The King Cake

From Brian Lee, Trinity Lay Leader

This year, February 26^th was the last Sunday before the start of Lent. At Trinity, we marked this last Sunday before Lent with a “Dimanche Gras” party. In other parts of the US (particularly New Orleans) and the world, there are large celebrations before the start of Lent, most notably Mardi Gras. This year, we were blessed to have homemade King Cake as part of the celebration.

The tradition of King Cake in New Orleans is believed to have started in the 1870s. There is a lot of symbolism with King Cake. Its oval shape symbolizes the unity faiths. Each King Cake is decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors - purple representing justice, green representing faith, and gold representing power. Usually, a small baby, symbolizing the baby Jesus, is hidden inside the King Cake. At Trinity, dark jelly beans were placed inside after the King Cake was baked.

In New Orleans, King Cake parties are held throughout the Mardi Gras season. In offices, classrooms, and homes throughout the city, King Cakes are sliced and enjoyed by all. Like the Biblical story, the "search for the baby" adds excitement, as each person waits to see in which slice of cake the baby will be discovered. While custom holds that the person who "finds" the baby will be rewarded with good luck, that person is also traditionally responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next party or gathering.

For those who found the jelly bean “babies", here’s the recipe that Myrt Dorroh used for her King Cake! Myrt recommends planning ahead as this recipe takes a fair amount of time.

KING CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE AND FRUIT FILLING RECIPE

DOUGH

·         1 envelope of dry yeast

·         1/4 c. warm water (not hot)

·         1/2 c. milk

·         1 c. (2 sticks) butter

·         1/2 c. sugar

·         2 egg yolks

·         2 whole eggs

·         4 c. (approximately), unbleached flour

Mix the yeast with the warm water. Stir 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the flour into the yeast and set aside. By the time you have measured the other ingredients, the yeast should be beginning to bubble and show signs of life.

Bring the milk to a boil and stir in the butter and the sugar. Pour into a large bowl; the mixture should be lukewarm. Beat in the egg yolks, whole eggs and the yeast.

Beat in approximately 2 cups of flour, until the dough is fairly smooth, then gradually add enough additional flour to make a soft dough that you can form into a ball. Kneed it, by hand or machine, until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a bowl, turn the dough once or twice in it to grease it lightly all over, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Pat the dough down and cover the bowl with a damp towel, plastic film over that and refrigerate until the next day. This recipe makes enough dough for two king cakes. Extra dough may be frozen, or make two king cakes and freeze one. (If you are going to add a filling the recipe is below.) Thaw frozen cake and reheat 10 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

FILLING

·         1/2 recipe king cake (above)

·         1 (16 oz.) can cherry, apple or apricot pie filling

·         8 ounces cream cheese

·         1/4 c. sugar

·         2 T. flour

·         2 egg yolks

·         1 tsp. vanilla

·         1 plastic baby Jesus (or a dark colored jelly bean)

Colored sugars (purple, yellow and green); or these same colors of food coloring if you want to just make colored icing.

Remove dough from refrigerator and with well-floured hands, while it's firm and cold, shape it into a long sausage shape. Using a floured roller on a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 30-by-9-inch rectangle as thin as pie crust. Let dough rest.

If necessary, drain extra juice from pie filling. Mix the cream cheese with the sugar, flour, egg yolks and vanilla. Spoon an inch-wide strip of the fruit filling the length of the dough, about 3 inches from one edge. Spoon the cream cheese mixture alongside the fruit, about 3 inches from the other edge. Brush both sides of dough with egg wash.

Fold on edge of dough over the cream cheese and fruit, then fold the other edge over. Gently place on end of the filled roll onto a greased pizza pan or large cookie sheet. Ease the rest of the roll onto the pan, joining the ends to form a circle or oval. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Brush again with egg wash and cut deep vents into the cake. Sprinkle with colored sugar at this time if you are only using colored sugar. If you want to brush a light icing of mixed powdered sugar, water & a little vanilla after baked and cooled, then wait and sprinkle colored sugar last.

Bake 40-45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cake is well risen and golden. Time depends on how thick of a cake you have created. The thinner you roll out the dough, the less time it takes to bake. Watch it and take note of the smell. It smells wonderful when is done, also when it is golden brown it is done.

If you are icing it, cool before icing. Mix confectioner's sugar with enough water to make a spreadable paste and a little vanilla for flavor. You can make 3 small bowls of the icing and color one purple, one green and one yellow; or if using just white icing, brush over the cake and sprinkle the three colors of sugar over top. Slice the cake into serving sizes and insert the dark jelly bean or plastic baby Jesus. You can either insert it from the bottom of the cake or into one of the slices of the cake. Be sure to put the slices back close together so it is not evident where you have hidden it.

"Searching for Sunday" Lenten Devotional Series: "I Saw God Today"

Sunday, March 27

“I Saw God Today”

Sung by George Strait, it was a number one hit in 2008.   The ballad shares the tale of man walking down the sidewalk after his wife has just had a baby, meanwhile noticing such things as a flower growing out of a sidewalk crack, a couple expecting a baby and the colors of a sunset. The song ends with the central character in the nursery of a hospital, looking at his own newborn baby girl. He cites each thing that he sees along the way — the flower, the couple, the sunset and his newborn daughter — as examples of how he saw God that day.

With eyes of faith we see God every day, especially on Sundays when the family gathers at Trinity.  Hands of welcome are extended to all.  Smiles are abundant.  Classrooms are filled with children, youth, and adults.  Prayers are prayed.  Songs are sung.  Offerings are made.  Coffee and burritos become sacraments of fellowship.  Babies are baptized.  The Good News is shared.  Food is collected for our neighbors.

