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By Lorie Lewis Ham

There are many things associated with Easter, including a lot of yummy food. One of the foods that some partake of this time of year has a very interesting history and symbolism for the season—Hot Cross Buns.

The buns are a spiced sweet bun usually made with fruit and marked with a cross on top, either with icing or etched into the dough. In many countries, they are traditionally eaten on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent, including parts of the United States and Canada. The cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus and the spices inside signify the spices used to embalm Him at His burial.

The origin of these buns is filled with mystery, with no one really knowing for certain where they came from. However, there are many theories and legends surrounding them. According to the website @Kitchn, one legend is that an Anglican monk created them in the 12^th century to be eaten on Good Friday. There are also several stories that indicate that Hot Cross Buns were baked on Good Friday for superstitious reasons—some believed the buns carried magical or medicinal properties. They gained popularity in England towards the end of the 16^th century when Queen Elizabeth I passed a law limiting the sale of sweet buns for only funerals, Christmas and Good Friday. Because they couldn’t buy the buns at other times, many people started secretly making them in their homes. According to Wikepedia, the first definite printed record of Hot Cross Buns comes from a London street cry, which appeared in Poor Robin’s Almanac for 1733 in which the buns are mentioned.

Another possible origin is found on the website Good Food Ireland. It states that even though they are inextricable linked to Easter and Christianity, they probably have pre-Christian origins. Cross Buns were baked to celebrate Eostre, a Germanic Goddess of Fertility, after which the season of Easter is said to be named. The four quarters of the cross on top of each bun were said to represent the phases of the moon, while the cross itself symbolized rebirth after winter. Even more interesting myths and traditions can be found on Smithsonianmag.com.

Through the years other versions of the buns have appeared, including coffee flavored ones in Australia, and toffee, orange-cranberry, salted caramel and chocolate and apple cinnamon versions in the UK. There is even a Not Cross Bun variation which is made the same way, but doesn’t include the cross.

Whatever its true history may be, in 2021 for many people Hot Cross Buns are still a symbol of the Easter season, but also a delicious treat to enjoy any time of year. If you have a special memory or special recipe for Hot Cross Buns that you would like to share with us, please share on our Facebook Page.  Here is the recipe that Mennonite Insurance General Manager Jerry Linscheid grew up with:

Hot Cross Buns – Rosemary Moyer 

Ingredients

• ¼ c. warm water 
• 1 T. dry yeast
• 2 T. sugar
• 3 c. flour
• 1 ½ t. salt (less with margarine or salted butter)
• ½ t. cinnamon
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1/8 t. allspice
• ¾ c. warm milk
• ¼ c. margarine, butter, or vegetable oil 
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ c. Zante dried currants, or chopped raisins 
• ½ c. chopped walnuts 

Directions

1. Plump dried currants or raisins in 1 c. hot water (let sit at least 15 minutes).  
2. Dissolve yeast in water. Stir in 1 T. sugar.  
3. In large bowl, combine 1 ½ c. flour, 1 T. sugar, salt, and spices. Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. 
4. Add milk, margarine (oil/butter) and egg. Beat with mixer until well blended. 
5. Add more flour and mix with a spoon. Add plumped currants and nuts. Continue adding flour and stirring until soft dough is formed.  
6. Knead gently, until smooth, adding flour as needed and keeping dough soft.  
7. Let dough rise until doubled.  
8. Form round buns. Place on greased baking pan 12 per pan. Let rise until doubled. 
9. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until golden. In my oven, 5-6 minutes on the lower rack, and 3-4 minutes on the upper rack. Yield: about 24 buns. Let cool before decorating with a white icing cross. 

By Lorie Ham

According to Shelter Animals Count, 26,000 more pet adoptions took place in 2020 than in the year before. The group runs a database that tracks shelter and rescue activity. Some shelters during this time have even been faced with the demand being greater than the supply—which never happens during normal times. Are more people adopting animals because they are lonely due to being stuck at home? Or perhaps because they now have more time for a pet?

Mindi Miller, Vice President of Animal Rescue of Fresno states that they have definitely seen adoptions go up. “Everybody wants a dog and they feel since they are working from home they are able to better care for the companion since they have more time.” 

Paula Hunsaker, CEO/Founder of Feral Paws Rescue, has been rescuing cats for over 20 years. She too has seen an increase in adoptions during the pandemic. One thing they do during the process right now is to make sure people understand that a cat isn’t a temporary fix for loneliness. “Adopting any animal is a serious commitment.”

Paula feels that while sometimes people are looking to adopt out of loneliness, more often she feels that the pandemic has had us all stepping back to re-evaluate our lives. “Normally, life moves along like a speeding train without thought of what is lacking in our lives. With this past year of lockdown, we’ve stopped to see that in many instances the connection with a pet is what filled the empty spots in our lives we didn’t even know that we had. The joy we see from adopters, and shared happy experiences, shows us that people are much more grounded with a pet in their lives, almost as if it is an added extension of home.”

