George Abbot was an English divine who was Archbishop of Canterbury form 1611-1633. He was a translator of the King James Version of the Bible. He also served as the fourth chancellor of the University of Dublin from 1612-1633. He was a conscientious prelate , though narrow in view and often harsh towards both separatists and roman catholics. He wrote a large number of works and was one of the translators of the 1611 King James version of the Bible. George accidently shot a gamekeeper in 1621. A commission met to consider whether he was fit for the primacy- King James exercised his vote in his favour. Gustavus Paine notes that George was both translator of the 1611 Bible and the only Archbishop Canterbury to kill a human being. He was born and buried in Guildford. His legacy there is a hospital, a secondary school, a pub and a statue in the High Street. Source Wikipedia

Pierre Abelard, born Pierre ie Pellet, was a French scholastic, philosopher, leading logician, poet, composer and musician of the 12th century. He is considered a forerunner of Rousseau, Kent and Spinoza. He is sometimes credited as a chief forerunner of modern empiricism. He is considered to be the most significant forerunner also of the modern self-reflective autobiography - The History of my Calamities -his publicly distributed letter. In history and popular culture he is best known for his passionate and tragic love affair with his brilliant student and eventual wife, Heloise d’Argenteuil. They had a son, Astrolabe, before he was castrated by her uncle Fulbert’s men. In shame he embraced the monastic life. Afterwards both went into monasteries. In Catholic theology he is best known for his development of the concept of limbo, and his introduction of the moral influence theory on Atonement. He wrote a number of books and modern editions and translations of his work are available. (See List) Pierre is considered one of the founders of the secular university and pre-Renaissance secular philosophical thought. Sources Wikipedia Britannica

Denis was a French Catholic who served as Archbishop of Paris (1840-8). He was killed by a ‘stray’ bullet during the June Days uprising in Paris. On June 23rd 1848 a large segment of the citizens of Paris rioted because the French government had decided to close the National Workshops it had recently created. Paris was facing starvation. Denis, as archbishop, was begged by Frederic Ozanam to intervene to stop the bloodshed. He mounted the barricades bearing a green branch as a sign of peace. He was lead to believe his personal involvement peace might be restored between the military and the insurgents As he began to speak there was an exchange of fire arms - a ‘stray’ bullet hit Denis which would prove fatal. He was taken to his palace where he died on 27th June. A public funeral was held on 7th July. The crowd following the cortege was estimated at 200,000. His cause for canonization has commenced and he is venerated as a Servant of God within the Catholic Church. Source wikipedia

Aelred of Rievaulx was an English Cistercian monk, abbot from 1147 until his death (20 years later) . He best known as a writer. Both Anglicans and Catholics regard him as a saint. His early education was probably at the cathedral school in Durham. From about the age of 14 he spent time at the court of King David I of Scotland in Roxburgh, rising to the rank of echonomus (steward or master of the Household)… He left the court aged 24, in 1134, to enter the Cistercian abbey of Rievaylx in Yorkshire. He was the son of Eilaf, a priest, so he was forbidden, when he became an adult, by the 1095 Council of Claremont, ordination as a priest so he became a monk. ( This was done in part to prevent the inheritance of benefices.) In 1142 he travelled to Rome. On his return he became novice master at Rievaulx. In 1143 appointed abbot of the new Ravesby Abbey. 1147 elected abbot of Rievaulx, a position he held until his death in 1167. All of Aelred’s works have appeared in translation, most in English and French. ( See Writings) David Knowles, a historian of monasticism in England , describes him, for efforts in writing and administration, as the St. Bernard of the North, a singularly attractive character, no other English monk of the twelfth century so lingers in the memory.

Adrian IV, originally Nicholas Breakspear, was born in Abbot’s Langley, Hertfordshire. he was educated in Franceand became ab Augustine monk and abbot in 1137. While on a trip to Rome he was retained in papal service and elevated to cardinal (c1150). He went on various diplomatic missions to Catalonia, Scandinavia and Sweden. He was appointed bishop of Alano around 1140. He became pope in 1154 on the death of Pope Anastasius IV. For unknown reasons, probably at the request of his predecessor, he was elected pope by the other cardinals. He was unable to complete his coronation service due to the state of politics in Rome. Afterwards he decisively restored the papal authority. He crowned Frederick I (Barbarossa) Holy Roman Emperor. They had a stormy relationship - it started badly and got progressively worse. His relationship with England seemed to have remained generally good. He showered St.Albans Abbey with privileges and granted Henry ll policies where he could. Sources Wikipedia *The Hodder & Stoughton Book of famous Christians * by Tony Castle