A homeless man sits next to a bank president.  Both share the body and blood of Christ.  Souls are fed.  Friends are made.  Hope abounds.   A guest from overseas finds an oasis of beauty in the building and those who occupy it.  And it seems to happen every week.  God has a way of showing up and showing off on Sundays when sacred stories are shared.

“I was glad when they said to me,

‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’”

Psalm 122:1

Michael Dent

"Searching for Sunday" Lenten Devotional Series: Sunday Stories—Changing the Direction of our Lives

Saturday, March 26

Sunday Stories—Changing the Direction of our Lives

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.—Philippians 4:6

Several Sundays ago, about 18 years’ worth, we were introduced to a new “tool” for churches called the “Spiritual Inventory”.  We would not have volunteered to take it, but were asked by George Brunner and Susan Patterson-Sumwalt, and so we each filled out the questionnaire and the following Sunday we had a short meeting to discuss the results.  Interestingly, both Arlen & I rated highest in “intercessory prayer”—a term we were not familiar with even though we actively prayed for others. 

The experience led us to some evening meetings with a group of interested persons including a couple of people at TUMC who were, and still are, actively involved in the Trinity United Methodist Church Prayer Team.  Within a short time, we became involved and have been ever since. 

The TUMC Prayer Team including about 50 congregation members and the clergy staff faithfully pray daily and weekly for the many prayer requests we receive through the prayer cards on Sunday and calls or emails during the week.  Prayer requests are sent to Team members by email throughout the week.

The Prayer Team does not pray as a group together—no meetings to attend. Each member prays in their own home on their own schedule with the one requirement of confidentiality—to respect the privacy of the request. Each Team member signs a “Confidentiality Form”.  

Praying for others is a very spiritual experience—a meaningful relationship with the Holy Spirit; a greater connection with others, opportunities for strengthening our faith and a deeper awareness of the presence of God in our lives.  There is such tremendous POWER in PRAYER—it is humbling and rewarding to be part of seeing God in action in so many ways.  

Gracious God, thank you for loving us all and hearing our prayers.  Amen.

Nancy McFaddin

"Searching for Sunday" Lenten Devotional Series: Sunday: Music with God

Friday, March 25

Sunday:  Music with God

Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.—Ephesians 6: 23-24

Sundays were special as a young child.  I loved to hear the music – songs like “Lead on O Kingly Turtle” or “Round yon Virginia, Mother and Child.”  The long words and hard pews were a bit much for a young child.

Creating music became a passion.  This is what women did in the church.  Sundays were getting up early to practice, playing for choir practice, preludes, postludes, worship.  The high school had an organ practice room and brimming in the sunshine, ending the day playing in the chapel made every day a day to know and be with God.  

Sundays were also a day to be with God and the prayer group at Rocky Flats – to pray for peace.  The open space, sunshine, small informal gathering of a variety of faiths singing for peace and life brought God’s presence.

There was a time when it was no longer safe to go to church.  God and I were together Sunday mornings, walking, laughing, and enjoying creation.  God’s presence is a beautiful part of my life.

Finding Trinity has been special.  My heart soars as the choir begins to sing and continues to be opened and amazed through worship, friends, and learning.

Gay Freeman

Holy Week

By Rev. Lee Anderson

 

During this year’s Ash Wednesday service, I preached a sermon about the Lenten journey of letting go, or giving way and making room for God in our lives. Here is a look back at some of what I shared:

“Nature tells us that new life can happen when old life gives way. A forest burns, and the ashes lend to fertile soil from which new plants grow. Leaves die and fall during autumn, allowing trees to store energy over winter and push forth new leaves in the spring. Butterflies burst forth from cocoons, formed when caterpillars go inward and allow themselves to be structurally changed. When the DNA of two people combines to create a new human being, those cells are no longer individual entities but something completely new; likewise, the parents are never the same either. We can see a theme here. New life comes from letting go of the old. We might even say that new life comes from death, or a dying away. 

This is where the image of dying to our old selves or our old ways comes in. We allow for this death so that something new within us is born. This image has been passed down through the centuries because it is a rich image. It has served me in my own Christian journey, especially this time of year. But another way of looking at this process is yielding, giving something up, or even giving way. . . .This is what Lent is really about: making room for God. We hear the word repentance a lot during Lent. Repentance does not mean recognizing sin and asking for forgiveness, repentance means turning away from what you have been doing, and turning toward God. . . .We must open ourselves and let God in. So often though, there is something in the way. . . .Jesus spoke often about the things that get in the way of God. He talked about worry and fear getting in the way. He talked about storing up material wealth or food. He challenged people to leave behind family and belongings to follow him.” 

The Lenten journey involves giving something up, but not simply because of the sacrifice involved. When we give up something of value for Lent, we are really clearing space for God to enter in. This is not easy, but we do it because along with the ushering in of God into the voids of our life comes true life. When we let go of something we know, even if we know the change is for the better, it can feel like death. After all, at least something within our world as we know it is coming to an end. In this final week of your Lenten journey, as you fully let go and receive the gift of new life, know you are not alone in the difficult feelings that arise. This particular week in the gospels was a grim one. The disciples' time with Jesus went from a joyous occasion...celebrating Passover and sharing time together...to very bad news. As the disciples struggled to come to terms with Jesus' statements that he would be leaving them, then learned of his crucifixion, we can imagine what they felt. They were scared; it felt like their world was coming to an end. They were being asked to let go of all they had come to know about the world during their time with Jesus, of all they had devoted their life to, and of their beloved Rabbi.

Reflect on the disciples' experience. Know that Jesus went to the grave before us. And remember that despite the fear, uncertainty, and anxiety, in the end the disciples received very good news. There is an Easter waiting to happen!