Author: ericfolkerth

Eric Folkerth is a minister, musician, author and blogger. He is Senior Pastor of Kessler Park UMC United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Previously, he was pastor at Northaven UMC in Dallas for seventeen years. Eric loves to write on topics of spirituality, social justice, music/art and politics. The entries on this blog reflect that diversity of interests. His passion for social justice goes beyond mere words. Eric was arrested at the White House, defending immigrants and “The Dreamers;” and he’s officiated at same sex weddings. Eric was the 2017 recipient of the prestigeous Kuchling Humanitarian Award from Dallas’ Black Tie Dinner. (Human Rights Campaign) Eric has led or co-led hundreds of persons on mission trips to build houses and bring medical care around the globe, to places such as Mexico, Haiti, Russia, Guatemala, and Nepal. He is proud of have shephereded Highland Park UMC's construction of ten Habitat for Humanity homes, (and one Community Center) and helped forge an alliance with Habitat that led to the construction of 100 homes in Dallas, housing thousands of people. His wife, Justice Dennise Garcia, has 20 years experience as a state district judge and appelate justice in North Texas. First elected in 2004, she was the first Latina ever elected to a Dallas County state district bench, and she she left that position whe was the longest currently serving district judge. In 2020 Dennise Garcia was a elected as a Justice of the 5th District Court of Appeals for Texas. She is currently running to be Chief of the 5th District Court of Appeals in the 2024 cycle. They have the world’s best daughter, Maria, who is a practicing professional counselor in Dallas. Find links to Eric’s music-related websites, at the top of this site’s navigation menu.

Let the penalty fix the “crime”

January 22, 2014.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Originally posted on We Your People, Ours the Journey:
Here we go again… A month after the Board of Ordained Ministry in Pennsylvania stripped Rev. Frank Schaefer of his ordination credentials for officiating at his son’s wedding and refusing to state he would follow the entirety of the Book of Discipline in the future, the…

Media Coverage of Bill Mac’s Decision to Perform Same Sex Weddings

January 21, 2014.Reading time 2 minutes.

It’s been a busy couple of days, since Bill McElvaney’s announcement that he will perform same sex weddings. Lot’s of stories popping up in the media and blogs today, and even more coming in print later this week. If you missed the original story, here’s Bill’s statement that has caused all the fuss. Here’s my […]

Not Everybody Gets To Be Martin Luther King

January 20, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

“Do Justice. Love Kindness. Walk Humbly with God.” Not everybody gets to be Martin Luther King Jr. I suppose that’s relatively self-evident. But on the day we celebrate his legacy, it’s an important point not to miss. I happen to believe the next great Civil Rights struggle –the struggle of LGBT justice– is the grandchild […]

Northaven’s Steps Toward Same Sex Marriage

January 19, 2014.Reading time 10 minutes.

This morning at Northaven Church, our Emeritus Pastor, Rev. Bill McElvaney, announced his intention to perform same sex weddings. Bill has led our church, our city, and helped lead our denomination, for forty years. He continues to lead us now. The people of Northaven gave him a five-minute standing ovation at the conclusion of his […]

Rev. Bill McElvaney Intends to Perform Same Sex Weddings

January 19, 2014.Reading time 8 minutes.

As a part of the “Follow Your Heartbreak” series at Northaven Church this morning, Rev. Bill McElvaney has announced his intention to preside at same sex weddings. The full text of this remarks is below. Rev. McElvaney is a retired United Methodist Elder, and emeritus pastor of Northaven Church. In addition to a successful pastoral […]

The Down Elevator

January 11, 2014.Reading time 2 minutes.

Leaving the hospital with my father-in-law just now, we shared an elevator down with an evangelical/Bible Church preacher. I’ve done enough hospital visits over twenty years to be able to pick them out. He was a short man. A foot shorter than me. Stocky. Built like an NFL linebacker. How did I know he was […]

Elaine Heath: ” A New Set of Questions about Sex and Sin”

January 10, 2014.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Elaine Heath: ” A New Set of Questions about Sex and Sin” Worth passing on. I think she nails it here: “It is past time to ask new, better questions about sexual virtue and sexual vice. The springboard for the new questions is not genitalia but imago Dei, the inherent sanctity and dignity of human […]

A Good Year with Daisy

January 2, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.

“Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do. I’m half crazy all for the love of you.” Daisy joined our family a year ago today. After some months grieving our dog, Grace, Dennise and me had agreed that “sometime after the first of the year” would be a good time to look for a new one. […]

Faces of the Enemy. Faces of the Friend.

January 1, 2014.Reading time 6 minutes.

I’ve been troubled by the stories of the Volgograd bombings. More troubling to me are stories that additional suicide bombers may be fanning out across Russia. Reports are that Saratov is on high-alert right now. Many years ago now, I had the honor of visiting Saratov, Russia nine times over a seven-year period. These were […]

Follow Your Heartbreak

December 31, 2013.Reading time 6 minutes.

“If you want to find your passion, surrender to your heartbreak. Your heartbreak points toward a truer north…” –Umair Haque “Follow Your Heartbreak.” It’s a new way of discerning what your purpose and calling in life truly is. The ideas were first written down by Umair Haque in a blog he wrote (of all places) […]