Our Mission Field

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

We considered this picture on Sunday, but here it is again for you to take a look at. Many in our congregation have been captivated by the idea of drawing a circle around our church 1.5 miles, and of considering that to be our primary mission field.

As you can see, it’s a remarkable area of Dallas. It extends from the bustling heart of downtown, and yet also the quiet neighborhoods around our building. It takes in areas that encompass older established families, and young single adults. It includes people of many different races, economic circumstances, and languages.

We’ve been talking about just how diverse our mission field is, but it’s quite impressive to actually visualize in a picture, isn’t it?

We’re going to post this picture up around the church for the next few weeks. The goal will be to encourage us all to be in prayer and contemplation about how we reach and serve this incredibly diverse mission field, to remind ourselves of the incredible opportunities we have in North Oak Cliff.

Several questions for you as you meditate on this picture. Think about all the people who live in our area, and ask yourself:

How shall we, with servant’s hearts and Christ’s love, reach out to this incredible diversity?

How can we listen to them, rather than insist they listen to us?

How can we serve them, rather than insist that they serve our ideas?

How can we embrace and be ready to be changed by their presence, in ways that will give us new life and new hope?

We are already doing many things very well. But we must continue to be visitor-focused, and, as we said last week, to do that with *intention.*

Please pray for our Church and its future. And pray for all the beautiful souls in our mission field. God has well-placed us for just this time. And after considering our mission field, very soon we will turn to conversations about just what it is that God is calling us to do.

Grace and Peace,

Eric

Welcome to KPUMC

“Thank you…”

More than one of you mouthed those words to me as you held up our new Kessler Park name tags on your way out of church Sunday.

Sunday was the first in a short-series titled, “Welcome,” and it was the debut of permanent name tags for our members. This idea is a direct result of our “Get To Know You” sessions where the issue of being more connected together as a congregation came up time and time again.

More than one person suggested name tags. And, so far, you seem to be liking them.

The key, of course, will be for us to *keep* using them, week after week. To change our habits so that wearing them becomes the habit.

If you show up on a Sunday soon and don’t see a name tag for you, don’t fret. We’ll be making more for folks as needed.

But the thanks for this does not belong to me. This was an idea that came from you all, and it was implemented by our great staff and the Congregational Care Committee. So, thanks to them.

As I said Sunday, the word “Welcome” originally meant an act of conscious WILL. In fact, the original word in Old English was Wilcuma…the “Wil” being a contraction of “Will.”

True welcome isn’t just to open the doors and *hope* people find us. It’s a continual act of intention that we must learn and relearn time and time again.

We are already a welcoming Church in many ways. But we can always improve, so that all of God’s children truly know and understand that they are welcome at Kessler Park.

See you Sunday,

Eric

Welcome

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

I hope you enjoyed our “Desert Island Scriptures” sermon series these past few months. As I look back at these first months, I must say how much I have thoroughly enjoyed these first months at Kessler Park and in North Oak Cliff. I am as thrilled today as I was on the day I learned I was coming to the church. Everyday, it’s an honor to be your pastor.

It’s been such a blessing to have lunches and coffees with many members and community leaders, to visit hospitals, and to share evenings in member homes in our “Get To Know You” sessions.

As a reminder: There are still a few “Get To Know You” sessions scheduled. Head to the website to sign-up if you wish.

This Sunday, however, we turn the page to a new, short series in September: “WELCOME.”

Each Sunday, our scripture lesson and sermon will unpack the issue of welcome in new ways. We will be “rolling out” new ideas related to welcome during this month too.

I’ll share one now: Name tags for our members.

Congregational Care Committee, and our staff, have been working to get this ready for us.

Why?

Here’s the dirty little secret I’m learning in the “Get To Know You” sessions…while some of you know lots of folks, almost nobody knows everybody. This will not only be gift for our newer members, it will also be a gift for long-term members who know the faces of many, but sometimes not the names.

Also on Sunday, we’ll be rolling out a new and creative way for first-time visitors to sign in. It’s a text-based system that allows them to sign in via the cell phone. They can still sign in by hand if they want, and not everybody is “text-savvy.” But for those who want to use this method, it’s simple, easy, and helpful. Look for that too.

By the time you read these words, I’ll be on a bus to the Texas-Mexico border for a short three-day trip. More than 80 pastors from all over Texas —including a significant number from Dallas— will be joining “Texas Impact” for prayer, preaching, and public engagement. Please pray for a safe trip for us all. I plan to share about the trip at the Prism Sunday School Class this Sunday (9:45 am in Room 18). All are welcome.

See you Sunday,

Eric