We just baked 24 loaves of communion bread to carry us through Advent. As the dough is kneaded and while it rests and ferments, it is transformed and becomes much softer and lighter.
When we began to bake our own bread, I experimented with various recipes and techniques. Wanting to involve our members in this ministry, I knew we would have to limit our time to less than two hours. It was challenging to produce a loaf, in that short amount of time, that tasted great and stayed moist after being cubed and exposed to the air for an hour.
Awhile back, I tried to cut time and rushed the process, which didn’t allow the dough to rest long enough. Tasting it after it baked, it lacked flavor and depth, which was quite noticeable. Like bread growing and rising requiring time to ferment, we cannot rush our time growing in faith if we desire a deeper relationship with God. Fermentation of our faith allows this way of living to happen.
Bread for the Journey 