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Lenten Pretzel Prayer
A unique way to pray during Lent.
Ages: All Topic : Lent/Easter
Food-n-Faith Focus
Pretzels and prayers are connected. That's right, a monk started making
them for children during Lent. Here's a great food activity to try with
your family during the Lenten season.
Materials
Loaf of frozen bread dough (about 8
pretzels)
Mister bottle
Water
Coarse salt
Flour
Butter or shortening
Cookie sheets
Food-n-Faith Activity
1. Read the Pretzel Prayer
History (found below) to your family.
2. Make pretzels; then pray as
ancient Christians once did.
3. Allow the bread dough to thaw
in the refrigerator overnight. Keep covered so that the surface of the
dough will not dry out. Divide the dough loaf into eight pieces by cutting
once lengthwise and four times across the loaf. Your batch of pretzels
will need to rise 6-10 minutes.
4. Devote a clean table with
chairs at which your family can make their pretzels. Preheat the oven you
will use. Place the bread dough, flour, mister full of water, and coarse
salt on the table along with a cookie sheet. The cookie sheet should be
lightly greased with the butter or shortening.
5. Steps to make pretzels:
#1 Lightly dust your hands with
flour.
#2 Choose a lump of dough.
#3 Roll the dough into a snake
that is the same width throughout.
#4 Lay the dough snake on the
cookie sheet. To form the prezel shape bring the ends of the dough down
and twist one over the other once. Lift the ends up and lay them on the
curved top of the dough to form a pretzel shape.
#5 Lightly mist the pretzel with
water.
#6 Sprinkle salt on your
pretzel.
6. You are now ready to bake
your pretzels. Bake the pretzels 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Pray as Christians did long
ago by crossing your arms and touching your shoulders. Say this Lenten
prayer:
We take this time, God, to remember Jesus' death.
We are reminded of the greatness of our sins
and that Christ paid their price before he left.
We take this time, God, to remember Christ.
We are reminded of the price he paid on the cross
and that he made for us the ultimate sacrifice.
We take this time, God, to remember that we sin a lot.
We are reminded that this hurts you
and yet you will always love us no matter what.
We take this time, God, to remember to read your Word.
We are reminded that you spoke to us long ago
and when we read the Bible your voice can be heard.
We take this time, God, to remember you hear what we ask.
We are reminded that you want the best for us
and that when we pray youre up to the task.
We take this time, God, to remember that you are coming back.
We are reminded that you are in charge
and because of you there is nothing that we lack.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Pretzel Prayer History
Our modern-day pretzel has an interesting history. One day around the
year 610, a monk who was busy baking the unleavened bread that would be
used during Lent decided to make a treat for the children who had
learned to recite their prayers.
Christians in those days did not pray by bowing their heads and
folding their hands. At that time they prayed by folding their hands
across their chests with each hand touching the opposite shoulder.
The clever monk formed the dough so that one "hand" was each touching
the opposite "shoulder" in prayer. He gave his creation the name
pretiola, which in Latin means "little reward." They were the
rewards for the children who learned their prayers.
Tradition has it that the Pilgrims brought the pretzel with them to
North America on the Mayflower.
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