William was a Church of Scotland minister, an author, radio and television presenter, and Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at the University of Glasgow. He wrote a popular set of New Testament Bible commentaries -sold 1.5 million. He studied Classics and Divinity at Glasgow University (1925-9). He also studied at the University of Sam Ratulangi Manado (1932/3). 1933-47 He was minister at Trinity Church Renfrew from 1933-1946. In 1947 he returned to the University of Glasgow as a lecturer in New Testament. He became Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism in 1963. He then dedicated his life to making the best biblical scholarship available to the average reader. The Daily Study Bible was the result -17 commentaries on the N.T… Today, in its updated version, it is called the New Daily Study Bible series. Also In 2008 Saint Andrew Press took the study series and began to produce pocket-sized thematic titles called Insights. The books are introduced by contemporary authors, broadcasters and scholars. William wrote many other popular books drawing on scholarship but written in a highly accessible style. In his book The Mind of Jesus he states his aim was to make the figure of Jesus more vividly alive, so that we may know him better and love him more.- See list of Worksto appreciate the number of books that he wrote. William described himself theologically as a * liberal evangelical.* Source Wikipedia

Thomas was born around 1495 in Norwich. He became a protestant martyr. He is believed to be the person who converted Hugh Latimer to the doctrines of the Reformers- he also died a martyr. Around 1550 , aged only 15, he entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge University where he studied law. Conversion He was ‘struck’ by these words from 1 Timothy ch1 v15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came onto the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. ‘Immediately I felt a marvellous comfort and quietness, in so much that my bruised bones lept for joy.’ Scripture became his chief study and In 1519 he took holy orders. In 1525 he obtained a license to preach throughout the diocese of Ely. In 1527 he was arrested for heresy. He recanted and was released but in 1531 he was arrested again for spreading ideas critical of the hierarchical structure of the church and the cult of the saints, For this he was burnt at Lollards Pit, in Norwich,on 19 August 1531. Afterwards it was alleged that his execution had been carried out without the proper authorisation by the state. THe result was Bishop Nix in 1534 was condemned on this charge and had his property confiscated. ( Thomas was nicknamed Little Bilney because of his short stature.) Source Wikipedia

Thomas was popularly known as the ‘Archbishop of Nonconformity’. He was noted for sermons and writings in defence of the principles of Noncomformity, devotional verse and for involvement in the cause of anti-slavery After a short pastorate on the Isle of Wight he moved in 1829 to King’s Weigh House Chapel, London. There he continued to discharge the duties of the ministry until he resigned in 1869 (40 years). During his time there the congregation grew so large that a new chapel on Fish Street Hill was built. In 1834 he personally laid the foundation stone of the chapel. He visited Canada and the USA in 1845 . Between 1857-9 he visited the Australian colonies. He was twice chairman of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. He worked to obtain reunion with the C.of E. He introduced the chanting of psalms into Congregational worship as one step towards this. He gave a special impulse with the publication of The Service of Song in the House of the Lord. (See Books for other of his publications) On the other hand he wrote Twenty -Four Reasons for Dissenting from the Church of England (1848). He was an active member of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society formed in 1839. He wrote the biography of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, a leading parliamentary abolitionist. Thomas’s liberality of view and breadth of ecclesiastical sympathy entitles him to be ranked, on questions of Nonconformity, among the most distinguished. He gave his last sermon in November 1873. Following months of pain Thomas died,aged 76, on 24th February 1874. He wrote the well known hymn Eternal Light! Eternal Light! Source Wikipedia

