Paul teaches that Communion (the Lord's Supper) is a sacred, communal act of remembering Christ’s sacrifice and proclaiming his death until he returns. Communion is meant to be a shared experience that reinforces the unity of the body of Christ, not a place for social distinctions. Two Dakotas Conference congregations experienced the unity of the body of Christ on Maundy Thursday.

Steele UMC’s youth group shares the lesson of unleavened bread.

During Lent, Rev. Don Dinger, pastor at Steele United Methodist Church in North Dakota, received a loaf of homemade bread from Nancy DeVore. She is a member of the congregation. He was thinking about how to involve the youth in Holy Week, and then God planted an idea.

“The Lord gave me the idea to invite the youth to bake bread and serve it for communion at our Maundy Thursday service. I don’t often get big ideas. I was thankful for the nudge from God,” stated Pastor Dinger. “I just had to think about how to make it happen. Then, Nancy came to me with a loaf of homemade bread.”

He didn’t hesitate to ask her if she would make unleavened bread with the youth. Nancy immediately replied, “Of course!”

After a several-year hiatus, the youth group at Steele UMC relaunched its ministry last year. There are nine active community members, with only two from the UMC congregation.

Steele youth group with matzoh.

On the Wednesday evening preceding the Maundy Thursday service, seven youths gathered to break bread. Pastor Don began the evening with a lesson about the importance of communion with unleavened bread to the Israelites. He explained that unleavened bread (matzoh) is a permanent, edible memorial for the Israelites, reminding them of their hasty exodus from Egyptian bondage. The bread represents both their forced flight and dependence on God. As the "bread of affliction," it shows purity, separation from sin (leaven), and the rapid, divine deliverance.

“I started by teaching the importance of unleavened bread to the Israelites and then turned it over to Nancy. She was so great with the youth. She divided the duties. Everyone took part. No one complained,” said Pastor Don. “They got to experience hands-on Paul’s words—a shared experience that reinforces the unity of the body of Christ.”

The round loaves of bread had circles carved on the top that looked like a compass. Two of the loaves were cut up for communion.

“One of the things that stood out was that by removing the yeast, the bread didn’t rise. That yeast can symbolize sin and temptation. When we add just a little bit of yeast, sin and temptation rise,” described Pastor Don.

The youth came forward during the communion liturgy to present the bread and the juice. They stayed at the altar during the Words of Institution. The last loaf of bread was broken then.

“It was just neat. Everybody could experience the homemade unleavened bread that the youth created,” shared Pastor Don. “A true experience of the Body of Christ.”

Hands-on activities, bread baking, and decorating cups—chalices, bring faith alive at Spirit of Faith.

At Spirit of Faith, a United Methodist Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church of America congregation in Woonsocket, South Dakota, three children prepared for Maundy Thursday by baking bread and decorating their own chalice in anticipation of receiving communion for the first time.

“It is a tradition here. Children, usually in third grade, receive their First Communion at the service on Maundy Thursday. The entire congregation enjoys it and looks forward to the service,” shares Dr. John Anderson, pastor at Spirit of Faith.

At Spirit of Faith, baking unleavened bread builds understanding.

A major highlight is baking their own bread and decorating a cup or chalice. The children, Pastor John, and Julie Davis select a day that works for everyone to gather. The day includes some instruction about communion. They also bake unleavened bread and decorate cups to use as individual chalices.

“We start out with the bread baking. Julie does an awesome job baking bread with the kids. She makes sure each gets a chance to contribute to the recipe and get their hands dirty! While the bread bakes, we go into the sanctuary for a short lesson on communion, focusing on what it is and why we do it—to remember what Jesus did for us. And the most important point I try to make is how important and special it is that they now have a place at the table, ” describes Pastor John.

“Next, we take the bread out of the oven and paint the little cups they will use in their first communion. We encourage the kids to create their own designs and talk about their design with family as they create it."

They are premade ceramic cups. After the design is added, Pastor John takes them to a kiln to be fired.

After they've finished painting, I gather the cups and bring them to be fired. When the cups are ready, the kids are told to find me before the Maundy Thursday service. At that time, I gave them their fired cup. It's so neat to see the look on their faces when they see how it turned out,” shared Pastor John.

On Maundy Thursday, the children receiving communion for the first time are invited forward with their families.

“To see the eagerness of the children and their families as they step forward makes it meaningful,” Pastor John said. “This year, one of our first-time recipients actually cheered and pumped her arms in front of the congregation because she was so excited to receive communion!”

The unleavened bread that the children have baked is broken into pieces and put in baskets, ready to serve. One loaf is set aside to use for the Words of Institution and broken then. The children bring their cups when they come forward with their families.

“The youth come forward with their family, and first, I do a blessing for this faith milestone. The kids hold their cups up during the blessing. The youth then receive communion first, tasting the bread they baked and receiving the juice, poured by their parents into their painted cups,” said Pastor John.

Attendance at the Maundy Thursday service is strong. Grandparents, baptismal sponsors, and other extended family members attend because it celebrates a significant faith milestone. Extra chairs are set up in the adjacent fellowship area. Attendance is often well over 100 people.

“Baking the bread and designing their own cup is a wonderful hands-on activity. It brings faith alive, as well as the meaning of communion,” shared Pastor John. “It is a true expression of the openness of our communion table. The children and their families learn this by preparing the bread for the entire congregation, and making their own cups, that Jesus has a place for each of us at the table, and on this special night, he is excited to welcome them.”