The saint ben’s communion bread recipe

Over the years many people have commented on our communion bread… that it actually tastes like bread! Ours is a recipe based on one that comes from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and that was then finessed by Murray Krushel, our resident bread baker. Now that we are able to share communion online, many people have asked for this recipe so that they can bake their own at home. That recipe - which uses spelt flour, maple syrup, and molasses, among other ingredients - is available for download by clicking here.

We also came across this set of bread baking prayers and thought they would be good to share. They come from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Greenwood Village, Connecticut.

A PRAYER BEFORE BEGINNING BREAD BAKING 

God of grace, as you gather the grains of wheat once scattered into one, so gather these ingredients to become bread and gather us together with all your people to become the body of Christ for the sake of the world. Be present in our baking and in this time of preparation to receive Holy Communion, which we know to be a foretaste of the feast to come, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

A PRAYER WHILE STIRRING/KNEADING 

God of love, you are present with us in each and every moment of our lives. As we stir and knead, help us to know your presence with us and name before you those with whom we wish we could gather, trusting that you will go to be where we cannot be in this time. We pray especially for [add names], through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

A PRAYER WHEN PLACING BREAD INTO THE OVEN 

God of hope, we place this bread into the oven, knowing that in this time it will change from being dough to being bread. Help us to experience in this bread hope for our world, trusting that you are at work in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine, creating a future that is in many ways different than the one we can see before us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.