AN ANGEL FOOD CAKE FROM AN ANGEL

I’ve had many occupations in my life.  Some were careers, some were simply “jobs”.  But one was a particular inspiration for me.  For a few years, I was the secretary for the Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio.  My Grandparents had been Methodists, so I really felt right at home in the beautiful stone Church.  My office was in the hallway just outside the gorgeous glass sanctuary, and on snowy Winter days, I loved to go in there to sit and watch the snow falling outside. 

Eventually, Steve and I started attending the Church and even joining Spirit Wind, the adult Bell Choir!   Friendship had a Thursday afternoon Ladies Study, where the entire group read the same book and then met to discuss it and I got to attend those.  I even got Mom and my sister Linda attending the Senior Citizens monthly luncheons, when they always had a very interesting speaker (one month they even had a rep from the Cincinnati Zoo, who brought all sorts of wonderful animals!).  We had a special Christmas concert each year and often invited the Cincinnati Police Bag Pipe Players to come for a concert.  And every December, the Woman’s Club played host to Mrs. Claus’s Sweet Shoppe in the Fellowship Hall, selling all sort of delights after each service.  Friendship was by far the most active Church I had ever attended.

I worked directly under the Church Head Minister, Pastor Bob Thomas.   He was a soft-spoken, gentle man who was everything you could imagine your pastor being.  His wife was as sweet a woman as you could ever meet named Mary Beth.  She, too, was very quiet and  submissive, never tried to over-extend her role as Pastor’s Wife, and it was obvious to all that Pastor Bob was her Shepherd as well as ours. 

On my first day there, Mary Beth came to my office bringing me a gift.  She had baked one of her famous Angel Food Cakes and wanted me to take it home to share with Steve.  I would later come to know that Angel Food Cakes were Mary Beth’s signature gift.  Whenever anyone was new to the church or under a burden in their life, Mary Beth shared this gift from her heart, and everyone loved and appreciated her for it.   And I saw in Mary Beth Thomas a meek and loving heart, a lamb in so many ways. 

Pastor Bob and Mary Beth (along with their daughter Kate) were transferred to a United Methodist Church in Akron and more recently to one near Columbus, Ohio.  But when I think back to my days at Friendship, I will always picture it with Pastor Bob at the helm.  I see my friend Cindy, steering all the children in the Church in her role as Educational Director, and I see many who were so dear to me … Diane, Joan, Liz, Roberta, Danielle, Sharon and so many others.  And my mind takes me to a verse of Scripture that is so meaningful to me when it comes to Friendship United Methodist:  (Ephesians 1:16)  I do not cease to give thanks for you, as I remember you in my prayers.  

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

9 egg whites

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 cup cake flour (no substitutions!)

1-1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/4 tsp. salt

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature  for about 30 minutes. 

Sift 1/2 cup sugar and the cake flour together twice; set aside.

Place oven rack in the lowest position.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

To egg whites, add cream of tartar and the extracts; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. 

Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 T. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.  Slowly fold in flour mixture,  1/2 cup at a time.  Spoon into ungreased 10-inch tube pan.  Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Bake 35-40 minutes until browned and dry.  Immediately invert pan; cool about 1 hour.  Run a knife around sides and center of tube of pan.  Remove cake to serving plate.