Dominic is best remembered for his part in St. John Henry Newman’s conversion. He is also commemorated for his work in his efforts to return England to the Catholic faith in the 19th Century. He entered the Passionist Order, about 1814 as a lay brother and in 1818 he was ordained a priest. He lectured and taught at several places in Italy up until 1841 (20+years) when his wish to work in England as a missionary became a reality. During this period he had produced many theological and philosophical works. He arrived in Folkestone in October 1841 - a little Italian priest in ‘comical’ attire. In February 1842 he secured possession of Aston Hall, Staffordshire. for the Passionists in England. In October 1845 he received ( St. ) John Henry Newman into the Roman Catholic Church. Dominic visited Littlemore where Newman made his confession to him. (Newman relates in his ‘Apologia’ how Barberi arrived soaked from rain and as he was drying Newman knelt down and asked to be received into the Catholic Church.) On 27th August 1849 he suffered a fatal heart attack on the train at Pangbourne, just outside Reading. Dominic is buried in St. Anne and Blessed Dominic Church, Sutton, Merseyside. By the time of his death in 1849 he had established 3 Passsionist houses and several chapels in England. He had preached innumerable sermons and received 100s of converts. In 1963 he was beatified by the RC church. Rest in peace Blessed Dominic Barberi Source Wikipedia

Robert was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk He was educated at Cambridge. He was an English protestant martyr who helped spread Lutheranism in England. He was a prior at Austin Friars. Thomas Bilney influenced him in embracing the teaching of the Reformers and in 1528 he escaped, to Antwerp for Germany where he formed a lasting friendship with Martin Luther. In the summer of 1531, while in Wittenberg, he was commissioned to ascertain Luther and other continental divines opinion on the divorce proceedings between Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. He spent several years going between England and Germany A little more than a month after his protector, Thomas Cromwell, fell from favour, he was burnt as a heretic with two other Lutherans. On July 1540, along with 5 other religious dissidents - 3 Lutheran and 3 Catholic-. he was drawn on hurdles from the Tower of London to Smithfield to be executed Sources Wilipedia Briannica The Hodder and Stoughton Book of Famous Christians.

Thomas Bray in 1698 founded the UK based Christian Charity *Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge ( SPCK) and in 1701 the separate Society for the Propagation of the Gospel(SPG). After graduation and ordination he* became a curate at Bridgnorth and then chaplain for Sir. Thomas Price at Lea Marstone. Thomas’s library drew the attention of John Kettlewell, the vicar at Coleshill, who pointed out to him that the poverty of country parsons kept then from owning and reading theological books, which could lead to ignorance and hopelessness and affect their ministry. As a result Thomas wrote and published the first volume of* Catechetical Lectures* The book sold well and drew the attention of Henry Compton, the Bishop of London, who had been impressed by his diligence and library ideas. Thomas as a result was sent to the colony of Maryland, USA to represent him. Maryland wanted an experienced, unexceptionable priest to supervise them. Thomas knew that the clergy willing to accept positions overseas were often among the poorest and unable to bring or obtain religious books, so he conditioned his acceptance upon having funds to supply the parishes with books. In 1699 he sailed to Maryland having started his library work in seaport libraries at Gravesend, Deal and Plymouth on his outward journey. He envisioned a library for each parish in the USA. During his lifetime 39 were established in the Colonies, over 80 were established in England and Wales. His efforts would eventually lead in the founding of nearly 100 libraries in the USA and over 200 in England. In 1706 he became rector of St.Botolph’s, Aldgate where he spent the final decades of his life serving that parish and engaging in other philanthropic and literary activities. *To obtain books for these libraries, requests are to made to the learned author now living, yo give copies of their books, and to others, especially merchants to the foreign plantations, to give money, of all of which there shall be a full amount published, * Steiner 1896 pp59-75 Source Wikipedia

St. Birinus was the first bishop of Dorchester. He was known as the ’ Apostle to the West Saxons’ for his conversion of the Kingdom of Wessex to Christianity. H e was a Benedictine monk. He was made bishop by Asterius in Genoa. Pope Honorius created the commission to convert the West Saxons. In 635 King Cynegils, who had allowed St. Birinus to preach and baptise his son and grandson, was trying to create an alliance with Oswald of Northumbria, a pagan king. to fight the Mercians. The ‘sticking point’ was that Oswald was a pagan. When Oswald was converted and baptised the alliance was made. St.Birinus was then given Dorchester-on-Thames as his episcopal see. He established several churches in Wessex - he supposedly aid the foundations for St. Mary’s in Reading. There is a church to St. Birinus in Calcot, Reading. That was our local church when we lived there. St, Birinus died in Dorchester on 3 December c649. Source Wikipedia

