展開屬天翅膀 如鷹展翅上騰

做月餅的檢討與回顧

今年做月餅，和整個收割季節結合在一起，是第二年。剛好這一年，我們預定要去加拿大參加宗派播道年會，也要去溫哥華探訪宣教士，所以於情於理，都該讓同工獨立起來負責這個做月餅的計畫。為了找到適合的人選，我早在半年之前就開始禱告，讓同工上線，幸好神的帶領，讓去年負責做皮的同工繼續支持，做餡的同工決定不回國，就讓何太太答應了這個總策劃的工作。所以我今年在做月餅的事工上的挑戰，就在於如何協助何太太獨立運作。何太太的能力沒有問題，人際關係也很好，更重要的是能夠抓得清楚方向，雖然之前因為工作的原故從來沒有參加過做月餅，再加上新的廚房有新的變數和挑戰，但感謝主她願意臨危受命，過程中也的確需要克服了一些場地安排的挑戰，但整個結果相當令人滿意。特別是她也主動地寫下了整個回顧報告(像我去年一樣)，真的是多走了一哩路，非常感恩! 我們就可以將這個報告給歸檔，下次可以再使用。所以這次做月餅的突破，對我而言就是讓位出來，讓同工有獨立運作的機會、並且有成功的經驗。這樣不論我將來是不是在場，都可以順利進行。

看完了她總結的報告，看到了關於做月餅的姐妹們的回顧，我有一些感觸。因為大部份的做月餅參予者會把焦點放在月餅的品質、數量、口感、包裝或是模具可以如何改進。這些當然很重要，但是卻不是重點。一個成功的做月餅活動，月餅本身只是其中一個環結而已，若是主導者掌握不住重點，就會變成了做月餅比賽。不能期望所有的弟兄姐妹都能看到其他的層面，但是唯有領導的人一定要有這些格局和眼界:

這個活動有沒有幫助我們和母會有更好的交流和合一?

這個活動有沒有更多幫助我們弟兄姐妹凝聚在一起?

這活動有沒有激發我們出去探訪和宣教的熱情? 有沒有再次提醒我們身為教會的責任和身為門徒的使命?

是否有透過這事工更好的建造同工，成全聖徒? 

我們有沒有透過這個活動，邀請其他新人參予加入(慕道友)，更多認識彼此(剛來的新信徒)，更多認識我們教會的價值和理念? 我們有沒有善用這個機會，成為一個傳福音的管道?

是否有將出去探訪的月餅領取名單做好整理及統計，來交給禱告會來跟進禱告?

是否有將月餅的數量給善加利用，價值最大化?!　除了鼓勵弟兄姐妹領取月餅去探訪之外，另外還有：　(比方說國際學生事工)，也同時連繫牧者及其他華人教會之間的感情(也送給其他教會來同時邀請感恩節事工)? 週二的姐妹查經班點心桌、牧者辨公室。

以上這些都是需要多加考慮的，所以做下紀錄，讓之後主持的侯選人可以更有概念。

WCC Mooncake Baking                                              Thursday 20180920

1)    Welcome

2)    Opening prayer

3)    Brief Introduction

4)    Table arrangements/leaders

5)    Refreshment snacks provided by Sharon Tien (authentic moon cakes), Jeanne Yang, Xinru Zhou (homemade mung bean cakes, candy and Chen Pei Mui) and Dawn Ho (mixed fruits).

GOAL = 350 moon cakes                                                            

120 large moon cakes 100 g (50 g dough, 50 g paste)

230 small moon cakes 50 (25 g dough, 25 g paste)

Red Bean Paste –

Large: 70

Small: 140

Red Date Paste –

Large: 50

Small: 90

Actual Production: 317

Volunteers:

Jeanne Yang, Susan Ng, Felicia Lau, Vanessa Chang, Xinru Zhou, Vicky Lin, Irene Tao, Lila Cummings, Anna Yang, Mei Hsiang Chen, Vivien Loyd, Summer Jin, Joan (Summer’s English teacher), Lisa Wang, Stephanie Craig, Sara Swartzendruber, Lynn Mattson, Paula Ghazarian, Christopher Leong, Jiawai Shi, Lily Sun, Dawn Ho, 2 American lady observers from Tuesday Connection (22+2) came in for a little while. Jo Coltrain came in and made one small moon cake around 3 p.m. Marcia Guggisburg also stopped by later, tried some mung bean cakes and took some home. Another Thursday Friends staff stopped by after 4:30 p.m. trying to learn how to make moon cake, and tried one sixth of a big red bean paste moon cake.

Vivian did not come as she had to work.