AElfric was an English abbot and student of AEthelwold of Winchester. He was a prolific writer in the Old English of hagiography, homilies, biblical commentaries and other genres. He wrote 2 sets of 40 homilies and then wrote 3 works to help students learn Latin - the Grammar, the Glossary and the Colloquy. A third set ,* Lives of Saints* dated from 996-7. AEthelwold asked him to translate from the Old Testament the beginning of Genesis from Latin into Old English. This was the very first time the Old Testament was translated into Old English. Rather than translate it verbatim he translated it by its meaning. In 1005 he moved to AEthelwold’s new monastery in Eynsham where he was the monastery’s first abbot. He died in 1010… He left careful instructions to future scribes to copy his work carefully. He did not want it marred by the introduction of unorthodox passages and scribal errors. AElfric was the most prolific writer in Old English.His main theme was God’s mercy. In 2022 a blue plaque was unveiled in Eynsham in recognition of his work. According to Claudio Leonardi he represented the highest pinnacle of Benedictine reform and Anglo-Saxon literature. Source Wikipedia

Lorenzo Dow was an eccentric itinerant American evangelist. His wife, Peggy, (1780-1820)was almost as eccentric as her husband, He is said to have preached,over 30 years, to more people than any other preacher of his era. He became an important figure and a well known writer. His mannerisms in public speaking were like nothing ever seen before. He shouted, he screamed, he cried, he begged, he flattered, he insulted, he challenged people and their beliefs. He often preached before open-air assemblies of 10,000 people or more and held his audience spellbound all over the USA and Great Britain. Read the paragraphs * Missionary travels * and Travelling preacher. He was unkempt- rarely washed and only had one set of clothing. His long hair and beard were described as never having met a comb. He was a fierce abolitionist and occasionally forcibly ejected from towns. His autobiography* The Stranger in Charleston or the Trial and Confession of Lorenzo Dow* (1822) was at one time the second best selling book in the USA exceeded only by the Bible. Source Wikipedia

Girolamo Savonarola or Jerome Savonarola was an ascetic Italian Dominican friar from Ferrara and was a preacher active during the Renaissance in France. He was known for his prophecies of civic glory, the destruction of secular art and culture, plus his calls for Christian renewal. he denounced clerical corruption, despotic rule and the exploitation of the poor. In 1495 when Florence refused to join Pope Alexander VI’s Holy League against the French he was summoned to Rome. He disobeyed and further defied the pope by preaching when banned . May 1497 he was excommunicated. A trial by fire was proposed and popular opinion turned against him. On 23 May,along with two other monks who supported him, they were condemned, hanged and burnt in the main square in Florence. Savonarola 's devotees , the Piagnomi, kept his republican freedom and religious reform alive well into the next century,

William Trewartha Bray was the eldest of three children He was born in the village of Twelveheads, Cornwall, England. After leaving school he became a miner in Cornwall for 7 years. He was a drunkard and prone to riotous behaviour. In 1821 he married Joanna, a lapsed Methodist. They had 9 children -two were orphans In November 1823, following a close escape from a mining accident, he was converted* *after reading John Bunyan’s Visions of Heaven and Hell. He became well known as an unconventional Cornish preacher - his sermons were enlivened by spontaneous outbursts of singing and dancing. His biographer, F.W. Bourne, quoted Billy as saying If they put me in a barrel, I would shout glory out through the bunghole! Praise the Lord about people who complained about his enthusiastic singing and shouting. He generously gave help to other people. He raise enough funds to build three new Methodists chapels. The one in Kerley Downs was nicknamed 'Three Eyes ’ because it had three windows and was later dedicated to him in 1984. In 2012 Michael Bentley wrote a children’s book about Billy.