For most rescues, the process of adoption has changed a bit. “Our process is no more walk throughs—all our adoptable dogs are online for all to see,” shares Mindi. “If they are interested in meeting a dog they complete the application and our adoption crew will contact them to go through their application first and then arrange a meet and greet. Which is safe for all involved.”

Feral Paws has always worked by appointments so for them less has changed. They have a listing of adoptable cats on their website and listed at over 1000 other websites. “When somebody views a kitty, or sometimes two kitties, they send us an email or call us to make an appointment. We have always asked the public to make an appointment, which makes it much more comfortable for the adopter and also for the cats, where we have an enclosed area for the cat(s) they wanted to meet and also a couple of others . We also ask that they have an open mind and allow the cat to choose them, and most often, this works best. You want a connection with the cat, and allowing them to choose you is a special blessing. Pet adoption, as well as human insurance, is a contractual agreement.”

Pets can bring so much joy to life, but before adopting always make sure you are able to make a lifetime commitment to your new companion. If you feel that a pet is right for you, there are many options for finding just the right one. You can check the websites of local rescues, which can be easily found by doing a Google search, or check out Petfinder, which connects those who want to adopt with rescues all over the country. Kings River Life Magazine has columns from many local rescues every month featuring various pets that are up for adoption as well.

If you have adopted a new pet during the pandemic, we would love to have you share some photos on the Mennonite Insurance Facebook Page!

By Lorie Ham

Madera Ave. Bible Church (MABC) celebrates its centennial this year. They had their first service on October 19, 1919 and started with 10 charter members. “The church began in the Dixieland area of Madera County about 10 miles north of the city,” shared Christine Wall, who has been the moderator of the church for 13 years. “Most of the members were farmers who lived in that area.” In 1969, the church built a new facility in southeast Madera and made the big move into town.

“The church started out with no paid staff, leaders were chosen from among the members. Attendance was about 40 people in the Dixieland church. The church now has a full-time pastor, a part-time youth pastor, an administrative assistant, and a janitor. Attendance runs between 60 and 75 people on Sundays.”

Around twelve of the Dixieland Church members still attend MABC. While the programs have changed through the years, corporate prayer time has always been a part of MABC, as has tithing to missions outside the church. They also strive for a strong feeling of family.

For their Centennial Celebration, MABC will begin their festivities on Saturday afternoon October 12 with a tour of the Dixieland area, beginning at their current location of 124 Walnut in Madera. “At the church there will be displays and 3 slide shows going continually with photos from throughout the 100 years,” continued Christine. The dinner that evening will take place at the 4th St. Church of God at 222 North N St. in Madera.
They will be serving traditional German food such as verenika, beerocks, and German sausage and there will be a program afterwards with District Minister Gary Wall speaking.

On Sunday morning, October 13, there will be a service at MABC with former pastor Greg Langley speaking and a BBQ meal will be served. Both programs will feature videos from former pastors and youth leaders and memories shared from the past.

Everyone is welcome to attend this celebration at no cost, however you must RSVP to Christine at 559-232-1751  by September 15. You can learn more about the church and its history on their website.

Mennonite Aid Plan’s computer records don’t go back 100 years, but MAP found an application from the church dating back to 1983.

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) takes the adage about teaching a man to fish to a whole new level with its work fighting poverty through entrepreneurship.

Founded in 1953, MEDA helps poor people in developing countries start or grow their own businesses by providing access to training programs, global markets, improved technology, financial services, and equity investment.

It provides this assistance in the hopes the businesses will provide their communities with a sustainable source of income and that their founders – many of whom are women and youth from rural areas – will inspire others to do the same.

Visit MEDA’s website at meda.org to learn more about the association and how you can get involved in its work. It provides visitors with opportunities to make cash donation and learn more about how they can invest in the businesses it helps.

You’re committed to helping your community thrive, giving students the tools for success, and rewarding those who exemplify positive values. Why should your financial institution be any different?

Founded in 1945, Everence is a faith-based financial services organization that provides banking, charitable giving, Medicare supplemental insurance, and financial planning services to members of the Anabaptist faith community.

It’s also given more than $267 million back to the community over the past four years through programs like:

• the Everence Sharing Fund, that helps people meet their basic living expenses,
• the MyNeighbor credit card that donates part of each transaction to charity,
• and a community development investing program that channels 1 percent of its mutual fund family’s assets toward providing economic opportunities in disadvantaged communities.

Everence also supports communities around the globe with college scholarships, grant programs that help churches protect children, and a “Journey Award” program that recognizes role models by making a charitable donation in their name. Visit www.everence.com to learn more about Everence, its services and its commitment to the community.

Mennonite Insurance Services is proud to be a partner with Everence at local events throughout the years. We are a sponsor of the upcoming night of insight, inspiration and stories of generosity hosted by Everence at Willow Avenue Mennonite Church in Fresno, CA on Sept 13, 2018. Click here for details.