Bio

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. He’s been arrested at the White House, defending immigrants and “The Dreamers,” and he’s officiated at same sex weddings in his churches, in defiance of what some believe is Methodist teaching.

Eric is an avid blogger and published author, and 2017 recipient of the prestigeous Kuchling Humanitarian Award from Dallas’ Black Tie Dinner. (Human Rights Campaign)

Eric is also an award-winning singer-songwriter, who performs throughout Texas and the Southwest. His songs have won honorable mention in both the Billboard and Great American song contests; and he’s been a finalist in the 5th Street Festival and South Florida Folk Festival songwriter competitions.

He’s also a leader of Connections, a unique band comprised of United Methodist clergy and layfolk from throughout North Texas. Connections performs “cover shows” of artists like Dan Fogelberg, Chicago, Eagles, Doobie Brothers, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor and others. Their shows draw crowds of between 300 and 1,000 fans, and they have raised more than $350,000 dollars for worthy charities.

Eric has led or co-led hundreds of persons on mission trips around the globe, to places such as Mexico, Haiti, Russia, and Nepal. He has worked with lay persons to build ten homes, and one Community Center, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Dallas. He’s a popular preacher, and often tackles challenging issues of social justice in his writings and sermons.

His wife, Dennise Garcia, is a Justice with 5th District Court of Appeals for the State of Texas; and was the first Latina ever elected to a state district bench in Dallas County, serving in that role for seventeen years. She also performed the first Same Sex wedding in the State of Texas, the day of the Obergerfell decision.

They live in a unique log house in the heart of Old East Dallas, and have the world’s smartest and most beautiful daughter, Maria, and an amazing dog, Daisy.

Find links to Eric’s music-related websites, at the top of this site’s navigation menu.

3 thoughts on “Bio

  1. I thoroughly enjoyed your blog, “Dear American Christians.” I then read your bio and thought, “why can’t I find a guy like this with a church like his in my home town!” Kudos to you for the diversity you are celebrating!

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