Weekly Communion Bread
Our community of volunteer Bread Bakers ensure that the Body of Christ tastes delicious. Each week, we need 1 small loaf and 6 medium* loaves:
- 1 small loaf for the 8am service
- 3 medium loaves for the 9am service
- 3 medium loaves for the 11am service
*A small loaf loaf is about 3 ½” in diameter and a medium loaf is about 5” in diameter.
Recipe
St. Gregory’s Abbey Altar Bread
- 7/8 cup lukewarm water (or a bit more if needed)
- 4 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour*
- 1 pkg. active quick rising yeast
*Note: Do not use stone ground flour or the bread will be crumbly. Pillsbury plain whole wheat flour works well. The recipe can easily be doubled.
Directions
Total Time: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes
- Measure the water into a mixing bowl and add yeast, stirring until the yeast is dissolved.
- Stir in the honey, oil, and salt.
- Stir in the unsifted flour.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for 5 minutes until elastic.
- Replace the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours until double.
- Roll out the dough to 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter, a tin can or a glass. Make a cross in each loaf with a serrated knife.
- Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Preparing for delivery:
After the bread has cooled, please wrap loaves in aluminum foil and place them in a zip lock bag labeled with the month. You don’t have to wrap each loaf individually in foil although it is helpful if you wrap each Sunday’s worth of bread separately.
Where to drop off the bread:
You can drop your bread off at the office Monday-Friday from 9:00am–5:00pm or you can bring it with you on Sunday. If you’re bringing bread to be used on the Sunday you are delivering it, please let the clergy know in advance.
There is a freezer in the basement in the small storage room off the kitchen labeled ALL SAINTS. Inside is a plastic bin labeled COMMUNION BREAD.
Please put your labeled plastic bags into the bin. Alternatively, if you are dropping off on a Sunday morning, you may bring the bread directly to the sacristy or hand it to a member of the clergy or the Altar Guild.
