Sabbath Baking
Sabbath Baking is an invitation to stop, rest, create, enjoy, and share the everyday wonders of life: The magic of yeast rising a lump of dough, the hospitality of a warm plate of cookies, and sacramental presence of God at a table set before friends and strangers. Whether you have been baking since birth or never stepped foot inside a kitchen, there is a place for you in this community. Pull up a chair, something delicious is about to come out of the oven.
What is Sabbath Baking?
In the Jewish tradition, Sabbath is a day set aside by God when no work is to be done (including baking). It is a day for intentional prayer, rest, and connecting with God. The keeping of Sabbath is a practice that is much needed in our world that has often normalized, if not prioritized, busyness and productivity. The call to rest rather than work is counter cultural, saved for many it is unfathomable. However, if we are to take seriously God’s invitation to follow Jesus, then this call is essential.
In my journey to develop a full practice of Sabbath, I began taking small steps of intentional times during the day when I could unplug, disconnect from the world and connect more fully with God. These Sabbath moments have become an important part of my life of faith and as I became more intentional about them, they increasingly began to revolve around food. When I knew a week would be busy, I would plan a batch of cookies or a cake project for the weekend as a reward. Some warm biscuits would welcome me into a day off. As I mixed or kneaded, the stress of the day worked its way into the batter. And the space that was opened was filled with prayer and discernment. When a friend was grieving or sick, my petitions on their behalf were studded with chocolate chips and delivered as a tangible reminder of my concern.
Sabbath Baking is an intentional effort to experience God through the creative act of baking. By setting aside time to prepare delicious food for ourselves and others, we participate in the creativity of God and the hospitality and generosity that are the marks of following Jesus. It is the hope that when we learn to experience God in the kitchen, that we will be able to experience God more in the other areas of our homes and lives as well
Advent 2023
Bake and pray your way through Advent this year with a focus on the characters of the nativity story, John the Baptist, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph
Advent 2022
For the season of Advent, I created a series of devotionals themed around the lectionary texts with a weekly recipe that supported the message. It is great for groups and individuals.
Lent 2023
For Lent, I did a series of blog posts about different types of bread and how my own experimentation helped me to get into the season.
Spiritual Direction
In addition to being an ordained UMC pastor, I am also training as a spiritual director and retreat leader. If you would like to learn more about how I can partner with you or your ministry, let me know!
Rev. Drew Weseman 