Thank You!

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

Pictured: Kpumc member Andrew McGregor and Rev. Eric Folkerth

Today, I want to thank you for your continuing generosity. Over and over, I see the generous spirit of KPUMC members and friends, even in this time of pandemic.

Specifically today, I am thinking about our ongoing ministry with the homeless. As you may know, we’ve been using the KPUMC van to try and pick up homeless neighbors off the streets and get them to a warm bed at our sister church, Oak Lawn UMC.

New member Andrew McGregor has been my co-pilot on many of these nights. I’ll be leaving a few hours after I type this to head out again to see who we can gather tonight. We’ve found several folks here in North Oak Cliff and also in West Dallas, Downtown, and Oak Lawn.

It can be heartbreaking because not everyone will say “yes” to come with us. You see Andrew with his flashlight in this picture from last night. Of the four folks we saw under this freeway underpass, only ONE decided to come with us. 

Therefore, please pray for all those who for a myriad of complex reasons choose to try and weather the cold. (My hunch is: More folks will be willing to come inside tonight…but we shall see…)

But Kessler Park UMC’s commitment to this ministry goes well beyond this.

Because the shelter is open four straight days this week, KPUMC is providing several meals. We’ve been utilizing the great food and service at Norma’s Cafe on Davis Street to safely send meals to Hillcrest House for some months now. Colleen Kelley has helped us to keep that ministry going, even in the time of pandemic.

Now, we’ve used that pre-existing relationship with Norma’s to send 240 meals to Oak Lawn this week —two dinners and one lunch. (Other churches and mosques are pitching in to cover the other meals needed…)

Oak Lawn’s pastor Rev. Rachel Baughman texted just after lunch today: “These meals have been amazing!!!”

So, much love and thanks to our neighbors at Norma’s Cafe.

Further, Erika Pelletier has again arranged for dozens of blankets to be donated to this work. Much thanks, love and appreciation to her, and to Nancy Worthington and the good folks at Classic Forms and Products.

Friends, this is all possible because of your ongoing generosity. Even after the world warmed last spring, some of you continued to regularly give to this cause leaving us with the funds ready-on-hand to be able to jump in and respond quickly. Even after this week, we’ll still be in relatively good shape to help again should we have another multi-day cold spell.

So, to be clear, this isn’t a plea for donations. It’s a thank you.

Thank you for your continued kindheartedness toward our homeless neighbors and friends. Even in this time of pandemic —when so much “regular” ministry is impossible to do as we might like— we have been able to continue this important work.

I give thanks to God, as I hope you do as well. And I give thanks for all of you.

Eric Folkerth

A Letter to the Unvaccinated

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

I'm not sure why, but I'm going to take one more run at speaking directly to unvaccinated folks here in Texas.

If you are vaccine eligible --not excluded from eligibility due to a medical condition-- you are not only harming yourself, but you are harming your neighbors here in the State of Texas.

Finally, for my Christian brothers and sisters: You are violating God's great commandment to love both yourself and your neighbor.

There are three charts attached that show this quite plainly. These come from Texas Tribune. (Links HERE and HERE.)

Let me boil this down in the most factual way possible. I'm going to "all caps" the main points, then explain:

1. CLOSE TO 90% OF TEXAN COVID DEATHS WERE/ARE UNVACCINATED.

This is not data from some eastern, liberal think-tank. This is data from your own Republican-led state government. Their own scientists have crunched the numbers and discovered this.

2. HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH.

When taken with the first point, it means this: More than any other time in this pandemic, you are MORE at risk at being hospitalized with COVID.

You remember all those weeks and months when the rest of us, your friends and family, shrieked at you to get vaxxed? Well, RIGHT NOW...today...the situation is far worse than it was when we told you that.

You're probably not hearing this "hair on fire" message now because, if we are being honest, most of us are weary of talking to you. Still others have decided "Well, I'm not going to die, so just let them die if they want..."

Most are just sick of trying to speak to you about this --saying the same things over and over-- and having nothing change.

I know that if I am honest, I am too. But I'm taking one more run at it today.

Yes, among those who are vaccinated, the current variant seems much milder, overall. But for you who are unvaccinated, the data shows that you are at far, far greater risk than you ever have been...right now...today.

3. YOUR DECISION TO REMAIN UNVAXXED COULD KILL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO DON'T EVEN HAVE COVID.

How can this be? Isn't "my decision" just "my decision?"

It's because of the third chart, the one that shows the sharp *drop* in available hospital rooms.

You see, all those unvaccinated COVID patients like you are literally taking beds and resources away from other people.

People with heart attacks, strokes, bleeding from car accidents...suffering any number of urgent traumas...are less likely to get good and quality care because people like you are taking up hospital beds.

Have you even thought about this?

Maybe you have...I don't know...maybe you just don't care how your actions affect others. Maybe you're chronically depressed and you have some almost suicidal-fatalism about your situation.

I'm not at all being sarcastic with this last comment. At this point, I have to assume that some of you are simply fatalistic about your own life...maybe you've subconsciously decided your life no longer matters. Or maybe you believe nobody else cares about you.