Gideon was an American Presbyterian clergyman, evangelist, educator and missionary to the Cherokee and Creek nations He was born of Scots-Irish descent in Augusta County, Virginia. He was orphaned at the age of 11 and moved to live with relatives in Tennessee in 1787. As a youth he studied at Martin Academy in Washington County, Tennessee. He worked at a sawmill and as a surveyor to obtain an education . In 1792 he received his preacher’s license and 2 years later he was ordained by the Abingdon Presbytery of Virginia. In the 1790s he began his ministerial career as a pastor by founding the New Providence Church in Maryville.For the next 20 years he worked there and was known as a powerful and evangelizing public speaker.came In the early 19th century he raised funds to establish schools for Cherokee children. He became a cultural missionary to the Cherokees (1803-9). and founded 2 schools.Together the schools had an enrollment of about 100 students- mostly bicultural Cherokee-American boys. All his lessons were in English with material on culture and practices of Anglo-American society. (Unfortunately both schools were closed when his reputation was severely damaged due to a scandal related to alcohol.) He moved to Middle Tennessee where he served as an itinerant preacher and headed Harpeth Academy (1811-13). He founded 5 congregations in the area. Over the next 15 years he established new congregations and churches in Tennessee and Kentucky and was very successful as a fund raiser. Blackburn Seminary, in Carlinville, was named after him, in recognition of his life’s labours, in 1859. He was also active with the Kentucky Temperance Society, Gideon died just 4 days short of his 66th birthday. Source Wikipedia

I have put together some information and some work sheets about St. George, the patron saint of England. The first sheet is a cover. The next two are information sheets followed by two large font sheets showing basic data. These are followed by two ‘gap’ pages which are differentiated. There is then a crossword which needs a picture answer followed by a word search. The next page is about St. George’s flag and the Union Jack. The last two pages are for the child’s diary - the first sheet gives ideas what to write about, the second is a clip art page for his ‘best’ copy. David Woodroffe, a professional illustrator, created the original art work. 6 extra pictures added by Super Coloring

Samuel and Henrieta Barnett were social reformers, educationists and authors. They married in 1873 and the young couple went to the impoverished parish of St.Jude’s, a slum area, in Whitechapel intent on improving social conditions. The Barnetts worked hard for the poor of their parish- opening evening schools for adullts, providing them with music and entertainment, and serving on the local boards of guardians and on managing committees of schools. The Barnetts improved conditions and co-ordinated the various charities by co-operation with the Charity Organisation Society and the parish board of guardians. Between them they set up a number of organisations. 1876 The Metropolitan Association for Befriending Young Servants 1877 Children’s Fresh Air Mission established 1884 becoming Children’s County Holiday Fund 1880 Homes for Workhouse Girls started and promoted 1884 Founded the first ‘University Settlement’ at Toynbee Hall, where they now lived, in the East End of London 1888 Wrote together* Practicable Socialism * 1891 Founded London Pupil Teachers Association 1904 Hampstead Garden Suburb a model garden city Samuel served as Canon of Westminster Abbey from 1906 until his death in 1913. After Samuel’s death Henrieta carried on the good work for the next 10 years… 1914 Barnett House at Oxford (in memory of her husband In 1917 Henrietta awarded CBE and in 1924 DBE for services to social reform. Samuel and Henrietta Barnett are remembered on 17th June by C.of E. Source Wikipedia

