Kessler Park United Methodist Church

11/15/2024

We hope everyone gets a chance to read this moving reflection from our own Oscar Brown.
This little moments that break down walls between us...that create community, trust, and compassion...this is literally the heart of God's call to us at challenging times like the ones we now live in.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AXFRE44AV/

11/10/2024

Worship from Kessler Park UMC in Dallas. 11.03.24

11/10/2024

In a week of confusion, we open the doors…a simple act we do each Sunday.
Many of you know this “1215 door.” You see it on your walks through our property here.

And every Sunday, we open this door. For decades and decades. No matter what has happened in our world.

We say to all of our members, neighbors, and friends: you are welcome here.

Because: that’s what we do.

We are here.

We are here for whatever feelings you are feeling, to be a community hub and place of spiritual refuge.

Of all the things I don’t know today, I know this:

We need each other.
Human beings are built to be in community.

If you can’t bring yourself to come, that’s also ok. Of course it is.

But know this:
We are here for you.
The doors are open.

Eric Folkerth

11/09/2024

KPUMC Newsletter -- November 9, 2024 - https://mailchi.mp/7d4ac205cee6/kpumc-newsletter-january-5-8338543

11/06/2024

Join us tonight at 7 pm.
We will open our sanctuary for anyone who wishes to offer prayer or be with people in the aftermath of our election yesterday.

There is no agenda here except to model our being open to our nieghbors and members in a time of great national feeling.

All are welcome.
1215 Turner Ave.
Dallas, TX.

11/05/2024

There’s an afternoon lull here for voting and if you’re looking for a good time to come, now would be it.

BTW, added bonus of voting here:
The chance to do an stress-relieving labyrinth walk afterwards. Which, as you can see, folks are doing.
(EF)

11/04/2024

Dear Oak Cliff Neighbors:

A reminder that Kessler Park UMC is again a voting location for tomorrow’s (Nov 5th) General Election.

As we have the past few elections, voting will be in the sanctuary, and voters will enter and exit through the “1215” Turner Avenue door. (Pictured here)

This will be the only entrance and exit for voters, and it is easily accessible without stairs or steps from the street or sidewalk.
In order to help us secure our growing Kessler Park Day School, please do not attempt building access through other doors.

One change for this year: As you enter through that same door (1215) you’ll in fact be checking at the new “Dunnigan Hospitality Center.” This is area at the back of the sanctuary where three pews have been removed.

Longtime neighbors and regular voters at KPUMC might recall David Dunnigan. He was our longtime election judge, and a faithful church member. David was a gregarious and warm person, who loved to talk the issues of the day with people across the political spectrum. He was passionate about the right of everyone to have their vote count, and passionate about respecting the process for all citizens.

I hope you will think of him as you see the new hospitality center (look for his plaque on the back the wall…).

On behalf of all our membership, it’s our honor to host you on this important day for our neighborhood and nation.

Rev. Eric Folkerth

11/03/2024

Three things happening at once this morning:
We'll celebrate "All Saints."
We'll dedicate the new Hospitality and Seating Areas.
And we'll gather for a potluck in the Fellowship Hall.

One antedote to anxiety and fear (there's a lot of that out there, right now...) is being with real people, in the real world, instead of "doomscrolling."

So, come join your neighbors and church friends this morning...

11/02/2024

KPUMC Newsletter -- November 2, 2024 - https://mailchi.mp/277cb9445cf8/kpumc-newsletter-january-5-8338386

10/31/2024

Pastor Eric sez:

On this Halloween, I want to wish you a great evening, but also thank you for a great Trunk or Treat last Sunday. We estimate we had 300-plus neighbors and friends who came to our Trunk or Treat!

You got candy from our nineteen “trunks,” played the bounce house, did crafts, and got scared in the Haunted House.

Thank you to our members and friends who provided the “trunks,” to the kids who staffed our Haunted House…and to Pastor Kay for getting it all together.

But..most of all…thanks to all our neighbors who came and enjoyed it.

WE LOVE BEING A COMMUNITY HUB FOR YOU.

We see as our calling to stitch together diverse neighbors, so that we can all live together in our community. Thanks for allowing us do that.