Well, as I've said before, and for many months now: You matter to God, and you matter to a great many other people. Many of your family and friends will be devastated should you die.

And for those who are losing elderly relatives...or are among those with hospitalized children (a growing group right now)...because our vaccination rate never made it to herd immunity...they will no doubt be bitter and feel a sense of justifiable anger toward you for years to come.

Just this week, I've heard from two more friends whose VACCINATED elderly relatives have died from COVID (Remember: 10% of vaxxed folks still die...)

Was/Is it really your intention to kill a bunch of Grandmas and children?

Of course, it wasn't. I know the answer to that.

But for whatever reason you're still not looking at the whole picture and seeing how your actions are affecting all of the rest of us. You are failing to see how you and us are connected...and how your actions are harmful, not just to yourself but others.

Jesus' Great Commandment is to love God, self, and neighbor with all your "heart, soul, mind and strength."

If you are Christian, I hope you will pray over how your actions are violating two out of three parts of this primary commandment (love of self and neighbor...)

I understand that admitting just how wrong you have been is incredibly difficult. Nobody likes doing that, and especially as we look back at the past two years, it would be incredibly hard to admit "I have made a mistake."

You have a friend, though, in the stories of Jesus. The "Prodigal Son" of Jesus' famous parable was in much the same situation as you are now.

He had not only squandered his inheritance, but in doing so he had basically chosen to believe his family was "dead to him." (And he to them...)

However, even with all the mistakes he has made, Jesus says that "he came to himself." Something about his situation broke through and he realized his mistakes. He goes back to his Father, who welcomes him with open arms.

Maybe it's this last part that gets you. Maybe you're afraid that nobody around you will accept you with open arms if you admit your mistake and finally go to get vaccinated.

I can't promise you how they will react. There's lots of anger out there. Nobody can control the feelings of others.

Here's a new thought: Maybe you can just get vaxxed and not tell anybody. You can save face with others but save lives --your own and others-- with your actions.

Actually, I'd just be happy with that.

What I CAN promise is that God is like that parent in the story too...and God will accept you back with open arms, even if everyone around you is still an angry older brother to you.

Your life is worth it.

You matter to God.

And your actions matter to the health of all of the rest of us.

For God's sake, and ours, please "come to yourself" and get vaccinated.

Grace and Peace,

Eric Folkerth

Epiphany

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

My spirit tells me that we’re in for a few weeks of PTSD-like feelings…starting with today.

Today is the one year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection.
A month from now will be the one-year anniversary of “Snowmageddon.” 
And, of course, our present-day is filled with the fear of exploding COVID numbers and holiday plans that were thrown off course.

I want you to know that should you feel overwhelmed in these days, please do call or reach out. We are available any time to talk if you need an ear.

For two millennia, Christians have celebrated today —January 6th— as Epiphany. January 6th is ALWAYS the “Feast of the Epiphany.”

As I think about the COVID situation, it strikes me that, as it was for the Magi, wisdom is always the hardest thing to find.

For now, our plan at KPUMC is to continue with our in-person/livestream plans.

But, let me reiterate what we’ve said over and over:

1. If you’re at all concerned about COVID spread, please DO stay home and watch the livestream.

2. If you’re unvaccinated, please do not come. (And please get vaccinated, if eligible…)

3. We will continue to wear masks.

4. We will continue to socially distance.

My sense is that our community has consistently shown the wisdom of the Magi.

You’ve worn your masks, you’ve gotten vaccinated, and you’ve stayed home when you feel that to be wise.

We’ll keep watching things here for sure.

Of course, today is not just the anniversary of the Epiphany - 
it’s also the anniversary of an insurrection against the United States.

And as often happens, we find the stories of our faith to be manifest in the stories of our culture.

The original Epiphany story included King Herod, who….

— was desperate to cling to power…
— “stirred up” his entire city of Jerusalem…
— bald-faced lied to his guests about his culpability…
— and finally, saw nothing wrong with flying into a murderous rage when he didn’t get his way.

Sobering to think about it in these terms, huh?

The Magi were wise enough to not return to Herod and to not associate with those who did.

I am confident that the Magi did not ever forget their close encounter with the murderous and conniving King Herod. But, it also appears that they moved on and “went home by another way.”

Therefore, I urge you to not get drawn into endlessly watching the January 6th “disaster porn” on your television today.

Instead, take a breather from the anxiety that video of the day can cause. (That’s HOW we end up with feelings of PTSD…)

Like the Magi, focus on the Christmas Star.

Our ultimate hope is never in the powers of this world, even as we hope and work for them to be as moral as can be, and never forget or dismiss the seriousness of the insurrection.

Our ultimate hope is in the stories of our faith which still speak to us deeply wise truths about following the true light of God into the year 2022.

Choose to look to our faith, not our culture, and trust that God is leading us…as God also led those Magi…toward a bright and loving future.

Grace and Peace,

Eric Folkerth