Last year, Revive online published a story from Rockingham Uniting Church about an amazing fundraising effort they held for the Uniting Church in Australia’s National Disaster Relief Fund, supporting people affected by bushfires. Rev Norm and his wife Freda Hogg made Sugar Easter Eggs and sold them at their local shopping centre, raising an impressive $10 000.
This year, Norm and Freda have shared their process with you, so you can make your own Easter treats!
The Christian 40-day season of Lent began back in mid-February. It is a time of reflection and preparation for Easter, which this year is in early April. It is a time for us to focus and prepare for Good Friday and the realisation that it was our sin that crucified Jesus.
Rev Norman Hogg, from Rockingham Uniting Church, shares how he and his wife, Freda, successfully raised $10 000 over Lent for the Uniting Church in Australia’s National Disaster Relief Fund to support people affected by Australia’s recent devastating bushfire season.
While people can’t physically gather for worship this Easter, Rev Gordon Scantlebury, Rural Resource Minister for the Uniting Church WA, has found a way to connect with his local township of Donnybrook over the long weekend – and share the hope of Easter.
With Easter spent at home while physically distancing this year, why not try your hand at making your own hot cross buns!
For many years, Peter and Raelyn Punch, from South Mandurah Uniting Church, have enjoyed the magic of homemade hot cross buns at Easter with their family. Raelyn shares her recipe with Revive and reminds us not to forget to wear an apron with this one, as things will get messy!
4 cups of white bread-making flour, or plain white flour
30g, or 2 teaspoons, of dried yeast (hint: if the yeast is old use 1 tablespoon of yeast)
1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups of milk
1 to 1 ½ cups of sultanas (variation: you could try choc chips, currents or whatever you like)
60g of cold butter
¼ cup of white sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon of mixed spice
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Plus:
Extra flour for kneading the dough
Additional plain white flour and water for making the crosses
Hot water, gelatine and sugar for glazing, if wanted
Combine yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar and flour in a small glass or stainless steel bowl. Place this small bowl into a larger bowl that has hot water in it, ensuring the water does not flow into the small bowl. Have the water level at approximately half way up the small bowl.
Carefully pour the lukewarm milk into yeast mixture. If it is too hot you will kill the yeast.
Cover with paper towel for approximately 10 to 15 mins or until mixture is frothy.
Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon together into a third large dry bowl. Add sugar and rub in butter with fingertips till well incorporated.
Mix in the sultanas.
Once the yeast mixture is frothy, pour it in to flour/sultana mix. Add beaten egg and mix well.
Grease a new bowl lightly, put the wet flour mixture into it and then cover tightly with a tea towel.
Leave the bowl in a warm place which is not in direct sunlight.
When the dough is risen (this could take approximately 40 to 80 minutes depending on the weather), punch the dough down with floured hands, turn out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cut the dough into three equal parts and then into smaller buns of equal size, and knead them into a round shape.
Place buns in a lightly greased lamington tin with no spaces between them, (the aim is to force them to rise upwards, like scones). Stand in a warm place covered by a tea towel for about 15 minutes or until they have risen again.
To make the crosses
Sift approximately ½ a cup of plain white flour and mix with water to form a paste.
Place in icing bag and pipe crosses onto top of buns.
Bake in a hot oven for 15 to 20 mins in a hot oven (230 to 240C electric, 200 to 230C gas), until brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.
Glazing
If you would like shiny buns, glaze immediately after removing from oven. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of gelatine in 1 tablespoon of hot water to make the glaze, and paint it across the top.
Cool the buns on a rack and enjoy!
Top image: Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA has shared his Easter message for 2020. Steve reflects on the troubled times we are currently living in, and the hope which the death and resurrection of Jesus brings us.
Watch the video, or read the transcript below.
Australian-based Be Slavery Free, formally known as Stop the Traffik, is urging Australian consumers to make a difference this Easter and buy chocolate eggs from companies that are addressing human rights and environmental concerns.
With Easter approaching and physical worship gatherings not taking place due to restrictions amid the COVID-19 outbreak, churches are preparing to acknowledge and celebrate Easter in a whole new way.
Rev Don Dowling, retired Minister and member at Margaret River Uniting Church, has made available a series of video resources which could be used for personal reflection or online group discussions, themed around the 2014 Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition, held at Uniting Church in the City, Wesley Perth.
UnitingWorld’s Lent Event is your chance to join others who are pledging to live simply during the 40 days of Lent. You can sign up as an individual or with a team to raise funds for and learn about projects that are building peace between Muslims and Christians as they beat poverty together. Lent Event will be held from Wednesday 26 February to Friday 10 April 2020.
This year’s feature project is in Ambon, Indonesia, where unthinkable violence in 1999 left 5 000 dead and 70 000 homeless. UnitingWorld’s partner, the Protestant Church of Maluku, is running projects that bring people together for peacebuilding workshops and livelihood projects. The aim is to create bonds of friendship between Muslims and Christians while generating desperately needed income in a province where most people live on less than $1 a day.
How can you be involved?
All funds raised support Uniting Church partners in Ambon and beyond to fight poverty, raise up women and girls, build the capacity of leaders and run peacebuilding activities.
This month, Heather Dowling shares some online resources and ideas for Easter.