A seed was planted
Founding Board Member Brian Russell, M.Div, Graduate Certificate in Spirituality & Health, Wake Forest University Schools of Medicine and Divinity, describes this memory:
“In 2011 I was introduced to sensory worship. I was invited by Melissa Guthrie Loy to offer music for a worship service that worked to engage all of our senses… We relied on music, images, sounds, smells, touch (and some words) to create a refreshingly tactile telling of the Gospel story. The service was inviting and engaging to everyone present, regardless of abilities, and we knew we had embarked on a profound journey… That experience left me excited for more and that is why I followed Melissa, whose creativity is matched by her passion, on the journey to forming this nonprofit.”
Brian is the Director of Contemporary Worship and Creative Arts at Memorial United Methodist Church in Thomasville, NC, and Interim Senior Pastor at Grace-Lower Stone Church. He has published The Complete Contemporary Worship Handbook: How to Build and Sustain Meaningful Worship in Modern Denominational Churches.
Roots
Stemming from the vision of Melissa Guthrie Loy, growing because of the support of like-minded visionaries, Salvage Garden was incorporated in January 2012. We honor the memory of Cindy Good, M.Div., Wake Forest University School of Divinity, who nurtured this organization from its inception with her passion, her time and her resources, and her humor.
Branches
Sensory worship is one of the organization’s branches of service. The organization provides training and education as well as sibling support for brothers and sisters of individuals with disabilities. Workshops and presentations focus on expansion (often referred to as inclusion), diversity, difference, advocacy, belonging, tolerance, hospitality, embodied theology, and disability theology.
Among other publications, Salvage Garden was featured in The Christian Century. This article tells our story.
We hope you will be a part of the story.