Lester Frank Sumrall was an American Pentecostal pastor and evangelist. He founded the Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association ( Le SEA) and its Humanitarian arm LeSEA Global Feed the Hungry, World Harvest Radio international and World Bible College. His mother, Betty, prayed while he was still her womb, that he would be a preacher. Lester was born in New Orleans on 15th February. Aged 17 he was on his death bed suffering from tuberculosis when he received a vision. Suspended in midair to his right was a casket, to his left an open Bible. He heard a voice ask, Lester Sumrall, which of these will you choose tonight? He chose to preach the Gospel as long as he lived. When he woke up in the morning he was completely healed Following his recovery, aged 17, he began to preach. Aged 19 he found a church in Green forest, Arkansas he found a church and was ordained by the assemblies of God. He became a ‘brush arbor’ preacher on the backwoods of Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas. On 18th December, 1831 he had his second vision.At the same time In England Howard Carter was praying for a companion. Lester was to be his companion. In 1934 he began travelling abroad. He preached in Tahiti, New Zealand and Brisbane Australia where he established a church. He travelled with Howard throughout eastern Asia, Europe and South America. Together they forged new territory in the area of spiritual warfare as they cast out devils, won new converts and established churches and instructed people of God. In South America he heard about a pretty, young missionary, from Argentina. He met and married Louise Layman on 30th September 1944. They took the ‘unconventional’ route to honeymooning. They began a 50,000 mile missionary tour and life together that spanned 49 years. They had 3 children. In 1957 he founded the Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association (LeSEA). Which gave birth to over 100 books and study guides, a quarterly magazine,. In 1963 Lester moved to South Bend Indiana, to pastor Christian Central Cathedral of Praise ( now Christian Centre Church). He also withdrew from the Assemblies of God denomination. In 1968 he began what would become World harvest Radio International. Between 1972-97 he acquired 11 television stations, a satellite ministry, 3 radio and 5 shortwave stations. Lester founded the World Harvest Bible College (now Indiana Christian University) and* World Harvest Magazine* In 1987 he founded the LeSEA Global Feed the Hungry, a humanitarian aid organization, to help desperately poor families. In 2018 LeSEA changed its name to Family Broadcasting Corporation (FBC Lester died on 28th April 1996 aged 83. He was one of the most colourful preachers of the 20th century. He began as a fiery young preacher during the depression. He left a legacy of what simple and determined faith in God can accomplish. * *This is just the beginning. There are greater blessings ahead! Sources used family Broadcasting Corporation WHBC Wikipedia

Margaret Emma Barber was born in Peasenhall, Suffolk. The family moved to Norwich in 1879. The family home was opposite St.Martins parish church which was intensely evangelical in the 1880-90s. must have had an influence on the Barber Family. During the course of her life she lived twice in China. On her first visit as a missionary she went as an Anglican. On her second visit she went as an independent missionary with informal ties to the Plymouth Brethren. She was an Anglican missionary sent out by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) to the city of Fuzhou, Fujian. There she taught in a the Tau Su Girls’ High School- founded by the Church of England for 7 years. She was regarded as an excellent missionary but her co-missionaries became jealous. They fabricated a serious charge against her and she was sent home to Great Britain. She was known for her faith and decided not to vindicate herself. Years later the chairman of CMS board became aware of the case. He persuaded her to tell the truth. She told him the whole story and was fully vindicated. While in England she came in contact with D.M. Panton, editor of the Christian magazine The Dawn. 1907 Margaret became a member of Surrey Chapel and was baptized by full Immersion. Margaret resigned from CMS. In 1909 with Miss Ballard, a Surrey Chapel member she returned to China, settling in Fuzhou. They rented a house in Pagoda . She stayed there until her death in 1930 of Crohn’s disease. She lived by faith. According to Chinese customs all bills had to be paid in full by the end of the year. With only 2 days remaining she found herself $120s short. On the last day of the year D.M. Panton, in London, through the British bank in Foochow, sent exactly $120s! Margaret lived with little travelling and no publicity. She was content to remain at home and pray. She helped those who sought her counsel. She, with others, regularly taught a Bible class at ‘white teeth rock’. There she had contact with Watchmen Nee while he was studying at Anglican Trinity College. Through their relationship Watchman Nee was greatly edified and perfected. If he had a problem or needed spiritual instruction he would go to her. She treated him as a young learner and frequently administered strict discipline. At that time over 60 young brothers and sisters received help but after awhile most stopped going to see her except Watchmen Nee. When Margaret died she left all her belongings - an old Bible and her notes - to Watchmen Nee. In the March 1930 issue of his periodical The Present Testimony he wrote She was one who was very deep in the Lord, and in my opinion, the kind of fellowship she had with the Lord and the kind of faithfulness she expressed to the Lord are rarely found on this earth. In 1972 Watchmen Lee was martyred for his faith. Sources used Living Stream Ministry Christian web sites Contending for the Faith American Society of Church History 1955 wikipedia

Clock Cricket is played by a group of 8 children. Only one wicket is used with a stump at the bowler’s end. The children are set up in a ‘circle’ - the ‘circle’ can either go clockwise or anti-clockwise. There are always two children batting - when one is OUT they change ends. They are only in for 6+ balls . Once the 6+ alls have been bowled it is one move to the right. This keeps everyone interested and busy. To make it more interesting an individual score sheet could be created. Everyone is kept busy. A class can be divided into maybe 4/5 groups and each group have their own game.

