Petals? Some of the things blooming in us and through us. Sometimes the things we’re shedding. Pedals? Life is an interesting ride. Keep pedaling. Rest often. Enjoy the journey. This page is an unpredictable collection of posts: excerpts from or adaptations of messages at The Banquet and beautiful or beautifully frustrating things we hear and read from one another.
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The Beatitudes Here and Now and “Fuck ICE Forever”
Original message shared by Rev. Melissa Guthrie with Come and Worship on February 1, 2026. Come and Worship is a unique Moravian Church that meets weekly in Winston Salem at The Enrichment Center, with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Melissa is one of their visiting ministers. Because of snow and ice, the February 1 gathering was…
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You’ve Got Mail: Tough times will pass
On January 24, Salvage Gardeners began unpacking Paul’s letter to the Romans, looking at identity, Paul’s and ours; and we started writing letters to our neighbors and world. You can read kind words from Salvage Garden here on our blog and in Facebook posts. Many of these are love letters to you. What message of…
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You’ve Got Mail: You are welcome here
On January 24, Salvage Gardeners began unpacking Paul’s letter to the Romans, looking at identity, Paul’s and ours; and we started writing letters to our neighbors and world. You can read kind words from Salvage Garden here on our blog and in Facebook posts. Many of these are love letters to you. What message of…
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You’ve Got Mail: You are a gift to this troubled world
On January 24, Salvage Gardeners began unpacking Paul’s letter to the Romans, looking at identity, Paul’s and ours; and we started writing letters to our neighbors and world. You can read kind words from Salvage Garden here on our blog and in Facebook posts. Many of these are love letters to you. What message of…
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You’ve Got Mail: Letter Writing and Writing Our Stories
Excerpts from the message by Melissa Guthrie at The Banquet: Sensory Worship on January 24, 2026, reflecting on Romans 1:1-7 Do you send mail? Not email but mail? Not bills and cards but letters? My mother loves mail! She sends cards with letters and almost always includes stamps. I think I’m supposed to use those…
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Mary, Martha, Mary Oliver, Dragons, Bicycles and Monasteries
Original message shared by Rev. Melissa Guthrie at Come and Worship on July 20, 2025, in Winston Salem, NC, and The Banquet with Salvage Garden on July 26, 2025, in Greensboro, NC. Visit one or both of these faith communities! I understand you recently read and talked about the Good Samaritan, taking care of each…