First Good News – Sunday 24th May 2020
Hi everyone and welcome again to ‘First Good News’. You’ve been busy this week knitting and crocheting, building a grass mountain, baking and being on television!
As one of you commented, ‘If this lockdown doesn’t end soon, we will be overrun with gnomes, babies and assorted stuffed animals!’
Thanks for the photos!
If you’ve been out and about, you’ll have noticed how busy our farmers are at the moment – no doubt they’re all adding, ‘We’re always busy!’ Stephen sent this picture with the comment, ‘Grass mountain being built. Whatever else is around seedtime and harvest will prevail. We have that promise.’ (Indeed, we do: Genesis 8:22)
One member of our congregation has been baking more than ever following his wife’s unfortunate injury. Can you guess who? Photo of recently made Chocolate Cake and recipe for Zucchini Bread (with helpful comments):
Zucchini (courgette)bread recipe;
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini about 1 medium courgette
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins
3 eggs
1 cup oil
Method:
In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, soda zucchini, nuts and raisins
in another bowl beat eggs and oil. Pour over flour mixture and stir until moistened. Turn into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
Bake in 190c oven fan 180c 1 hour 30 minutes or until pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, invert on rack ,turn top side up and cool completely.
The confession: My first effort awful as I put in 3/4 cup baking soda, which I then tried to take out. Not a good idea, but a lesson learned- follow the recipe. 2nd effort delicious. I have now done pancakes, chocolate sponge and am about to do Empire biscuits . Good luck with your baking!
And finally, one of our members, Jim Kilpatrick has been on BBC TV and website contributing to a piece: ‘Coronavirus: What’s it like to be shielding during pandemic?’ Below are some of Jim’s comments during the programme:
“When you’re in this category, where you need to be extremely careful, it is going to be difficult to go back to the normal things that we did and the way that we did them.”
“I’m very pragmatic. We are where we are at the moment. I don’t find it difficult, but I know others do.”
“It’s there for our health and our safety, and if it has to continue for a few more weeks, so be it…..It just makes the joy at the end of it, whenever we can get back with our family and friends, all the greater.”
Thank you, Jim, wise words….reminding me of these words from the Apostle Paul in Philippians, ‘I have learned the secret of being content in each and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.’ Philippians 4:12-13