Perhaps one of my favorite themes in the Gospel of John is Jesus referring to himself as the Bread of Life. I love this idea because it echoes what we practice in Holy Communion, where we are fed and forgiven, but I also love this idea because it reminds me of the various cultures and traditions I’ve encountered while traveling. In majority of my experiences, bread has been the center of meals. From Iceland, where they bake bread in pots buried in the sands around the hot springs, to Dearborn, Michigan, the largest Muslim population in the United States where shrak (Arab flatbread) and pitas are staples, bread is the main vehicle. Indian food uses naan, Hungary has some of the best fresh-baked pastries around, taco night wouldn’t be complete without tortillas and shells, spaghetti is always better with garlic toast, the list goes on and on. Bread, in some form, sustains life in many cultures.
During our Lenten study this year, we learned about living as God’s people into our baptismal promises. One of the nights, we made Communion bread, and I’m including that recipe in this article per request. And that night was so much fun! We got messy, we got sticky, our kitchen smelled fantastic, and everyone got to go home with their own loaf of bread.
So why does this matter? Well, as in many cultures, bread seems to be pretty central to us, in some form or another. In fact, as I think about it, bread was a main vehicle for each of our Lenten meals. We used buns for sloppy joes, English muffins for pizza, tortilla chips for nachos, buns for hamburgers and hotdogs, and buns for sub sandwiches. But in a deeper way, we were also feed by God’s Word, Jesus, and God’s Scripture as we dove into the promises to hear about God’s love for each of us and all of creation.
We are continually fed by God’s Word and by God’s word. Jesus, the Bread of Life, feeds us at the table, and we read and absorb God’s scripture to guide and shape our lives. We rely on it to survive. Not only survive, but thrive. We need this gift to sustain us, to give us energy and strength for the journey. Through God’s love, we are fed and forgiven, sustained for our work outside in the world, and our hunger for God’s love keeps bringing us back.
One of my favorite hymns in the ELW describes it this way: “We come to the hungry feast hungry for a word of peace. To hungry hearts unsatisfied, the love of God is not denied. We come, we come to the hungry feast. We come to the hungry feat hungry for a world released from hungry folk of ev'ry kind, the poor in body, poor in mind. We come, we come to the hungry feast. We come to the hungry feast hungry that the hunger cease, and knowing, though we eat our fill, the hunger will stay with us; still we come, we come to the hungry feast.”
We come to the hungry feast to be fed by God who is rich in mercy and love. Let us give thanks for the ways that God feeds us, sustains us, gives us energy for the work to which we’ve been called, and gives us hunger to come back for more.
Holy Communion Bread
Ingredients:
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. white flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
1 ¼ tsp. salt
4 tbsp. oil
¾ C. very hot water (I boil mine)
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. molasses
(more flour as needed)
Instructions:
Mix thoroughly dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir in oil. In a glass measuring cup, pour honey, molasses and boiling water. Mix thoroughly. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix with large spoon. Once dough has cooled enough, mix with hands to incorporate all the ingredients well. If the dough is too sticky, add in more whole wheat flour until dough is tacky but not sticky. Using oil, coat hands and grab handfuls of dough and pat into rounds. Score each loaf with a butter knife in the shape of a cross. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cool on a rack and wrap in plastic wrap. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Share with a friend!
In Christ’s peace,
Pastor Katie
During our Lenten study this year, we learned about living as God’s people into our baptismal promises. One of the nights, we made Communion bread, and I’m including that recipe in this article per request. And that night was so much fun! We got messy, we got sticky, our kitchen smelled fantastic, and everyone got to go home with their own loaf of bread.
So why does this matter? Well, as in many cultures, bread seems to be pretty central to us, in some form or another. In fact, as I think about it, bread was a main vehicle for each of our Lenten meals. We used buns for sloppy joes, English muffins for pizza, tortilla chips for nachos, buns for hamburgers and hotdogs, and buns for sub sandwiches. But in a deeper way, we were also feed by God’s Word, Jesus, and God’s Scripture as we dove into the promises to hear about God’s love for each of us and all of creation.
We are continually fed by God’s Word and by God’s word. Jesus, the Bread of Life, feeds us at the table, and we read and absorb God’s scripture to guide and shape our lives. We rely on it to survive. Not only survive, but thrive. We need this gift to sustain us, to give us energy and strength for the journey. Through God’s love, we are fed and forgiven, sustained for our work outside in the world, and our hunger for God’s love keeps bringing us back.
One of my favorite hymns in the ELW describes it this way: “We come to the hungry feast hungry for a word of peace. To hungry hearts unsatisfied, the love of God is not denied. We come, we come to the hungry feast. We come to the hungry feat hungry for a world released from hungry folk of ev'ry kind, the poor in body, poor in mind. We come, we come to the hungry feast. We come to the hungry feast hungry that the hunger cease, and knowing, though we eat our fill, the hunger will stay with us; still we come, we come to the hungry feast.”
We come to the hungry feast to be fed by God who is rich in mercy and love. Let us give thanks for the ways that God feeds us, sustains us, gives us energy for the work to which we’ve been called, and gives us hunger to come back for more.
Holy Communion Bread
Ingredients:
2 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. white flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
1 ¼ tsp. salt
4 tbsp. oil
¾ C. very hot water (I boil mine)
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. molasses
(more flour as needed)
Instructions:
Mix thoroughly dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir in oil. In a glass measuring cup, pour honey, molasses and boiling water. Mix thoroughly. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix with large spoon. Once dough has cooled enough, mix with hands to incorporate all the ingredients well. If the dough is too sticky, add in more whole wheat flour until dough is tacky but not sticky. Using oil, coat hands and grab handfuls of dough and pat into rounds. Score each loaf with a butter knife in the shape of a cross. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cool on a rack and wrap in plastic wrap. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Share with a friend!
In Christ’s peace,
Pastor Katie
Pastor Katie’s New Office Hours:
(Also available by appointment)
Monday – 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday – 2:00 p.m. – 5::00 p.m.
Friday – Day Off
Saturday - 10:00 - 2:00
(Also available by appointment)
Monday – 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday – 2:00 p.m. – 5::00 p.m.
Friday – Day Off
Saturday - 10:00 - 2:00