Selina Shirley was born into a ‘distinguished’ dysfunctional family. Troubles had followed the Shirley family for generations. her grandfather, Sir Robert had died in the Tower of London. Her father, a second Robert, was born shortly before his father was imprisoned. In 1671, aged 20, he married Elizabeth Washington. They had at least 11 children in 22 years of marriage. Elizabeth died in 1693 leaving 9 motherless children. Robert quarreled with all his children. In 1699 he married again and had 6 more children who survived childhood. The first girl in this second marriage, Elizabeth, had Queen Anne as her godmother. Selina was born in 1707. Aged 10 she learned her father had been left a derisory £20 in her grandfather’s will (others in the family had £5,000). In 1728, aged 20, she married Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, who was 12 years older than Selina. In the first 10 years of their 18 years of happy married life they had 7 children, 6 survived. Theophilus died in 1746. On 21st April 1730 she one of the 21 aristocratic women who supported Thomas Coran in establishing the Founding Hospital. In 1739 she joined the first Methodist society in Fetters Lane, London. In July she was converted. From her bed, she lifted up her heart to the Saviour with this important prayer and immediately all her distress and fears were removed, and she was filled with peace and joy believing. Gold from Dark Mines p98. From 1746 she became a financial supporter for the Methodist movement led by John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. George became her chaplain. She was responsible for founding 64 chapels and contributed to the funding of others. She also founded Trevecca ministers’ college near Talgarth in Mid Wales ( since 1972 the United Reformed Church). She played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales. Selina was a woman who allegedly suffered from poor health. She visited Bath to ‘take the waters’ on a number of occasions. After her conversion in 1739 her health improved dramatically, Sources Gold from Dark Mines by Irene Howat ch2 pages 77-108 Wikipedia

I have put together 10 New Testament profiles which I hope should prove of use. I have included all/many of the biblical references for all of them. Mary and Joseph the parents of Jesus, and Zechariah and John the Baptist are related. Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, is a cousin of Mary and John the Baptist is their son. I have included a statement explaining what happened normally to illegitimate babies in Israel 2000 years ago. Andrew, Simon Peter and Matthew are three of the disciples of Jesus. Mary Magdalene, according to the gospels, only had seven demons removed by Jesus. There is actually nothing to say what she did before she became a follower of Jesus. Lazarus was raised from the dead and Stephen was the first Christian martyr.

I have put together some sheets about St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. There is a cover followed by two information sheets and two large font sheets detailing basic data. There are two ‘gap’ pieces of work (differentiated), a crossword which requires a picture answer, a word search, sheets about words found in Patrick, pictorial information how St. Patrick’s flag became part of the Union Jack, plus ideas for a diary and a ‘blank’ for the ‘best’ copy diary. David Woodroffe, a professional illustrator, created the art work I have used.

Saint Matthew or Levi was one of the twelve original disciples of Jesus. According to the Gospels Matthew was a 1st century Galilean. He is referred to as being a publican or tax collector in Capernaum before becoming one of the twelve apostles. He would have witnessed first hand Jesus carrying out his miracles and speaking parables. He would have witnessed much of Jesus’ last three years of his ministry including the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. His ministry after Christ’s resurrection is vague. Christian fathers such as Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria claim that Matthew preached th gospel to the Jewish community in Judea before going to other countries. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches each hold the tradition that he died a marytr. Did Matthew write the Saint Matthew’s gospel ? The author is not named within the text. Papias of Hierapolis (c60-163 AD) is cited by church historian Eusebius (260-340 AD as saying *Matthew collected the oracles, in the Hebrew language and each interpreted them as best he could. Sources used wlkipedia and The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander.