Pastor Kay reports we had a record 65 children at Wednesday Night Live last night too. This is your friendly reminder that anytime you want to visit, we’d love to see you in Sunday worship too.

And finally, as we look forward to tonight, I’m borrowing a quote from fellow United Methodist pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes:

“Halloween: A day when we get it right.
Strangers come to us, beautiful, ugly, odd or scary,
and we accept them all without question,
compliment them, treat them kindly, and give them good things.

Why don't we live like that?”

Good question!

Thanks for being such good neighbors, have a blessed night, and see all yall around the neighborhood soon.

Eric Folkerth

10/31/2024

Congratulations to North Oak Cliff neighbor, and Wednesday Night Live Mom, Dr. Jessica Dwyer!
This is an exciting announcment and we are proud to know you.

Dallas County has appointed Dr. Jessica Dwyer to lead the Dallas County Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences (SWIFS), the first woman to serve as director.

10/28/2024

Here is a clip from Rep. James Talarico's sermon at our church, back in October.
If you love the message here, please know that this is the kind of message we preach, week in and week out, at KPUMC.

10/27/2024

What a wonderful morning.
We welcome the McKemie’s to KPUMC as our newest members, and our Leadership Board specially honored Kay, Ken, and I for “Pastors Appreciation Month.”

This was a lovely surprise.
Thank you friends.

See you at 3:30 for Trunk or Treat!
Sharon McKemie

10/27/2024

Worship from Kessler Park UMC in Dallas. 10.27.24

11/12/2023

Worship from Kessler Park UMC in Dallas. 11.12.23

11/10/2023

Last Sunday’s “time change” has me thinking about darkness and paths. I actually tend to favor the “Fall Back” change because at least for that night it feels like I catch up on a little sleep. But one immediate result of “Fall Back” is that it’s also suddenly very dark very early. And so, just this week, Dennise sent me a text from her office, about 6 pm, about how it felt like midnight outside.

And so, this time of year when the seasonal change naturally pulls our focus toward overcoming darkness, it seems the perfect time for our Stewardship Theme:

“Light for the Path.”

There is so much darkness in our world today; so much fear and anxiety. But our calling is to hear the Gospel’s reminder of how Jesus is the “true light that illumines everyone.”

One thing about walking in darkness on a path is this: You don’t have to see the whole path to walk forward in faith and trust.

We might *want* more light —we might wish to be able to see farther than we can at night— but with the right amount of faith and a certain level of trust in the path, so long as we can see in front of us and behind, we can learn how to walk in the dark.

This reminds me of a prayer that Ken Kelley read during Martha Griffin’s memorial service last week. It’s a prayer I’d heard before and the family found it among Martha’s possessions, so it meant something to her, too.

It’s from the always spiritually-wise, Thomas Merton:

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

What incredible wisdom this is. Again, it takes a certain level of trust in the path in order to live this way.

All through these past few troubling years God has placed blessing after blessing before us at Kessler Park UMC. There have been many plans we have begun where we have not been entirely certain just HOW things would work out… and yet they DO work out.

And as we look back even farther behind us, generations of Kessler Park “saints” who came before lived much the same way. Folks like Martha Griffin didn’t always know where KPUMC’s path would lead, and yet they too lived in trust.

They were lights on our path, just as we are called to be lights on the path for future generations.

As you will read in a separate “Light for the Path” congregational email this week, next year will bring definite changes to our typical income expectations at KPUMC. The primary issue, of course, is the departure of The Kessler School.

But, as you hopefully also know, we have been working now for some years to develop and expand our own Kessler Park Day School (KPDS). Its opening this fall was a true joy, as was the recent dedication of the Nell Lind Playground.

Your church leadership believes we have a credible plan for navigating through the uncertain fiscal issues of 2024. But we will need continued trust in the growth of KPDS, as well as your continued and growing generosity.

Here is the truth of the past few years: almost all of your staff and lay leadership have spent sleepless nights the past few years worried about our church’s financial future.

But at every turn, with every step, some new light on the path has emerged. And so we now have a plan, we are now working the plan, and we will trust in the continued emergence of the light on our path. And we hope you will join us all as we continue to seek to light the path for our mission field in North Oak Cliff.

Thank you for prayerfully considering a 2024 gift to Kessler Park UMC.

Grace and Peace,
Eric Folkerth