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

Saint Thomas Aquinas was recognized as the greatest theologian of his age. He was one of the most influential medieval thinkers of Scholasticism and the father of the Thomistic school of theology. Before he was born a holy hermit predicted to his mother that her son would enter the ‘Order of Friars Preachers’ and become a great learner and achieve unequaled sanctity. Aged 5 he was sent to the Abbey of Monte Cassino. Aged 13 the political climate forced him to return to Naples. He stayed 5 years at the Benedictine house. In about 1239 he went to the local university. In 1243 he secretly joined an order of Dominican monks, receiving the habit a year later. When his parents found out they were so annoyed at his betrayal they held him captive -kidnapped him- for a year in the fortress of San Giovanni at Rocca Secca. On his release in 1245 he returned to the order and stayed with them until 1252. Ordained in 1250 he then earned his doctorate in Theology. he was an exemplary scholar. On completing his education he devoted his time to travelling, writing, teaching, public speaking and preaching. Institutes yearned to benefit from the wisdom of ‘The Christian Apostle’. For his ‘Theology and Philosophy’ please read relevant paragraphs. He wrote nearly 60 known works. Handwritten copies were distributed to libraries across Europe! (Read ‘Major Works’) During the feast of Saint Nicholas in 1273 he had a mystical vision which made him think writing was unimportant. Father Reginald of Piperno urged him to write but he never wrote again. In 1274 Thomas decided to walk to the Second Council in Lyon, France. He fell ill on the way and stayed at the Cistercirn monastery of Fossanova in Italy .He died at the monastery on March 7th 1274. If the Lord wishes to take me away, it is better that I be found in a religious house than in the dwelling of a layperson. *Thomas provided the Roman church with reasoned statements of its interpretation of Christian faith. H. Dermot McDonald Thomas was canonized by Pope John XX11 in1323. Sources used Life, Philosophy & Theology- Biography Great Leaders of the Christian Faith Woodbridge contirbution by H. Dermot McDonald

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

Tanni was christened Carys Davina Grey but when her sister saw her for the first time she referred to her as ‘tiny’, pronouncing it ‘tanni’- the nickname stayed. She was born with spina bifida. (Spina bifida is when a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not develop properly in the womb - causing a gap in the spine.) This did not stop her from enjoying and competing in sports. As a young athlete she competed in wheelchair basketball. Tanni became an outstanding GB Paralympic champion in wheelchair racing, winning 11 gold medals over 100-800 metres between 1992-2004, plus 4 silver and 1 bronze medals. She broke/held over 30 world records and won the London Marathon 6 times between 1992-2002. She retired from competing on 27th February 2007 Tanni continues to be an inspiration for disabled athletes. Her contribution to inclusivity and equal rights for the disabled resulted in her becoming The Right Honourable The Baroness Grey-Thompson in the 2012 New Year’s honours list. Her autobiography Seize the Day was published in 2001. Sources Wikipedia Women in Sport by Rachel Ignotofsky

Dame Katherine Granger began rowing in 1993 while attending university in Edinburgh. She competed in both the double and quadruple skulls, plus the coxless pairs. In 2000, at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, medals were awarded to females for the first time in rowing- she won a silver in the quadruple skulls event. For a number of Olympics she gained medals but it was not until 2012 that she won gold in the double sculls with her partner Anna Watkins. I n 2012 she was the first female to win medals at 4 consecutive Olympic games. In 2016, in Rio, she won a further silver medal with Victoria Thornley after having a break of 2 years from the sport! In the 2017 New Years Honours list Katherine was awarded a DCM (Dame Commander of the British Empire) for services to sport and charity.

St. Cecilia lived during the 3rd century AD in Rome, Italy. She is one of the most famous Roman martyrs of the early church and historically most discussed. When she was forced to marry her husband Valerian, a pagan nobleman, she sat apart singing to God - for that she was later declared the saint of musicians. She retained her virginity by telling her husband that an angel of the Lord was watching over her. The husband asked to see the angel. She told him to be baptised by Pope Urban I. After the baptism he saw an angel standing beside her. She suffered martyrdom along with her husband and his brother Tiburtius, at the hands of prefect Turcius Almachius in the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius between 176-180 AD. The legend about her death is that she was struck on the neck by a sword three times and lived for three days. She asked the pope to turn her home into a church. She was later beheaded. Her body when moved in 1599 from the Catacomb of Callixtus to the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere was found to be still incurrupt, seemingly to be a sleep. Over the years a lot of music has been dedicated to her name by many famous composers - see list enclosed. *A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day * by John Dryden included My source for information was Wikipedia - a very well thought out source. Point of information Cecilia can also be spelt Cecity

