Rev. Dave Kowaleski's Blog
"Dining on the Word"
In Jesus' ministry we see times when even he found it necessary to get away for a period of rest and refreshment. Many times he would go to a place away from the crowds and distractions. If this were important for Jesus it is something we too need to do for our health and well being.
One of the places I go to get away from the crowds and distractions is the kitchen. Not to eat, but to pull out a favorite recipe. I find that when I start measuring and reading the directions I can put all else aside, concentrate on what I'm preparing and end up with a creative and fulfilling result.
In thinking about this article, I thought of taking all of this a step further. For the course of this year and into next, I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes and looking at them from a biblical perspective. The title of this series will be "Dining on the Word." I hope that this will offer something different but meaningful to our journey of faith. Remember, some of Jesus' most effective ministry was centered around a meal.
July 2009
Today’s recipe puts a new twist on Pizza. It’s a tomato pizza made with phyllo dough. With summer here it makes a great meal using fresh tomatoes. It’s a way of rethinking pizza.
This reflects one of the major themes we heard at this year’s East Ohio Annual Conference. In today’s world maybe that’s something we ought to be doing as the church. Over the past year we’ve seen many companies rethinking the way they make and present their products. Maybe it’s time we rethink church.
In many ways that’s what Jesus did. He presented a new dynamic of the church that had an impact on the world and the lives of people. John Wesley followed the same example in England and helped change the course of a nation. Both understood the importance of Sabbath worship, but most of their ministry and effectiveness was accomplished on Monday through Saturday. The work and message of the gospel is the
same but it’s up to us to rethink church and engage our community.
We do this by paying more attention not to what we want but to what God is doing and how he directs us. We do this by focusing on our mission to community beyond the doors of the church. We do it by encouraging new ministries and ideas through our actions. As Paul tells us in I Corinthians 2:9, “But as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for
PHYLLO TOMATO PIZZA
1 small can sliced mushrooms (drained)
8 sheets phyllo dough (18 in. X 14 in.)
7 to 9 Italian tomatoes (sliced)
1½ tsp minced fresh oregano or
7 Tbs. grated Parmesan Cheese (divided)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced fresh thyme or ¼ tsp dried thyme
Brush a 15’ x 10’ x 1’ baking pan with some of the melted butter.
Lay two sheets of phyllo in the pan, folding edges in to fit (I keep the remaining dough covered with a damp dish towel to avoid drying out)
Brush dough with butter and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. Parmesan
Repeat single layers five times with butter and cheese, folding edges from each layer
Top with remaining dough, folding edges to fit pan; brush with remaining butter.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; arrange onion, mushrooms and tomatoes over the cheese.
Sprinkle with oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden.
