by Rev. Eric Folkerth

One of the things that makes me proud about Kessler Park is that it is obvious to me that our congregation votes. You all are highly engaged, as church members and citizens. It’s very likely that a very high percentage of you plan to vote or already have.

Early voting is open now. I urge you in the strongest ways to vote. And I’ll say more about this in a moment.

But first, let us all send best wishes to Kessler Park’s own, Judge Mary Brown. Mary —as many of you know— was born and raised at KPUMC, and despite the fact that she lives in a different neighborhood, is still connected with us to this day.*

This is not an endorsement, but I should remind you that due to errors in her signature collection, I now share the following information…

Mary Brown’s name doesn’t appear on the printed ballot. But it is possible to “write in” her name under the “301st District Court” section of the ballot.

Again, this is not an endorsement. But I know that many of you have known Mary and her family personally for decades, and I’m sure some of you will be grateful to understand that specific ballot issue and perhaps were not aware of this issue.

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More broadly, I continue to be troubled by low voter turnout. We are hearing that these first few days of turnout have been significantly lower than the previous election cycles.

As a Christian Minister, my hope is not only for the health and safety of those inside our walls, but also for the health, safety, security, and justice that should be given to all God’s children who live in North Oak Cliff and Dallas.

I have a sense that a complicated combination of factors —voter suppression laws, post-pandemic trauma, and cynicism due to continuing political gridlock— are convincing many people that their vote doesn’t matter.

I hope this is not so. I fear that perhaps it is.

Of course this is, itself, a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we act and believe that our votes don’t matter, then our votes *won’t* matter. And whether we like it or not, voting in America is almost always a “forced choice.”

Time and again I hear friends and church members say, “I just don’t like either candidate.” And I get that. Being forced into a forced-choice choice when voting often feels wrong.

But it is the system we have. And it will very likely be the system we have, so long as we have this system.

Choosing to not participate has grave consequences to our society.

I think here of South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who once said: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Tutu was not directly addressing the concept of voting when he said this. But he *was* addressing the concept of non-engagement in civic life…which is a result of non-voting.

So, please, go and vote. And encourage all of your friends to as well.

I would never presume to tell church members whom to vote for. But I will suggest the following metric for Christians:

Vote for candidates whom you feel most live out Jesus’ Great Commandment….love of God, love of neighbor, love of self. And remember that Jesus defines our “neighbor” as “the one you think is your enemy.” (Parable of the Good Samaritan.)

I urge you to not only vote for your own self-interests, but to consider a more complicated metric of voting for candidates you best feel serve all God’s children, and who stand for values that love and serve all God’s children. This is a “hands and feet” embodiment of what it means to “love your neighbor.”

Of course, no earthy politician can *ever* do this fully. They are all deeply flawed, as is our system itself.

But as you make your forced-choices, prayerfully consider both your neighbor *and* yourself in your decision-making.

Whomever you vote for, I really hope you do.

Grace and Peace,

Eric Folkerth

*I always make a point of wishing “best wishes” to any candidate associated with our church.