His first charge was as minister at the parishes of

Langholm Langholm , also known colloquially as the "Muckle Toon", is a burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, southern Scotland. Langholm lies between four hills in the valley of the River Esk in the Southern Uplands. Location and geography Langholm sits nort ...

, Ewes and Westerkirk. He then became minister at Riverside Parish Church,

Dumbarton Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990. Dumbarton was the ca ...

(1985-2001). He then served as minister of

Aberlady Aberlady ( sco, Aiberleddy, Gaelic: ''Obar Lobhaite'') is a coastal village in the Scottish council area of East Lothian. The village had an estimated population of in . Etymology The name ''Aberlady'' has Brittonic origins. The first part of ...

and

Gullane Gullane ( or ) is a town on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian on the east coast of Scotland. There has been a church in the village since the ninth century. The ruins of the Old Church of St. Andrew built in the twel ...

Parish Churches, East Lothian, until retiring in 2008. In retirement, he is serving (as of 2011) as part-time locum minister at St Columba's Church, London. His formal title (following the end of his Moderatorial year) is the

Very Reverend The Very Reverend is a Style (manner of address), style given to members of the clergy. The definite article "The" should always precede "Reverend" as "Reverend" is a style or fashion and not a title. Catholic In the Catholic Church, the style i ...

Dr John Cairns. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1999-2000 and was appointed Chaplain to the Queen in 1997. He became

Dean of the Chapel Royal The Dean of the Chapel Royal, in any kingdom, can be the title of an official charged with oversight of that kingdom's chapel royal, the ecclesiastical establishment which is part of the royal household and ministers to it. England In England, ...

in Scotland in 2006. He has also held convenerships of several General Assembly boards and committees. The General Assembly over which he moderated was uniquely held in the

Edinburgh International Conference Centre The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) is the principal convention and conference centre in Edinburgh, Scotland. Location The centre is part of the masterplanned Exchange District in the west end of the city, and was designed by t ...

. This was to allow the Scottish Parliament to meet in the Church's

Assembly Hall An assembly hall is a hall to hold public meetings or meetings of an organization such as a school, church, or deliberative assembly. An example of the last case is the Assembly Hall (Washington, Mississippi) where the general assembly of the st ...

Honours

On 12 July 2013 Cairns was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. (KCVO) On 15 January 2013 he was appointed

Commander of the Order of St John The Order of St John, short for Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (french: l'ordre très vénérable de l'Hôpital de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem) and also known as St John International, is a British royal order of ...

. (CStJ) and promoted to Knight of Justice of the Order of St John. (GCStJ) Honour Ribbons: * Royal Victorian Order UK ribbon

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

(GCVO) *

: Knight of the Order of St. John (KStJ)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cairns, John Ballantyne 1942 births Living people 20th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland 21st-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Deans of the Chapel Royal in Scotland Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

Honours

See also

References