Hugh Latimer and Hicholas Ridley were burnt at the stake in Oxford on 16th October 1555 during the reign of Queen Mary ( 1553-8). In 1534 the Act of Supremacy was passed in England. It made Henry V111 head of the English Church instead of the Roman Catholic Pope in Rome. It was the beginning of the English Reformation. There was a rapid advance towards Protestantism after the accession of King Edward V1 Henry V111 was followed by Edward V1 1547-53,and Lady Jane Grey 1553 both protestants. Mary (1553-1558) was Roman Catholic and wanted the church in England to return to Roman Catholicism. Those in high places who opposed her were arrested for treason and some were martyred for heresy - refusing to subscribe to certain articles of faith such as the existence of purgatory an the need to venerate saints. Hugh Latimer had become the bishop of Worcester in 1535. Forced to resign his see in 1539. He popularized the idea of the reformation Nicholas Ridley was appointed bishop of Rochester. In 1550 he became bishop of London. he denied the doctrine of transubstantiation - that Christ’s natural body is present in the bread of the Eucharist after consecration.blood. The trial happened at the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. They were imprisoned at the former Bocardo Prison. They were burnt at the stake just outside the city walls to the north, where Broad Street is now located. Latimer , at the stake is said to have immortalized himself by exhorting his fellow victim Ridley with these words - we shall this day light a candle, by God’s grace, in England as I trust shall never be put out If you visit Oxford a cross on Oxford’s Broad Street marks the site of the execution. Thomas Cramner - see more information available under his name. Act of Supremacy - see more information under Henry V111 and Act of Supremacy Sources used Britannica Online Encyclopedia History Today Wikipedeia

Classes often have a 'starter' for the day. This can be How many words can you find in _________ On a special Christian festival why not take the name(s) as the starter. This could be looked at 4 ways:- 1. Creating a list. 2. Placing the words in a 3x3 or 4x4 square. 3. Creating a simple crossword with clues. 4. The teacher/parent creating a crossword for the children to solve using the answers given. The starter would be a combining of R.E. with an English spelling exercise.

John Newton loved to go to sea. He had a very eventful early life. He went to sea with his father aged only 11. Aged 18 he was press ganged by the Royal Navy. He became the ‘slave’ of Princess Peye. He eventually became a captain of three slave ships. Whilst a slave trader, on 10th March, 1745, following a very sever storm where his boat nearly sank ,he had a spiritual conversion.He started to read his Bible. He left the slave trade behind in 1755 and became the tide surveyor (tax collector) for the Port of Liverpool. He began to study to become a clergyman. Persistence paid off and eventually in 1764 to become a deacon. William Cowper, the poet, attended his church and together they wrote many hymns - Amazing Grace was one of them. He encouraged the young William Wilberforce to stay in politics. He waited 34 years before he wrote a pamphlet ‘Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade’. He sent a copy to every MP He died in 1807 knowing the British Passage of the Slave Trade act had been passed by parliament. I have included a copy of Amazing Grace, a list of the books he wrote and a word search (answers provided) . The slave trader who became the slave abolitionist and hymn writer. He was also the author of many Christian books.

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.

This coming week-end is Children in Need. I have put together a Phrase and Vocabulary sheet for Children in Need 2018 plus a poetry aid sheet with some ideas. I have also ‘doctored’ a sheet about staying up to watch television which the older children might to try.

I have put together a number of pictures which younger children could use when R.E. is being taught.

Saint Chad was a prominent Anglo Saxon Churchmen who became abbot of several monasteries. Bishop of Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of Mercia and the Lindsey people. He was the brother of Cedd who also became a saint. Theodore, the new archbishop of Canterbury, was impressed by Saint Chad’s humility. The Venerable Bede said that the two years Chad worked as bishop in Mercia were decisive in christianising Mercia. Apparently he walked nearly everywhere but was eventually persuaded by Theodore to travel on horseback. Read about how seven days before he died a guest visited him to fore warn him. Saint Chad died during a plague. I have included information about the Metropolitan Cathedral and Basilica of St. Chad in Birmingham. Saint Chad is the patron saint of the Catholic archdiocese of Birmingham. Sources used The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander & catholicireland. Note wikipedia has a great deal of information about him.

