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The Connection Between the Church and Pretzels

Bavarian Pretzels

In the Medieval Period, the Catholic Church imposed stricter rules regarding fasting and abstinence during Lent than modern times. Meat, dairy, and eggs were prohibited during Lent. Grains, yeast, and water were acceptable. 

Legend has it that monks baked folded strips of bread dough in the basement of a monastery, to resemble the crossed arms of praying children to reward them for learning their prayers. This is one theory of the birth of the pretzel. 

By the 1600s, the interlocking pattern of the pretzel became the symbol of undying love. It is said that royal Swiss couples used a pretzel in their wedding ceremonies. This sealed the bond of matrimony, and might have stemmed from the phrase “tying the knot”, since pretzels were shaped to resemble that form. 

It would be unfair to tell you all about this baked good without sharing a recipe.

Pretzel Dough

Recipe for Bavarian Soft Pretzels – Makes 8 

  • 3.5 oz active dry yeast (half pack)
  • 10 oz lukewarm water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 3 tbsp softened unsalted butter
  • 4 quarts boiling water
  • 2 tbsp baking soda
  • 2 tbsp coarse salt (or substitute Kosher salt)
  1. Mix yeast and sugar in lukewarm water and add to flour
  2. Mix salt in softened butter and knead into dough then cut into 8 pieces
  3. Roll each piece out to 25 – 30 inches long
  4. Twist into a pretzel form, cover with a clean dish cloth and let rise for 12 minutes
  5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  6. Bring water to a boil then add baking soda
  7. After rising, boil pretzel dough for 30 seconds and remove with slotted spoon
  8. Place on a cookie sheet/baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat
  9. Top the pretzels with course salt and let rest for 20 minutes
  10. Bake about 20 minutes, remove, and place of cooling rack
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HYMN: ”Lord of all Hopefulness” 10/11/2020

COME SING WITH US

              Come to a church that’s refreshing, inspiring, and fun!

What is the story behind the hymn “Lord of all Hopefulness?”

“Lord of all Hopefulness” is a Christian hymn written by English writer Jan Struther, originally published in 1931, and set to the melody of an Irish folksong Slane. The hymn is used in liturgy, at weddings, and at the beginning of funeral services.  

“Lord of all Hopefulness” was played at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2019, and also sung at the Commonwealth Service 2018 at Westminster Abbey.  It is one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom.

To worship with us, hear our beautiful music, our children’s time, the scripture readings, the sermon, and our prayers,“ go to our Facebook page or click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Highlights From World Communion Sunday!

On the first Sunday in October, United Methodist congregations join many Christian churches worldwide to celebrate World Communion Sunday. The World Communion Sunday Offerings provide scholarships for national and international students, particularly first-generation college students and ethnic students. 

At PUMC, we have a vibrant international community, a testament to our church’s love for diversity and inclusiveness. This year’s communion worship service went virtual from our different homes, allowing us to share bread and wine from our different cultures. As part of our celebration, we welcomed and dispersed our congregation in various languages. We hope everyone had a fun and memorable day!  

To watch our World Communion Sunday worship service on Facebook, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Rev. Ronald Dyson

Reverend Ronald Dyson, 82, a resident of Delaware, passed away on October 4, 2020. From 1972-to 1978 he had been the lead pastor here at Princeton United Methodist Church. Larry Apperson has this memory of Rev. Dyson:

Ron Dyson visited Louise and me in late 1977. I thank God for his visit and remember well him talking with us in our living room. The conversation was light and free, and he left us both with a feeling we had to visit his church. We both joined in 1978!

Our prayers go to the Dyson family. One of Rev. Dyson’s sons, Rev. Drew Dyson, is a United Methodist minister who has been a district superintendent and is now executive director of the Princeton Senior Resource Center. Arrangements are being handled by Chandler Funeral Home in Wilmington, Delaware.

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Meet Church Council 2020

Princeton UMC’s Church Council, led by Ian Griffiths, has been busy, meeting and going through training sessions. New ministry team leaders have joined the council. In this series of profiles, you will meet them.

Meet Claudio Da Silva, Adult Education Ministry

If you mapped out Claudio Da Silva’s path to Princeton UMC, you would have to traverse three continents, four countries, and countless cities. . . At PUMC,  Claudio sees “an exceptional sense of community, bonding between people and care for each other,” making it easy for him to say ” Yes” to  the pastors. “I can feel here the profound and powerful reality of human connection and godly love [in this church].”

Meet Donna Robinson, Secretary to Church Council 

If you get a chance to engage with Donna, you will find yourself doing most of the talking, because she is a professional “listener.” She put her master’s degree in spiritual pastoral care to good use as a Stephen Leader, training Stephen Ministers at her former church in Maryland.

Meet Theresa Cann: Worship Ministry 

Growing up as the daughter of a Ghanaian diplomat, Theresa spent most of her formative years living in Africa and Europe. . . The Worship Ministry has 10 team members who are tasked to be the eyes and ears of the church. They get feedback about worship, and pay attention to how the order of service is executed for future improvements

Meet Christine Shungu: Breeze Team

If the last name Shungu sounds familiar to you, it’s because they are a multi-generational UMC family involved in various ministries. Christine Shungu grew up in a town called Kananga in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

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The “Shema” and “When I Pray for You”

The passage in Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, known as the Shema, is a core principal for both Jews and Christians. Notice how it aligns with the children’s book  “When I Pray For You” by Matthew Paul Turner, which Pastor Jenny read on September 20, 2020. It begins

From the moment I saw you,
I started to pray.
Big prayers and small ones
I have sent God’s way.

