First communion is a rite of passage in Christian churches, and Rejoice Lutheran Church in Clearwater is no exception.

 

Sunday, (April 3), nine third graders will be taking their first communion at Rejoice. To help them understand communion and its meaning, the students have been learning about it during Sunday School for the past month.

 

As part of their preparation, the students created their own communion chalices out of clay a few weeks ago, and this week they participated in baking the communion bread.

 

The kids were excited to make the bread, working in teams to mix, shape and score the loaves. It was a new experience for all but two of them, and there was a lot of laughing and joking as they formed the dough.

 

The bread Rejoice uses is unleavened bread, which is made without a rising agent, to remind the congregation of the Children of Israel’s flight from Egypt. (They had to leave quickly, so there was no time to put yeast into their bread.)

 

During communion, the loaves are broken into pieces, to signify the last supper when Jesus broke bread and shared it with his disciples.

 

Before the loaves went into the oven to bake, the students carved a simple picture on each representing the church, such as a cross or fish. The scoring helps the bread bake more uniformly and makes it easier to break into pieces during communion.

 

Isabella Moening said she was excited for her first communion because some of her family was coming to celebrate it with her.

 

“I’m excited about it because it’s something new and different,” said Macie Groth.

 

When the bread was finished, each student brought a loaf home to share with his or her family, and the rest was saved to share with the congregation during first communion on Sunday.

 

Rejoice Lutheran Communion Bread

2 c. whole-wheat flour

1 c. white flour

1 ¼ tsp. baking powder

1 ¼ tsp. salt

1 T plus 1 tsp. oil

¾ c. plus 2 T very hot water

3 T honey

3 T molasses

 

Sift the dry ingredients together three times. Cut in one tablespoon oil. Combine water, honey and molasses; add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Dough will be sticky.

 

Divide into four equal parts. Roll each into 1/4” thick circle. Score top with eight pie-shaped pieces or other simple design. 

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with the remaining oil. Bake an additional three to five minutes. Cool.

 

Makes four half pound loaves. Each loaf serves approximately 50 people for communion.