Saint Brigid of Kildare or Saint Brigid of Ireland is the patroness saint (mother saint) of Ireland. She is one of the three national saints with Patrick and Columba. According to medieval Irish hagiographies she was the abbess who founded the important abbey of Kildare (Cill Dara). It is said that she was buried at the high altar of the original Kildare Cathedral and a tomb raised over her adorned with gems and precious stones and crowns of gold and silver. On February 1st Brigid Crosses are weaved ( see picture). In 2023 it became a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland.The feast is shared with Dar Lugdach who tradition says was her student, close companion and successor. (There is a debate whether Brigid was a real person- read the notes.) Source Wikipedia

I was thinking of creating some junior material about Mary Seacole when I found National Geographic For Kids had already created this resource. See also notes on Kofoworota Abeni Pratt - first black Nigerian nurse in NHS

David Woodroffe, a professional illustrator, has created some very good clip art for my Easter resource. The Holy week sheet looks briefly at Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I have created a page listing the personalities and the order of events from the Last Supper to Christ’s appearance, following his resurrection to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The Poetry Aid can be used to create a poem or even a hymn to celebrate Easter. The fourteen stages of the cross has been deal with clip art. The main personalities have been included in a word search. The Easter diary can be written up on the ‘blank’ sheet. Children are often asked to see how many words they can find in a topical word - eg. Easter. I have enclosed four sheets, a lesson outline, a pupil sheet and two answer sheets. (I have included Pancake Day because I did not want to set up a resource of just two pages. )

John Wesley is the founder of Methodism - the Methodist church. Until the age of 35 John Wesley was a 'normal' Christian. He had grown up in a Christian family and had become a clergyman but something was missing. On May 24th 1738 he had his 'spiritual birthday'. Today we talk about being 'born again'. His outlook on life changed dramatically. His sermons were no longer ordinary, congregations found them disturbing and he, along with others, were banned from preaching in church. He became a field preacher and his statue outside the New Room sees him astride his horse. For nearly fifty years he was out in the open, in all weathers, preaching the Good News. He kept a Journal, preached many sermons, wrote many books and even a dictionary. He brought the message that 'love casts out fear' to his listeners. I have created time line and written about his life in brief using Wikipedia and a Ladybird book. The book is called John Wesley, Founder of Methodism ISBN 0946550654. It is published by Methodist Publishing House, 4 John Wesley Road, Peterborough price £2. It is a typical ladybird book - writing with a very full text and well illustrated - see examples included.

St. Augustine of Canterbury I think is the ' forgotten' saint of England. He is not to be confused with St. Augustine of Hippo. He is sometimes called' the Apostle of England' or' St. Augustine the less'. He was chosen by Pope Gregory to lead a mission to Britain. His task was to Christianize King Ethelbert and his kingdom of Kent from Anglo Saxon Paganism. In the short time he was in England (597- 604 AD) he laid the foundations for the Church of England. He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury. I have put together some information about Augustine with a 'gap' sheet, a simple crossword and word search, plus an answer sheet.

I start with St. Nicholas - history and legends, letter to Father Christmas ideas, clip art for best copy and word search and one page on Advent. Christmas has a list of nativity characters, poetry aid, three journeys, 'How many words can you find in Christmas' and Diary Aid. Epiphany has one page. There are several clip art pictures to use.

This is the story of how Gladys Aylward, a missionary in China during the second World War, helped Chinese orphans safely across a mountain. When she returned to England she realised a film had been written showing her life and a book called The Small Woman had been published. On Google, and Youtube there is a great deal of information about how from her humble beginnings as a housemaid/domestic help became a successful missionary.

Muriwhenua, to give him his full first name, may have been born with a hole in his heart but he had a whole heart for Jesus. Muri’ s uncle was the Maori bishop of Aotearoa and his mother, Meriana, hoped he would become an Anglican clergyman. Muri, on the other hand, desired to be a leader of a dance band! Aged 16 he went to Auckland to finish his schooling. He stayed at the United Maori Mission where Charlie Bennett was the minister. Charlie impressed Muri with his sincerity and genuineness. He attended a YMCA meeting and was asked, ‘Why don’t you receive Christ?’ He replied, ‘All right , I’ll give it ago’. Slowly a change in heart and mind happened. He read biographies of famous preachers and evangelists. In January 1954 Jim Duffecy, an Open Air Campaigner (OAP), landed in Auckland. Muri inspired by Jim gained confidence to take his own aggressive and unorthodox style to his own people. An OAP branch was opened in New Zealand - Muri was one of its first evangelists. He went to the USA but his heart was giving him problems. On returning home he went to hospital - given a 50/50 chance of surviving an operation. No operation until 17 years later! Those 17 years were fruitful ones for evangelism. In 1963 he married Ena. She was a loyal support and strength until the end. In 1970 he went to the Solomon Islands - the Charisma of Revival. There there was a new breath of the Spirit. ( See notes) In 1972 there were the Jesus matches (See short note). Muri was a prophet of God,singularly devoid of airs and graces, and worldly ambition. He took the Gospel of Christ to the Maoris -his brothers and sisters. Sources used Ambassadors for Christ editor J. D. Woodbridge - contributor David Stewart World Press - Donald Daily Victoria University of Wellington Library

The story of Saint Cuthbert divides into two halves Lindisfarne The first part looks at his life and works In Lindisfarne, Northumbria. How he begins life in a monastery as a novice and eventually becomes a bishop. How also he took time out to becoming a hermit and live on Inner Farne for 10 years- the job being to fight the spiritual forces of evil in a life of solitude. The second half is Durham. After his death and the realisation that his body had not decomposed miracles started to happen and how his remains eventually end up in Durham Cathedral. I have created a type of time line of his life based on information from Lindisfarne. Followed by information about the moving of his remains to Durham and the two stories about how his remains ended up in Durham .

