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.

Twenty Years

June 25, 2012.Reading time 15 minutes.

This year at Annual Conference, there was a very brief recognition of those of us celebrating “five year” anniversaries in ministry. (Five, ten, fifteen, etc…) For me, the actual number is twenty. Twenty years. Back in those days, you were actually first ordained as a Deacon. To get real technical (and, why not?) my ordination […]

Nineteen Years

May 29, 2012.Reading time 2 minutes.

Today is our 19-year anniversary. Hard to imagine that so much time has gone by. On our one year anniversary, Dennise said something like “Wow, the year has really flown.” I replied, inelegantly, “Are you kidding? It’s been the longest year of my life.” It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. Well, maybe it was. […]

Post-General Conference Sermon

May 7, 2012.Reading time less than 1 minute.

For those outside our Northaven community, you might be interested in my sermon at our Reconciling United Methodist Church yesterday. Feel free to leave comments if you wish…EF (At one point, you will hear me pause. Our member, George Crawford, was celebrating his 90th Birthday, and perhaps felt a little more freedom than usual to […]

I Know Families Like Zach’s. They Bless Me.

May 3, 2012.Reading time 3 minutes.

I know this will sound like bragging, but I know kids like Zach.I know mothers like Zach’s mothers. God blesses us by bringing them to us as members of the Northaven community.(Sometimes as full members. Sometimes as “friends”) Being a family is hard work. It takes the love and support of many. That “many” ought […]

Questions for General Conference Delegates (About the Global Church)

April 29, 2012.Reading time 10 minutes.

Dear General Conference Delegates: While you are still in session in Tampa, there is still time to ask/answer questions about the nature of our global United Methodist Church. If the questions in this blog cannot be answered through the legislative process at this point, perhaps they can be discussed through informal “holy conferencing.” I have […]

Every Love You Find

April 28, 2012.Reading time 2 minutes.

Another new song, from the songwriter group. Man o man, am I grateful to them and their continued support and encouragement. Hope you like it… EVERY LOVE YOU FIND I don’t have the words to say That could take your pain away So, let us bear this silence, just us two But when it comes […]

Pulled Over By A Cop Car On the Bike Trail

April 27, 2012.Reading time 14 minutes.

Far too often, we hide behind masks of status, role, function. Sometimes power. Far too often, we are walking/talking stereotypes. We regress to mean, even those of us who like to think of ourselves as edgy or “alternative.” (Have you ever noticed how much marketing is done to “alternative” people? It’s big business, like everything […]

The magic button — Make Everything OK

April 23, 2012.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The magic button — Make Everything OK

To Whom Much Is Given (A Good Friday Meditation)

April 12, 2012.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Below is video of my closing meditation at the “Good Friday Walk,” sponsored by the Dallas Area Christian Progressive Alliance. The audio’s a bit hard to hear for the first minute…but stay with it….it gets better. Many thanks to them for asking me. (As always, if you like this post, then “share it” or “like” […]

The Peace of Wild Things

April 7, 2012.Reading time 1 minute.

“When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,I go and lie down where the wood drakerests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.I come into the peace of wild things who […]