Ingredients:

Red Bean Paste

Red Bean 2400 g (7 bags of red beans, “Twin Dolphin” each 350 g x7, 2450 g, $1.49/bag) from Kimson

Sugar 1440 g

Vegetable oil (soy base) 576 g

Butter (softened) 576 g

Flour (cooked) 120 g

1)      Cook the red beans (2 bags per time) in instant pots for 50 minutes with little water, enough to cover the beans

2)      Blend the beans in blender until smooth

3)      Repeat the above until all beans are blended

4)      Stir in vegetable oil and sugar, mix well

5)      In large pan, stir fry the mixture until smooth, add in melted butter, and continue to stir.

6)      Add in cooked flour when mixture becomes non-sticky

7)      Remove from pan

8)      Let it cool and store in freezer, thaw until two days prior to use

Red Dates Paste (recipe provided by Linda Yao)

10 lbs fresh red dates, $1.99/lb (4 bags) from Kimson, 6 bags of dried dates, 14 oz per bag, $5.49/bag from ThaiAn, another large bag of dried dates donated from Linda (1:1 ratio)

1)      2 bags of dried red dates (28 oz), soak in water until softened, put in small pot of boiling water and cook for a while until softened, remove skin and stones.

2)      1 bag of fresh dates, put in small pot of boiling water and cook for a while until softened, remove skin and stones.

3)      Combine the above, using blender until smooth. In a large pan, stir fry the mixture, add one cup of oil, 1 to-1.5 cups of sugar as desired until non-sticky, and add 2 tablespoons of cooked flour or sweet rice flour to complete the process.

4)      Let it cool and store in freezer, thaw (put in fridge) one day prior to use.

Dough Recipe (Lily will provide details)

Inverted Sugar

Sugar, lemon juice

Combine the above ingredients in a large pot, using high heat, stir constantly, change to medium heat, continue to stir until all dissolved.   Remove from heat and this will turn to inverted sugar. Store in room temperature until ready to use. This inverted sugar can be used as long as a year from its production date.

Dough

All purpose flour 25 lbs

Vegetable oil

Water

Alkaline water

Needed equipments:

Spray, brushes, more scales (at least one per table). A soft, small pointed brush will be more effective than a hard large brush or a silicon brush. 

Baking Procedure:

Pre-heat convectional oven to 325 degree

Spray water briefly on the moon cakes

Bake moon cakes for 5 minutes, remove from oven, and brush with egg wash

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degree and continue to bake for 10 minutes for large ones and 5 minutes for small ones or until they are golden brown

Store the moon cakes in room temperature for 2 days

Best time of consumption will be 2-3 days after the moon cakes are baked, when the skin has absorbed the oil from the filling and become moister and the moon cakes will have a deep golden brown color.

Pre-test: Thursday September 13, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Volunteers: Xinru Zhou, Jeanne Yang, Vivian Voo & Dawn Ho

6 large pans of red bean paste, each frying for an hour to become the texture desired (non-sticky). See detailed recipe above.

Packing bags

1)      Anleolife 50 pieces, sheer orga. . . kages pouches (transparent), 2 bags, total 100 pieces (X000SMTZGL).

2)      5 in x 7 in flat cello. . . closure (clear bags), pack of 100 (X000XHOR7X)

Ordered by Vivian – total cost about $26

Moon cake distribution:

At the end of the event, each volunteer helper was given 1-2 small moon cakes to take home.

73 large moon cakes distributed to friends/potential visitors for BLESS movement, including 1 for Lindsay Ayres (from Tuesday Connection, for her Mandarin speaking friend).

37 small to Rod Bevan for him, Joy and the international group that regularly meets at his house on Wednesday evenings.

6 large to Jo Coltrain for Tuesday Connection

14 small to church staff

Rest of the moon cakes, about 80 bags (non-zipper sandwich), either 2 small ones or 1 large one, distributed on Sunday September 23 to all who showed up at lunch, including some pre-registered by their friends since they were unable to show up on September 23.

FEEDBACK & SUGGESTIONS:

Best moon cake ever over all these years!! Praise the Lord!

Dough was soft and fillings right texture and tasty! Both great!

Right amount of fillings, dough a little more than needed, surplus dough taken home by volunteers.

Recommended to only make large moon cakes in the future (preference for square moulds) and one flavor – red bean paste, more easy to make and less costly. May need to purchase/order more large moulds with church logos.

Open up pre-test to those interested to help and to learn how to make the fillings.

Divide helpers more evenly on 2 tasks: wrapping the moon cakes and baking.

Needed more space, both kitchen and gym. So, Thursday might not be a good date, alternative dates will be Tuesday or Friday.

Use air-tight plastic containers to pack moon cakes (rather than plastic bags), can buy from Hong Kong, more resources there and less costly.