Bread and Beef Broth for Communion for Old Order German Baptists
It was quiet in the church house where I sat beside my mother when I was a young girl. I was watching the minister go up and down the aisle, pausing at each sister and breaking a piece of unl eavened bread for her as he said these words, "Dear Sister, this bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ." Over and over, again and again, the same words were repeated. I could hear the brethren saying these words; too, "This bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ."
It wasn't uncommon for there to be 200 or more sisters sitting around the communion tables. I had already watched the sisters wash each other's feet. During the fellowship meal called Supper I had been given a meat sandwich, a couple bites of soup, and a drink of water.
The Holy Kiss followed. I watched as it was started at one table and then passed from one sister to the next sister, up and down the benches, in an unending, unbroken line that ended back where it started, completing a circle.
Holsinger
I listened as a minister talked about the suffering and death of the Lord on the cruel cross as another minister broke apart the sheets of unleavened bread and prepared it to be shared by all those who were sitting around the tables.
Then it was time for the unleavened bread to be broken to each person communing. The minister leading the communion took a stick of unleavened bread in his hand and asked all those communing to stand up while he gave thanks for the bread. He prayed that the Lord would change this bread from a common to a commemorative use and that this piece of bread would give life, shewing forth his death until He returns.
Then the minister took a stick of unleavened bread and broke a piece off and gave it to his brother sitting next to him saying, "Dear Brother, this Bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ." The brother would answer saying, "Yes, it is." Then he would be given the stick of bread to break a piece to the brother sitting next to him and so on and so forth.
After the brethren were started in this manner the minister would come to the sisters and begin by breaking a piece of bread to a sister saying, "This bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ." He would give her the piece of bread he broke off and continue down the line of sisters, breaking a piece of bread to each sister. Sisters do not break the bread to each other or say anything like the brethren do. Neither do they pass the wine cup to each other. I am not sure why it is done in this way.
The minister who broke a piece of unleavened bread to my mother gave me a small piece, too. (This has been a custom in the Old German Baptist Brethren Church for a long time and has continued in the New Conference as well.)
My mother placed her piece of bread on her open Bible and I put mine next to hers.
After everyone has received a piece of bread broken unto them it is eaten slowly and with great solemnity reflecting on the Lord's broken body. And the service continues…
Have you ever tasted unleavened bread? Unleavened bread is made without yeast, which means it does not rise. It is usually flat and has been pierced with a fork. It does not have sugar in it so it tastes a little like pie crust.
The Children of Israel used unleavened bread during the Passover Feast.
Jesus used unleavened bread during the Last Supper.
Unleavened bread has symbolic importance and significance among the Brethren. This symbolic importance and significance affects the way some brethren think about it being used for other times and purposes. These brethren would be opposed to using it for other occasions or in other ways since it is used as a sacred emblem to represent the broken body of our dear Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. To these brethren it would be irreverent and sacrilegious to use it for anything other than during Love Feast time.
Other brethren do not understand it this way and consider it the same as other food. My mother made unleavened bread a lot at home. This did not lessen the significance of it during Love Feast.
Another memory I have is of bread baking. Bread baking is when the members gather together to bake the unleavened bread for Love Feast. In my younger years this was organized by the deacons of each district and not many went. If you did go there were unspoken lines you did not cross. Suffice it to say that each district had its own peculiarities about how to do this.
In my home district and the district we lived in after we got married this was a very solemn event and carried out with precision. Meticulous attention was given to every detail. Only certain people could do certain tasks and those people knew what those certain tasks were. Kneading was done by hand. Rulers were used to mark the bread and a fork was used to prick it. The person in charge of baking the bread was normally the one with the most experience and her prowess was not to be questioned.
I'm glad to say the atmosphere at bread baking has changed in recent years. Attention is still paid to detail and some still like things done certain ways but the rigidness is gone. Nowadays districts are blessed by many members coming together for bread baking and everyone enjoys the time of fellowship as they work together.
One way or another it's another opportunity to check our love for each other and see if we can get along. Seems like it's a lifelong lesson!
Unleavened Bread Mix together: 4 C. flour, dash of salt, and two sticks of butter (no substitutes). Add 1 C. half and half or real whipping cream. Knead until smooth. Roll out or press into a large 11×17 jelly roll pan. Use a ruler to measure 1 inch strips. Use a pizza cutter to cut through the dough on each strip but don't cut all the way to the bottom. Prick each strip with a fork every half inch. Brush with real cream. Bake at 400 degrees until lightly brown. Do not over bake! Brush with cream after removing from oven. Brushing the tops with cream gives a real nice finish on the top of the bread.
Affirmation for today: This bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ."
FYI: Book 4 – The pictures are placed! Next is filling up the empty spots. Meandering Melodies Years 1, 2, and 3 are available now. Articles are on Meandering Melodies Facebook page, too. Call Susan to order at (765) 427-6296. Email Susan at susan.holsinger@gmail.com or mail to: 7690 W. 700 S. Rossville, IN 46065.
Source: https://www.carrollcountycomet.com/articles/unleavened-bread/
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