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

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. )

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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.

I have included a definition/history of Mothering Sunday, a vocabulary and a Mothering Sunday card outline, a picture and recipe for Simnel cake which I found, plus a word search with answers. These sheets I hope will be useful.

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.

On 11th of October 1998 Pope John Paul II canonized Teresa Benedicta of the cross. She is canonized as both a martyr and saint of the Catholic church Edith Stein took this name when she became a novice nun in 1933/4 when she entered the Discalaced Carmel of Cologne. Edith was the youngest of 11 children .She was brought up in a Jewish family Her father died when she was only 2. She became an atheist ( other sources say agnostic) in her teenage years. In1915 she took lessons to become a nursing assistant. She completed her doctoral thesis at the University of Gottengen in 1916 and obtained an assistantship at the University of Freiburg. She was drawn in 1921 towards the Catholic faith after reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila. The next year, 1922, she was baptised a Catholic In 1938 Edith, and her sister Rosa, were sent to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, for their safety, from the Nazi invasion. On August 2nd 1942 the two sisters, along with many others, were arrested and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. On the 9th of August they died in the gas chamber. A woman of singular intelligence and learning she left behind a body of writing notable for its richness and profound spirituality. www.carmelitedcj.org I have included the letter she sent to Pope Pius XI. I have used information from wikipedia, carmelite and Historica’s Women

Harvest Festival is celebrated all over the world. The very first sheet can used to introduce a lesson on Harvest Festival, or even part of an assembly. The next sheet, a ‘comic’ clip, will work well with younger children. There is a diary and poetry aid with a ‘blank sheet’ for best copy. There is a simple word search with two anagram sheets. There is a also a sheet looking at the word’ harvest’ three different ways and an answer sheet. Children are often asked to see how many words they can find in a word. This I have done separately for both Harvest and Festival - there are so many words! Children can either look for the words and create their own crossword (many answers included) or instead, using the word list answer the crossword sheets.

Mary Slessor was a Christian missionary in Nigeria. She started life, at 11, as a 'half timer' - school for six hours/ working for six hours for the Baxter Brother's Mill with her mother and father to become the 'white queen of Okoyong' in Nigeria. When she died in 1915 she was given a state funeral in Nigeria in recognition of her life time given to helping others. She is an inspiration for any girl, or boy, who is thinking becoming a missionary. We celebrated the centenary of her death two years ago and there is a lot of material to find on the internet about her.

St. Stephen is the forgotten saint! In the UK we think of it as Boxing Day - a National Bank Holiday. St.Stephen was the first Christian martyr. The twelve disciples of Jesus asked the believers in Jesus Christ to select seven deacons. The seven were given the task of caring for the poor.Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, who probably a Hellenistic Jew - born in Greece, was one of the chosen seven. Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things until, out of jealousy, he was falsely accused of blaspheme. Blaspheme is when a person shows contempt or disrespect for God. He was taken in front of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council. He was given the opportunity to speak. He told them a few home truths - they had not listened to the prophets who they persecuted- they were responsible for the death of Jesus. They were outraged at what he said. He finished by saying," Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God’s side" To them that was blaspheme - hey took him outside and stoned him I have Scripture readings, Wikipedia, the Spruce -for Boxing day. There is also a word search with answers.

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.

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.

Martin Luther on 31st October, 1517 - 500 years ago - posted his 95 Thesis - the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Just some notes I found on Google. For the full explanation of the 95 Theses you need to go to the web site mentioned on the last sheet. On Easter Eve, 4th April 1523, aided by Leonhard Koppe, he helped his future wife Katherine von Bora, a nun, escape from a convent where she and other nuns were dissatisfied. They married about 2 years later. They had 6 children and raised 4 orphans including Katharina’s nephew, Fabian. Katherina managed the monastery and operated the hospital on site. Luther called her 'boss of Zulsdorf. ‘morning star’ for getting up at 4 am,and ‘My Lord Katie’. She respected him as a higher vessel and formally called him ‘Sir Doctor’ throughout her life The marriage was extremely important to the development of the Protestant Church specifically in regards to its stance on marriage and the role of each spouse.

St David is the patron saint of Wales. I have included a page from Wikipedia. There is an information sheet about St. David followed by two large font sheets containing basic information .There are two pieces of gap work (differentiated), a crossword which needs a picture answer, a word search, information about the Welsh flag and the Union Jack, plus diary ideas with a blank for their diary. These sheets should keep the children interested on St. David’s day - a mixture of different things to do. The extra two pages are the b/w front and back cover for the whole series Four Wise Men. for them to colour.

Meera, better known as Mirabai and venerated as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. Aged 3 she was given a little Mira, a doll of Sri Krishna, by a wandering religious man. She decided then to follow Sri Krishna for the rest of her life. She has been the subject of numerous folk tales and hagiographic l.egends. It is widely acknowledged that Mirabai dedicated her life to Krishna, composing song of devotion and was one of the most important poet-saint of the Bhakti movement period. Some Hindu temples are dedicated to her memory. Sources Wikipedia Herstory by Katherine Halligan