have created three word searches about three of William Shakespeare’s plays -Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet plus A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They are based around the characters in each play . Answer sheet provided.

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).

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.

I had not realised when I began my research that Saint Barnabas is mentioned over thirty times in the first half of the Acts of the Apostles. Barnabas introduced Saint Paul, formerly Saul, to the disciples in Jerusalem. Together they went on Paul’s first missionary journey. They took the the Good News to the Gentiles. Together they were responsible for the founding of the young Jewish/Gentile Christian church in Antioch. Paul went on to establish himself as the writer of many of the epistles in the New Testament. Barnabas went back to Cyprus to bring them the Good News. Barnabas means* son of encourager*

Saint John was one of original twelve disciples Jesus chose to be an apostle. He was probably a disciple of John the Baptist first. John along with the other eleven spent a great deal of time with Jesus. He with older brother James and Simon Peter were part of of an inner circle. He is known as the ‘disciple Jesus loved’ because that is how he describes himself in the gospel of John. After Christ’s resurrection he was ‘number two’ to Peter. They are mentioned together on a number of occasions. He is recognised as the author of the Gospel of John, the epistles of John and the book of Revelation. Revelation begins with him saying he is on the island of Patmos ( ch.1 v.10), where it is believed he was being held prisoner for being a follower of Christ. He may have died a martyr. Sources suggest he lived until he was 90+ I have included, in full, all the Biblical references to John. Plus information from Wikipedia and Britannica

Saint Joseph of Arimathea feast day falls on the same day as Saint Patrick in some countries. Joseph was the one who went to Pontious Pilate, the Roman governor, to ask for the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. He with Nicodmus placed His body in a new tomb. I have typed out in full all the passages where Joseph is mentioned in each of the four Gospels He is mentioned in the Apocryphal (hidden) Gospels saying he went on a preaching mission to Gaul which lasted nearly thirt years. Legends about Joseph and Glastonbury were written in the Middle Ages…

I have put together some information about Saint Mark, the evangelist and writer of the Gospel of Mark. I have included all the scripture passages where he is named either as Mark or John Mark. He wrote the first of the three Synoptic gospels. He was the first bishop of Alexandria. He died a martyr 's death.

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 .

George Muller is remembered for the tremendous work he did with orphans in the nineteenth century in Bristol. He, with his first wife Mary, were responsible for looking after over 10,000 orphans. If he needed anything he took it to the Lord in prayer. He never solicited for donations but money or food or drink, or what ever was needed ‘happened’ following prayer. He was also responsible for 117 Christian schools and the educating of 120,00 children. Aged 70 he began a 17 year period of missionary travel with his new wife, Susannah, which took him across the five continents. This was in pre-aviation times and he covered some 200,000 miles. Incredible He returned to England in 1892. He died on 10th March 1898 in New Orphan House no.3. George Muller had originally came over to England in 1825 to work for the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews but due to ill health early on they went their separate ways. Their loss was Bristol orphans gain.

Saint Frances of Rome was an Italian saint who was a wife, mother (six children), organizer of charitable services and a Benedictine oblate (a person dedicated to a monastic or religious life). As an 11 year old she had wanted to be a nun but within a year she was forced to marry Lorenzo Ponziani, a commander of the papal troops in Rome. They were happily married for 40 years- he was frequently at war, she spent her time visiting the poor and taking care of the sick. Twice she turn her home/castle into a hospital. She lost two children because of the plague. With Lorenzo’s approval she founded on August 15th, 1425 the Oblates of Mary. In March 1433 she founded a monastery at Tor de’ Specchi in Campidoglio. For a number of years she looked after Lorenzo after he had been seriously wounded. After his death in 1436 she moved into the monastery and she became the superior. She died in 1440 and was buried in Santa Maria Nova. On May 9th, 1608 she was canonised by Pope Paul V in recognition of her life’s work. In 1925 Pope Pius XI declared her the patron saint of automobile drivers because of a legend that an angel used to light the road before her with a lantern when she traveled keeping her safe from hazards.

Saint Caedmon is an example of someone who late in life discovers he has a gift. He was a humble cowherd, of the seventh century, who after a dream found not only could he sing in tune but put Biblical stories to music. I have written a short piece about the dream. I have included the detailed information created by Brittannia.com. There is a copy of his only remaining hymn. According to the Venerable Bede Saint Caedmon’ could not compose any trivia’ . I have attempted to write couplets using his end words.

St. Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow. His proper name is Saint Kentigern but he is is better known by his nickname. Saint Serf, who became his foster father, is responsible for the name of Mungo. Mungo means ‘my dear one’. His mother was a princess: his father became a king!

I have created three phrase/vocabulary sheets about accident/illness plus a poetry aid. The sheets are differentiated in that the first one has incomplete sentences to finish. The second and third are very similar but the third one does not include the illustration. The clip art sheet can be used for finished article.

The sales have started. I have created a phrase/ vocabulary sheet and a poetry aid about the New Year Sales.

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.

Trapped makes one think of danger and how to escape. I have put together a number of Trapped work sheets- phrases and vocabularies plus some examples of possible answers . I have looked at seven types of trapped - car accident, earthquake, fire, hostage, river floods, tsunami and volcanoes. Added general Rescue sheet.

FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real. I have written five phrase/vocabulary sheets relating to fear - Dream or Nightmare, Examination Nerves, In the Dentist Chair, Meeting a Ghost and Haunted House. Three example ideas have been added plus a Poetry Aid relating to Fear. The hope is the children can use the phrases and vocabulary sheets, or the Poetry Aid to create some interesting creative writing.

Black Friday is the last Friday in November. This when firms sell some of their products at a really crazy price. The children might like to pretend that they can buy ALL l their Christmas presents they have dreamed of having. OR they might like to believe their pocket money will be sufficient to buy ALL the presents they want to buy to give to their parents. I have created a list of phrases and a vocabulary to create their dream.

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.

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.