Here is the Shema passage in the New Revised Standard Version

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.[a]

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all your might.

And here is the admonition to teach it to the children.

6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.

In a different translation,  from The Message***

4 Attention, Israel!

God, our God! God the one and only!

5 Love God, your God, with your whole heart:

love him with all that’s in you,

love him with all you’ve got!

6-9 Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.  

These comments came from Beth P. and Kay H.

Thank you Pastor Jenny for a beautiful children’s book that speaks to our prayers for our loved ones.

As a mother and grandmother thanks for sharing that lovely book with us

For a glimpse into the book, here is a video.

 

 

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The World of Energy: Claudio Da Silva’s Personal Journey

United Methodist Men sponsor “A Personal Journey into The World of Energy” on  Sunday, 

At  12 Noon on Sunday, September 20, the United Methodist Men presents a Zoom talk featuring our own Claudio Da Silva who will talk about the foundations of the New Age movement and its similarities and the divergences with the ways of Christ under the title: “My 10 Year Journey Into the World of Energy.”  Everyone is invited.

Everyone is invited to the Zoom presentation. Here is the direct link  to the zoom presentation, accessible with the passcode “pumc.” https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82322385081?pwd=b0V2R0NHT2VxS2RlQnZ5emFXY1VJUT09

Or go to the church calendar and find the link with complete information. 

Claudio will share with us his experience of the New Age teachings regarding energy, the concept of God in us, the veneration of nature and the subjectivity of truth. How are these aspects similar or in opposition with the message of Christ?

Next month, on Tuesday evenings, Claudio will lead a small group experience, “Meditation and Holy Healing.”

Born in Switzerland, living part of his life in Angola, Claudio explored monastic practices in India and other places, including making a 900 mile pilgrimage alone in complete silence. Through these experiences, he felt a liberation through melting with God’s Grace. Through his experiences of different religions and spiritual approaches he became aligned with God’s Truth which brought him deeper into the message of Christ.  Claudio now lives in Princeton with his wife and two daughters. He works as a life coach and health practitioner.

For information about “Meditation and Holy Healing,” email skitch@PrincetonUMC.org.

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Hymn: “This Child”

Tom Shelton, music director of children’s and youth choirs at PUMC, wrote the hymn “This Child” and composed its music.

The lyrics of this Christmas song makes it suitable for release during the Coronavirus pandemic. Says Tom: “The verses represent what many of us have felt during this period of isolation. We have to keep our faith and believe in This Child.”

Here are the lyrics of the chorus:

“Where do I run, where can I hide,

When the world comes crashing down. 

Where can I turn, who do I call,

When there’s no one else around. 

I turn to you; I call on my faith,

And the promise delivered that night –

This Child.”

Shelton played and sang “This Child” during worship on Sunday, September 13, 2020, as the children’s and youth choirs resumed their activities this week, meeting virtually (mostly). 

To follow our worship service on FaceBook and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Children’s Book: “God’s Dream”

At Children’s Time, during worship on Sunday, September 6, 2020, Pastor Jenny read aloud the children’s picture book, “God’s Dream.” Author Archbishop Desmond Tutu lives in South Africa. Coauthor Douglas Carlton Abrams lives in California. Illustrator LeUyen Pham, born in Vietnam, now lives in California. 

“God’s Dream,” a beautifully written story with delightful illustrations, featuring an international cast of children, speaks to the heart. The children play together, hold each other’s hands, but sometimes get angry with each other. Then, they reach out and say they are sorry and forgive each other. Desmond Tutu, Douglas Abrams, and LeUyen Pham,  different in many ways, remind everyone that human beings have many differences: we are different races, speak other languages, have different natures and behaviors, diverse religious practices, and various thoughts. Yet, we are all God’s children. 

God dreams that we will all learn to love each other, care for each other, and live in peace together, like any family, even though we look different and talk differently. Children don’t have to be friends with everyone; they don’t even have to like them, but they HAVE to be kind to everyone. They must also have hope and dreams, even in their most difficult times. It is a book for children of all faiths.

So, what now?

Says Pastor Jenny: “God is always trying to invite us, to tell us how to love the other person when they hurt us, even when we wrong them. How do we fix it? How does God fix it? Jesus and Paul in the Book of Romans tell us we have to keep learning to love, which is not always easy. But we keep trying and never quit. I wonder if you can dream with God, a little bit about how you can love that other person, even if they are the ones who hurt you, and you feel like you couldn’t love them back. Let’s pray about that together. I hope you’ll keep praying about it beyond today as well.”

To follow the worship service and listen to Pastor Jenny read, click here.

Click here to watch a reading of the entire book on YouTube video by Summer Book Club.

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Confirmation Rescheduled

THE CONFIRMATION CEREMONY set for Thursday, September 10, has been postponed, because of rain. It will be FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 AT 6 PM. It will be livestreamed and archived on the church website.

Church members and friends – and family of the confirmands — are  welcome to come in person to celebrate and worship together as Ben, Elli, Rosy, Camille, and Ana confirm their baptismal covenant and take the next step in their faith journey. 

Here’s what you need to know:
Masks must be worn
Socially distancing must be maintained (household units can stay together)
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets to sit on
There will not be restrooms available
We are planning to live-stream the service as well