James Hudson Taylor was the founder of the interdenominational China Inland Mission. He dreamed as a child of going to China as a missionary. He fulfilled his dream but he had to set up his own mission to make it successful. He was frustrated the first time he went out because he had little support from the mission which sent him out. He did such a good job setting up his own mission for China that other faith missions followed his methods. His chief emphases were to identify with the local people by dressing 'native', direction to come from the mission field not home, efficient administration and wanting a deepening of Christian life in the home churches to encourage more to go into the mission field. He was happily married twice and both his wives Maria and Jane supported him in his endeavours to evangelise China. He spent 50 years as a missionary and went 11 times to China. Through a lifetime of ministry he fulfilled his calling.

Caroline Chisholm is a woman spent a great deal of her time trying to help others get on in life -especially other women. With her husband Archibald she spent time in both India and Australia. In India where she opened a school. In Australia she wanted to help emigrants settle successfully there- she set up the Female Immigration Home and also helped set up a safe route for the gold pioneers to follow. She also helped migrants wanting to go to Australia from the UK. It has been suggested that Charles Dickens, in his book Hard Times, wrote his character Mrs. Jellyby as a criticism of female activists like Caroline Chisholm.

A short information sheet about St. Elizabeth of Hungary. St.Elizabeth lived in the thirteenth century. She was of noble birth but wanted to help the poor. Her husband, king Ludwig, only cared about himself. She set up two hospitals and was willing to work with lepers. There is a fact sheet and a gap sheet. She is he patron saint of bakers.

Pentecost is the birthday of Christianity! This is the day man is given the special present Jesus promised his friends the* Holy Spirit.* Pentecost is when* tongues of fire* came down upon the disciples of Jesus. *Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire and they came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled .them The disciples now went onto the streets of Jerusalem. They were drunk with the spIrit not with wine. Peter stood up and gave his first sermon. Jesus Christ was risen he had defeated death. What he said could be understood by everyone in their own tongue, 3000 joined them that day. Men and women were ’ born again.’ The Holy Spirit gave birth Christianity that day. It is a time to celebrate. We celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. At Pentecost we celebrate the birth of Christianity ** There is an information sheet on Pentecost and Whitsunday. This is when the disciples are given the gift of the Holy Spirit/Ghost. I have included some colourful pictures - art work in the form of flames representing the tongues of fire -would be a craft idea for the children I have created a sheet How many words can you find in _ _ _ _ _ so children can place words found in Pentecost of on the sheet. Their task is then to make up mini crosswords with clues.There are two sets of word lists - the original one I created and the much fuller one I found on Word maker. Sources used wikipedia The Bible Acts chapter 2 Church Dates for Children * Tony Batchelor