The Venerable Bede was born in about 672AD and lived to the age of about 62. At the age of 7 he was entrusted into the care of Benedict Biscop who in 674AD founded the the monastery of St. Peter at Wearmouth. The monastery moved to Jarrow in 682AD where Bede spent the rest of his life. Aged 19 he became a deacon, aged 30 he was promoted to priest. The Venerable Bede, also known as Saint Bede, is widely regarded as the greatest of all the Anglo-Saxon scholars. He wrote around 40 books dealing with theology, history. observations on nature, music and poetry. His most famous work is * Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum translated from the Old English means *The Ecclesiastical History of the English People. It was completed in 731 AD and was the first work of history in which the AD system of dating was used. It is still a key source for the understanding of early British history and Christianity. He died in his cell on May 27th, 735AD The inscription on his shrine read Hac sunt fossa Bedae venerablis assa Here are buried the bones of the venerable Bede. He was the first of a long line of great English Historians. Sources used BBC British History * The Church’s Year* by Charles Alexander

The only recognized authority for the facts of Saint Benedict life is book 2 of the Dialogues of Saint Gregory 1. He was born of a noble family of Nursia and sent to Rome to be educated. Shocked by the behaviour of Rome he ‘retired’ as a young man to Enfide ((modern Affile) to live as a hermit. He isolated himself in a mountain cave and he daily hauled food up . The food was provided by the monk Romanus. When the fame of his sanctity spread he was encouraged to become an abbot at one of the monasteries. Here, because of his asceticism (self denial) and tales of being a miracle worker, he attracted disciples. He set up 12 monasteries around the place. He then abandoned the area - stories of jealousy and an attempt on his life. He moved to southern Italy, towards Naples and established the famous abbey of Monte Cassino. It was here that he wrote his famous * Rule of Saint Benedict* which contained precepts for his monks. Although known by his name it was influenced by the writings of John Cassian, and showed close affinity with the Rule of the Master. Even if this is the case Michael David Knowles in ‘Britannica Online Encyclopedia’ says *It was the Rule of St, Benedict, derived from various and disparate sources , that provided for the monastic way of life a directory at once practical and spiritual that continued to force after 1500 years. It was further developed to offer hospitality, medical, educational and agricultural skills to the world. Apparently Saint Benedict was never a priest. * He is a patron saint of Europe. Sources used Britannica Online Encyclopedia wikipedia Encyclopedia of Saints by Howard Loxton

I have put together Vocabularies, Poetry Aids and clip art pictures for 'best copy about Spring, Harvest and Autumn Clip Art work is the work of David Woodroffe, an established illustrator. For Winter and Summer work look under those headings.

Father Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston was an English Anglican bishop, He was the Bishop of Stepney in London before becoming the second Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean. He is best known for his anti-apartheid activism (1956-96) and his book Naught for Your Comfort. He became president of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in 1981. Trevor was born in Bedford, England. He was educated at Lancing College (1927-31), Christ Church Oxford and at Wells Theological College. On Michaelmas. 27th September 1936, he was ordained a deacon. 1937 ordained a priest. Clifford Woodward, Bishop of Bristol presided over both. He served as a curate at St. Mark’s Swindon for 2 years. In 1939 he joined the Community of the Resurrection (CR), an Anglican religious order. September 1940 he sailed to Cape Town. 1941 he took his vows. In 1943 he went to the CR mission station at Rosettenville (Johannesburg, South Africa). His task was to continue the work of Raymond Raynes. Raymond had been nursed back to health by Trevor and recognized him as his successor. Over the next 13 years in Sophiatown he developed into a much loved priest and anti-apartheid activist. His nickname was Makhalipile (dauntless one). In 1949 elected Provincial of CR In 1955 the African national Congress (ANC) bestowed upon him the rare Isitwandwe award in recognition of his anti-apartheid activities. He was particularly concerned about the Nationalist Governments decision to bulldoze Sophiatown. He established the African Children’s Feeding scheme, which still exists. He also raised money for the Orlando Swimming Pools - the only place black children could swim until post 1994. Many South Africans lives were changed by Trevor. He was close to O. R. Tambo, ANC President during his years in exile (1962-90). Together they hosted many conferences, protests and actions. He met a young, ill Desmond Tutu when visiting a hospital. In 1955 he was asked by CR to return to England. He returned in 1956 and published Naught for Your Comfort which was based on his personal experiences in South African anti-apartheid. He worked as the master of novices at CR’s Mirfield house in West Yorkshire for 2 year. He then worked at the Prior in London. 26th June 1959 he and Julius Nyerere(JN) addressed the founding meeting of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM). He became vice-president (1961-81). Became Bishop of Masasi (Tanzania) where he worked and reorganized the mission schools to be run by the independent government of JN.(1960-8). Back in the UK he became Bishop of Stepney. In 1978, after 10 years in England, he was appointed Bishop of Mauritius and Archbishop of of the Province of the Indian Ocean. April elected president of AAM ( 1981-94) 1995 Patron for Action for Southern Africa (ASA) replaced AAM Knighted 1998 Bishop Trevor of Sophiatown died at Mirfield, West Yorkshire on 20th April 1998. His ashes were taken to Sophiatown. AAM S.A. History Online

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) .

I have put together 2 word searches, with answers, plus pictures of cricket equipment