THANKFUL FOR THE BREAD, BEEN BROKEN FOR US

Over the past few years as a church, we have spent some time at this time of year preparing unleavened bread for Maundy Thursday and the Seder meal we have participated in. This year we had planned to be gathering for services, to partake regularly in The Lord’s Supper together as a part of worship. But life looks much different now, so we look for ways to still connect in this new territory. We’d like to offer you the opportunity to make unleavened bread together as a family in your own home. You can utilize this as part of the communion service being shared on Sunday mornings at 10:00am at spldecatur.churchonline.org and as a part of our Maundy Thursday worship on April 9th at 6:30pm also at spldecatur.churchonline.org

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF UNLEAVENED BREAD IN THE BIBLE?

The Bible mentions unleavened bread, particularly in the book of Exodus.

This bread was the symbol of the Israelites’ haste when they were delivered from slavery in Egypt.

According to the scriptures, the Israelites fled quickly and immediately, so the bread had no time to rise.

God commanded the Israelites to commemorate this incredible event by celebrating the feast of unleavened bread. By eating this kind of bread, they will always remember the victory that God has given them to enter the Promised Land.

When Jesus broke bread with his disciples and told them to “take eat, this is my body” it was the first day of the Passover feast and he would have been using unleavened bread.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church continues to use unleavened bread in the form of wafers when we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion together. We invite you to bake unleavened bread for your family this Holy Week as you remember together the sacrifice of Jesus’ body for our sake.

UNLEAVENED BREAD RECIPE

SINGLE RECIPE (makes 9-10 flat loaves)
4 OZ Cream Cheese
½ Cup Butter
2 Cups Flour (+ 2 Tbsp for rolling)
½ Cup Milk
¼ tsp. salt

DOUBLE RECIPE (makes 18-20 flat loaves)

8 oz. Cream Cheese (1 block)
1 Cup Butter (2 sticks)
4 Cups Flour
1 Cup Milk
½ tsp. Salt

Soften cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Blend well. Add half of the flour and all of the salt, continue to mix until incorporated. Alternate the addition of remaining flour and milk, mixing until a stiff dough is formed. It should be fairly smooth, and not terribly sticky. Adjust milk/flour as needed. Remove dough from mixer, shape into a “log”, wrap and chill for at least ½ hour, better if overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly flour hands and work area, and slice segments of dough from chilled log. Roll into long flat loaves, slightly thicker than a cracker. Pierce like a saltine (I use a rolling meat tenderizer) and bake on ungreased parchment for 15 minutes until light brown, being careful not to overbake. Cool, cover and store.

**Gluten free conversion is 1:1 with good GF flour.

If you use this recipe and make unleavened bread together, we’d love to see your pictures! You can send them to Andrea Gerhard or Brendan Jenks at SPL or share online using #SPLDecatur