captain Thomas Coram (c.1668-1751 was a philanthropist who created the London Foundling Hospital in Lamb’s Conduit Fields, Bloomsbury, to look after abandoned children. It is said to be the world’s first incorporated charity. Thomas Coram, while living in Rotherhithe , regularly travelled into London. He was frequently shocked by the sight of infants exposed in the streets, often in a dying . He agitated for the foundation of a foundling hospital. This institution was to be a children’s home for children and orphans who could not be properly cared for. He laboured for 17 years. He induced many ladies of rank to sign a memorial. King George 11, in 1739, finally signed a charter for the Foundling Hospital and considerable sums were subscribed. 20th November 1739 saw the first meeting of the guardians at Somerset House. Later a vote of thanks was given to Coram who requested thanks should also be given to the interested ladies. William Hogarth, a personal friend of Thomas, showed great interest in the undertaking. In May 1740 he presented his portrait of Coram to the hospital. He introduced a portrait of Coram into an engraved power of attorney for receiving subscriptions. He presented a picture of Moses with Pharaoh’s daughter. Finally he gave 157 tickets in the lottery for the ‘March to Finchley’ -one of the 157 tickets won the prize. Some houses were taken and the first children were admitted in 1741. A piece of land was bought for £7,000 in Bloomsbury. Lord Salisbury, the owner insisted that the whole of his ground as far as Gray’s inn lane should be taken. He also subscribed £500. Coram continued to invest in the hospital. Up until 1742 he continued to be elected to the General Committee. But at the May Day meeting in 1742 he did not receive enough votes. As a result he no longer had any say in the management of the hospital. Why? No clear reason is obvious but he is said to have spread defamatory rumours about 2 of the governors or he expressed criticism towards how the hospital was run. 16th September 1742 the foundation stone for the hospital was laid. October 1745 the west wing was finished. Children moved into the new building. Hogarth was among the first governors of the Foundling hospital. Handle gave performances at the hospital in 1749 and 1750. ( See ‘Legacy’) . Today the Foundling Hospital continues as the children’s charity Coram, with a mission to improve the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people. ( See ‘Coram’ for more info) In 2000Coram Boy - a children’s book about the hospital, by Jamila Gavin was published. Now a play. William Coram died on 29th March 1751, aged 81. He was buried in the chapel of the Foundling Hospital. A statue and inscription was erected in front of the building 100 years later. In 1935 the building was demolished. Today his exhumed remains are in the chapel of Ashlyns School.

Alfred the Great was the king of th e West Saxons from 871-886 and king of the Anglo-Saxons c.886-899. He is venerated as a saint by some Christian traditions. The Anglican community venerate him as a Christian hero with a feast day or commemoration on 26th October. He is often depicted in stained glass windows in C of E parish churches. Alfred was the youngest son of King AEthelwulf. Three of his brothers AEthelbald. AEtheberht and AEthelred, reigned in turn before him. After ascending the throne he spent several years fighting Viking invasions. In 878/9 he had a decisive victory at the Battle of Edington. (He did not win all the battles) With the Vikings he created Danelaw in the North of England. He saw the Viking leader. Guthrum converted to Christianity. He became the dominant ruler in England Alfred had a great love of the church. As a child he had made the difficult journey to Rome to be blessed by the Pope. As king he now turned to rebuilding of civilisation and religion among his people. The Danes had destroyed nearly all th churches and schools in the land. He restored communications with Rome and invited scholars and monks from the Europe and Ireland to come and help in the revival of learning in England. He encouraged the building of churches, monasteries and schools. Alfred studied and translated into Anglo-Saxon the Psalms. He also translated from Latin into Old English certain works that were regarded at the time as providing models of ideal Christian kingship and ‘most necessary for all men to know.’ From his followers he won the title ‘Protector of the Poor’. Bishop Asser of Wales was set the task of writing the king’s biography - he emphasised Alfred’s positive aspects. He presented Alfred as the embodiment of the ideal, but practical, Christian ruler. By the time of the Reformation Alfred was seen as a pious Christian who promoted the use of English rather then the Latin He was given the epithet as ‘the Great’ by writers in the 16th century not by his contemporaries. He reigned for 30 years. He died aged just 50.King Alfred was never canonised (although HenryV1 asked Pope EugeneIV in 1441 to canonise him). History Today published an article The Most Perfect Man in History- I have enclosed most of the article. I desire to live worthily as long as I lived, and to leave after my life, to the men who should come after me, the memory of me in good works Alfred’s translation of passage from* Consolation of Philosophy* by Boethius Source used Wikipedia

Epiphany means ‘revelation’, ‘manifestation’ or ‘showing forth’ - it was the revealing of Jesus to those who were not Jewish - the magi, 3 kings, or 3 wise men were Gentiles. January 6th is the feast day January 6th originally was used to celebrate the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. When Jesus received the Holy Ghost it was manifested to the people. The 3 kings are part of the Nativity plays, along with the shepherds, which are part of the birth story of Jesus. Tradition suggests that they arrived days following Halley’s Comet, maybe weeks after, the birth of the baby Jesus. Tradition has named them as Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar and they brought gifts of gold (kingship), frankincense (godship0 and myrrh (for burial0. In orthodox churches Epiphany is also known as The Feast of the Holy Theophany and is important as Christmas. Special cakes are eaten in Spain, France and Mexico. This is also the time that some children from Spain and Italy receive their Christmas presents from the 3 Magic Kings. (Read Epiphany, the Feast of The Three Kings) ( Winter swimming is even mentioned!!) January 6th is also Twelfth Night when the Christmas decorations normally are taken down. Sources used Wikipedia Church Dates for Children by Tony Batchelor