I have put together some information about St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus. On the liturgical calendar he has two feast days - March 19th - Joseph the husband of Mary - established in the tenth century, and May 1st Joseph the worker in 1955 . March 19th normally falls in Lent. In some churches they have a meal of crumbs - representing wood shavings remembering that St. Joseph was a carpenter by trade. I have included two pieces of work from Britannica. They contain the same information but one is in a bolder font and the other in smaller print with certain words high lighted - between the two a piece of gap work could be created -see example included. In some catholic countries, notably Italy, Portugal and Spain, Father’s day is celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19th.

David Livingstone was a Christian missionary and pioneer who opened up Africa. His obsession was to open up Africa to Christian missions. He was almost constantly ill - he had malaria many times - but his force of will prevented him from succumbing to diseases or discomfort that carried off many of his companions. He was the first European to cross the width of South Africa. Many missionaries followed in his footsteps. I have created a time-line of his life and a word search (with answers). I have included two concise pages looking at his life and a picture depicting him being wounded by a lion whilst coming to the aid of some Africans. . There is also an informative map. The comment about him witnessing the massacre of 400 slaves has been deliberately kept separate.

Thomas was born at Ballylin, near Limerick, Ireland in 1730. Aged 19 he heard the true Gospel preached for the first time from a travelling Methodist preacher on the streets of Limerick on St Patrick’s day. After a period of terrible internal wrestling he experienced a mighty conversion. He soon joined the Methodists, He began to preach when he was only 20. He died at the young age of 28. In those 8 years he contributed greatly to the spread of Methodism in Ireland. The peasants flocked to hear their own but touching language. He went like a flame of fire preaching twice or thrice a day, usually in the open air. He became famous throughout the country. John Wesley in 1753 called him to London. He said I do not remember ever to have known such a preacher who in so few years as he remained on earth, was the instrument of converting so many people. He was a biblical linguist -especially in Hebrew and Greek Such a master of Biblical Knowledge never saw before and never expect to see again. John Wesley He burned the candle at both ends -through his preaching, intense study, habitual absorption and excessive labour that fatigue broke him down. He died with words of rapture on his lips - April 8th 1759 Sources Wikipedia iLimerick City Church

Epiphany is when the wise men went to pay homage to the baby Jesus. Epiphany means showing forth. I have given a short introduction to Epiphany and the Scripture reading of Matthew 2 verses 1- 9. On Google I found lots of free material about Epiphany under the title -epiphany pictures free.

They were sentenced to be hanged in 2009 for converting to Christianity in Iran. For 259 days they were held in the notorious prison EVIN where they were tortured and interrogated. Eventually the United Nations’ Amnesty International enabled their release. After gaining freedom they wrote** Captive in Iran** which detailed their experiences. Source Wikipedia

Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. He lived in Verulamium, today that is Saint Albans In Hertford shire. He took a Christian priest into his home. The priest converted him to Christianity in the short time he stayed with him. St. Alban, a Roman soldier, then disguised himself as the priest, so the priest could escape. St. Alban was beheaded for his new beliefs. The stories of St. Alban are a mixture of fact and legend. St. Alban is a saint of the undivided church, a saint for all Christians. His welcome to a persecuted stranger was a powerful example of courage, compassion and hospitality. During my research I found that Henritta Elizabeth Marshall wrote story about St. Alban this I have included.

Letsie ll is the only Catholic sovereign of a non-European lineage anywhere in the world. He has been credited with having promoting the principles of the Catholic faith in Lesotho Source Wikipedia

For approximately 20 years he was an actor and broadcaster who specialized in theatrical story telling and performance poetry He wrote ’ The Street Bible’ . In 2004 it was the Book of the Year for the Christian Booksellers Convention Ltd (UK He takes you through the Bible in a very unconventional way. This fresh paraphrase- come-running commentary brings the text alive. Bible stories are retold as mini -blockbusters;psalms as song lyrics; epistles as emails. He unfortunately died of bladder cancer aged just 43 years of age Source Fly of the book

William Wilberforce, although small in stature (5ft. 3 in,) and suffering from poor health, was the GIANT against the Slave Trade and Slavery. Whilst still a student at Cambridge he paid the 'customary ’ amount of £8,000 ( a fortune in those days) to become the member of Parliament for Kingston on Hull, his home town. Early on he became an evangelical Christian and wondered whether to stay a MP. John Newman, his mentor, persuaded him to ‘serve God where he was’. In his late 30’s he married Barbara Spooner and they had 6 children over a 10 year period. Barbara nursed William after he resigned from his parliamentary seat, in 1824 . For 50 years he fought,supported by his friends, for the banning of the slave trade and slavery. Persistence finally paid off. His bills originally were turned down or ‘watered down’ so they were of little effect. It was only on his death bed did he succeed. In 1833 he wrote his last petition. The Abolition of Slavery Bill had its third and final reading, on 26th July 1833, after three months of debate. William was immediately told and he died three days later. I have included two brief history, some gap work and a word search (answers given).

Eric Liddell (1902-1947), an outstanding Olympic athlete over 100/200/400m, is remembered for refusing to race on a Sunday at the 1924 Olympic Games because of his Christian beliefs. He was born in China to his Scottish missionary parents the Rev and Mrs James Dunlop Liddell. He was educated at Eltham College, Blackheath (1908-1920). Through time it has been forgotten that he was also a missionary in China for 18 years- his life was cut short by an inoperable brain tumour which he suffered while interned at the Chines Weishein camp.

A few sheets which could be used on Pancake day/Shrove Tuesday.