I have put together information about 8 significant first Black History figures relating to the U.K. They have been set out in alphabetical order. Allan Glaisyer Minns (1858-1930) was the first black man to become mayor in Britain - mayor of Thetford, Norfolk in 1904. Bill Morris, Baron Morris of Handsworth (born 1938), generally known as Bill Morris, became the first black leader of a major British trade union - Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU) (1992-2003). Eleanor Smith (born 1957) was the first British African- Caribbean person to become an M.P in Wolverhampton South West in 2017. A seat formally held by Enoch Powell for two decades. Ignatius Sancho (c.1729-1780) was a British abolitionist, writer and composer who was born on a slave ship in the Atlantic. In 1774 and 1780, once he had the status as a male property owner, meant he was legally able to vote in a general -election. He became known as the first Black Briton to have voted in Britain. Ira Aldridge (1807-1867)was and American and later British actor and playwright, is the only actor of African-American descent , among Learie Nicholas Constantine, Baron Constaine MBE,(1901-1971), a former West Indian cricketer, lawyer and politician became the UK’s first black peer. He was knighted in 1962 and made a life peer in 1969. Mary Prince (1788-1833) her slave narrative The History of Mary Price (1831) was the first account of the life of a black woman to be published in the U.K. Paul Boateng (born 1951), a British Labour Party politician became the UK’s first black cabinet minister in May 2002. Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos (born 1954), a British party politician and diplomat became the first black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) woman on 12th May 2003 to serve as a cabinet minister. William Cuffay (1788-1870) was a Chartist leader in early Victorian times. He was mixed race - the son of an English woman- Juliana Fox and a father of African heritage who was previously enslaved and originally from Saint Kitts. He was only 1.5 metres tall. William by trade was a tailor. He rejected the Owenite trade unions of the London tailors. He helped form the Metropolitan Tailors’ Charter Association. He was elected first to the Chartist Metropolitan Delegate Council in 1841 and onto the National Executive in 1842. He chaired a Great Public Meeting of Tailors in February. After the leading Chartists were arrested in 1842 he became the interim president. Betrayed by a government spy he was arrested and accused of ‘conspiring to levy war’. He was found guilty and sentenced to 21 years penal transportation in Tasmania. Received a pardon after 3 years but stayed in Tasmania to work as a tailor. He died in poverty, aged 82, in July 1870. He was forgotten after his death in Australia and Britain. Media and interest rekindled in early 21st century. Some information included on all 10 from Wikipedia. (More at Black First U.K (second set of 10) .

John David Pawson (1930-2020) was an evangelical minister, writer and prominent Bible teacher based in the U.K. He was not afraid of tackling the controversial topics. All he wanted people to do was to read the Bible for themselves. He was born in the northeast in England. His parents were H. Cecil and Jean Pawson. His father was head of Agriculture at Durham University and Vice President of the Methodist conference. From childhood he had always wanted to be a farmer but by the time he had completed a B.Sc. in Agriculture at Durham University he felt God was calling him into full-time Christian ministry. He studied for an M.A. in theology at Wesley House, Cambridge. On graduating he joined the Royal Air Force as a chaplain and served in Aden When he left the RAF he served as a Methodist minister. He found he was uncomfortable with infant baptism. Following a doctrinal meeting of the Methodist church he volunteered to leave the denomination. Shortly afterwards he became pastor of Gold Hill Baptist church in Buckinghamshire. Later he moved to Guildford Baptist Church, Millmead, which helped design. Here he established a reputation amongst the evangelicals and charismatics as a Bible preacher. He began to create teaching tapes for the church’s sick and elderly members- these tapes became popular world wide. Under his ministry Millmead became one of the largest Baptist churches in the U.K… David left Millmead in 1979 and began an itinerant worldwide Bible teaching ministry. His ministry, predominantly through seminars for church leaders, took him to Asia, Australia, Africa, England, Europe and the USA. MILLIONS of copies of his teachings have been distributed in more than 120 countries. He was a writer and speaker with a reputation for urgency, clarity and uncompromising faithfulness to the Scriptures. he wrote over 80 books. His extensive and accessible overviews of the books of the Bible have been published and recorded in Unlocking the Bible, available on CDs, DVDs and YouTube. Steve Dally worked alongside him during his last ten years. In 2013 he was still preaching at events across the globe. David now in his mid 80’s had a mini stroke and was found to have advanced prostate cancer which had spread to the bones but he fortunately was not in significant pain. As his public appearances became fewer he worked on making his teaching accessible online. David died on Ascension Day, 21st May 2020 aged 90. David is considered to be one of the world’s finest biblical expositors *All he wanted was for people to read the Bible for themselves. Steve Dally Sources used Wikipedia this includes summaries of 10 of his books Christian News Read Not as bad s the truth -David’s autobiography

Rosa Parks is best known for refusing to move to the back of the bus. She was an American civil rights activist. She came from Montgomery where her young pastor was Martin Luther King. She lived to be 92. She was laid in state in the rotunda of the U.S. capital. She was the first woman and only the second Black person to receive the distinction, Source used Encyclopedia Britannica