Rediscover these characters as spirited, wise women of passion and compassion.This easy-to-use book has strong feminist imagery and references focused on women of the Bible. It includes special prayers – on children, teamwork, families, inclusiveness, Advent, Lent, mothers, Bible Sunday, Disability Sunday, disasters – as well as dialogues suitable for reading aloud, and reflections on wisdom, journeys and aging.This updated and expanded edition now provides reflections on Tamar, Dinah, Naomi, Michal, Vashti, Jephthah’s Daughter, Argula von Grumbach, Lenna Button, Susanna Wesley and Ann Turner. Almost every reflection is suitable for presenting in church during the sermon slot.Rosalie has also included lots of lists and resources with a female focus to help you explore in pairs, groups or as individuals, Bible women and significant men. There are also many new prayers.“Rosalie Sugrue’s imagination, insight and teaching skills enliven this material. If you are looking for stories, prayers and liturgies to introduce or lead worship, focused on the history of women in the Bible, Sophia & Daughters has strong feminist imagery and reference.Here is a sequence of neglected and fascinating records of Biblical women extended into dramatic stories. At the same time, the worship resources are firmly set in a Southern hemisphere context which is user-friendly and address the church year as well as special occasion services.The format will stimulate participation, provide a sense of drama or simply create space for meditative prayer. Use this and see!” Shirley Erena Murray, hymn writerAbout the Author:Rosalie Reynolds Sugrue is a fifth generation West Coaster. Both her parents being fourth generation Coasters whose forebears came seeking gold. Rosalie’s great grandfather, James Reynolds, was a local preacher from Cornwall who preached to miners on the beaches and helped establish the first Methodist church in Hokitika. His wife, Eliza, signed the petition that gave women the vote.Rosalie’s mother Elva Reynolds was a Methodist Deacon and also a lay preacher. Rosalie is a past president of the NZ Lay Preachers’ Association, and the inaugural facilitator of the Methodist Lay Preachers Network 2004, serving as a co-facilitator until 2008. She has led hundreds of church services in New Zealand and the UK. She has also led rest home services, family services, cafe style worship, house blessings and devotions in many other situations.A wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and author now retired Rosalie has worked as a psychiatric nurse, teacher and motellier.She has been active in Jaycees, the Methodist Women’s Fellowship, the Community of Women and Men in Church and Society, National Council of Women, the Churches’ Agency on Social Issues, Victim Support and U3A.She continues an active role as a lay preacher leading one to three services every month in a variety of churches.