Consider yourselves dead to sin but alive in Christ Jesus.

(Romans 6)

A Purposeful VBS

Finally! Someone else who thinks that VBS curriculum is too entertainment-based!

Here's an excerpt from an article about Concordia Publishing and their new VBS curriculum:

Acknowledging that VBS themes may use cartoonish figures or themes to "hook" children and get them interested in participating in a church VBS program, a company statement observed that "the steady transformation of VBS programs into full-on entertainment machines has created a rather distressing situation.

"Instead of being used to share the Word of the Lord, VBS is being used to babysit and cure boredom—and many children are leaving VBS more confused than ever as to who and what is real and who and what are just characters and stories."

Laying the blame at the feet of publishers, parents and churches alike, Concordia, publisher for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), has spent three years refocusing its VBS brand and creating programming that remains faithful to the gospel message and the Scriptures as a whole. The publisher calls this renewed focus "VBS with Purpose."

Quick Buns

I love this recipe. I usually don't have time to make full on, three hour yeast buns so I use this recipe a lot.

1 Tb yeast (I've cut it down to 2 tsp and haven't noticed a difference, both GF and non)
1 1/3 Cup warm water
a squirt of honey

Let bloom for 10 minutes.

Add 2 Cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 Cup oil (again, I've decreased this to about 2 Tb, no difference in GF and non)

Combine. Add about 2 more cups of flour to form a soft dough. Knead until smooth. Let rest about 5 minutes. Form into buns, breadsticks, even a pizza pie or cinnamon buns! Place on greased pan/stone.

Bake at 425 F.

Buns and cinnamon buns take about 13-15 min.
Sticks are about 10-12 min.
Pizza is about 15 min.

Yes, this recipe is interchangeable with Gluten Free. Weigh out your GF flour mix (1 Cup = 120 grams). And use less water. Don't knead of course, just stir. Place in paper lined muffin tins, let rise 15 min and bake accordingly.

...do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

(Matthew 6)

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:21