Lent looks at the 40 days leading up to Easter. We think of Jesus spending 40 days fasting in the wilderness before he began his earthly ministry. The word ‘lent’ is the shortened form of the Old English word ‘lencten’ which means spring season. It starts on Ash Wednesday. The day before Ash Wednesday is Shrove Tuesday which is celebrated as Pancake day or Mardi Gras. On this day, the day before fasting begins, the rich, fatty food are eaten up - the last day of ‘fat eating’ or ‘gorging’, in readiness to start fasting. Pancakes are tossed then eaten. On Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the palm crosses distributed the previous year at the Palm service, are burnt and the ashes places on people’s foreheads during the service. Lent is a penitential season and many people fast - they cut out/cut down or abstain from eating. It could also include abstaining from drinking alcohol or smoking. it could include praying more, reading more Bible studies instead of watching a favourite television programmes. (Read ‘Fasting and abstinence’) I have included list of other 40 days mentioned in the Bible. Source Wikipedia See also Pancake day & Shrove Tuesday Easter

James Gilchrist Lawson was a popular American Baptist evangellst Christian author and hymn writer of the early twentieth century. He wrote and compiled biographical sketches for Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians (1911) **** is a landmark text in Pentecostal and Charismatic history. ** Deeper Experiences is the one book , other than the Bible, that has most influenced me Professor Dallas Willard He wrote Greatest Thoughts about God the compiler of this volume is able to give to the world the very cream of religious thoughts concerning God James was also editor of The Marked Reference Bible Read the notes . Deeper Experiences ,over 100 years later, is still available in paperback

This is the last great festival of the church’s year. The Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost/Spirit is celebrated. There is a straight forward information sheet. On Google it is possible to get b/w pictures for the children to colour. I have created a ‘How many words can you find in Trinity Sunday’ sheet. When they have found a few words they can create a simple crossword - example of crossword shown. I have included a Word Maker for TrinitySunday if they have a problem finding words.

Joseph Prince is a televangelist, senior pastor and one of the founders (1983) of New Creation Church based in Singapore, plus being an author. Joseph is the son of a Sikh priest and Chinese mother. He was born on the 15th May 1953.His birth name was Xenonamandar Jegahusiee Singh. He adopted the name of Joseph Prince while serving as an IT consultant just before he was appointed senior pastor in 1990. He spent his primary school years in Perak, Malaysia. He studied at Commonwealth Secondary School and completed his ‘A’ levels at Our lady of Lourdes, a private school. Joseph prior to 1997 had preached at churches across the world - Europe, Canada and USA and Australia. In 1997, while on holiday in the Swiss Alps with his wife, Wendy, God spoke to him. He was told he had not been preaching grace. God gave him a mandate to preach grace- pure and unadulterated *If you don’t preach pure, unadulterated grace, people’s lives will never be gloriously blessed and gloriously transformed. Desiring to see his congregation liberated, empowered and blessed by the Lord, Joseph fully embraced the mandate and has not looked back. The Singapore church numbers in 1997 were 2,000. Today there are 30,000 members. Since 1997 he has spoken in Israel, Norway, Germany, Holland, the UK. the USA, Canada, Australia and Asia. Impacting on both believers and church leaders with practical and revelatory preaching that unveils to the person the grace of Jesus Christ In 2014 Grace Revolution Church was birthed in Dallas. Texas. There is now a vibrant community of grace believers living there. In 2017 the Joseph Prince Ministry launched Decibel - an online channel and digital magazine with bite sized videos, articles and other inspiring contents to reach young people with the Gospel. May it loudly ring. Over the last 13 years (2007-20) he has written Christian books. ( See publications) Reading the paragraph - Compensation - it seems he is well paid… His church - New Creation Church regard his net worth as ‘personal in nature’. Grace is so important . It is an anagram of Great Riches at Christ’s Expense. The world is so much richer for Joseph Prince following God’s mandate to preach pure, unadulterated grace. Sources used Joseph prince Ministries Wikipedia