Light for the Path

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

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

All Saints

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

The Spirits swirl around this week…do you feel them? I know I do. 

Amidst the joy of this incredible World Series win, there are so many memories of my dad, so many baseball memories that come sweeping back into my head. Still grieving Mom from last year. Still so incredibly sad about our dog who died two weeks ago. 

A few years back Dennise started setting up a yearly Ofrenda, for “Dia de los Muertos.”

Every year now during this week, we set up pictures of our relatives from generations past and our friends and families who have died more recently. 

I don’t think it’s an accident that the Christian Church celebrates All Saints Day at around the exact same time of Dia de los Muertos. 

And so we will celebrate the saints of KPUMC on this Sunday. I hope you will be with us. 

I do feel that “Dia de los Muertos” tends to capture a bit more of the passion of memory of our personal saints…the suffering, longing and joy…a bit like, of all things, a Disney song from the animated film “Coco.”

“Remember me, though I have to say goodbye
Remember me, although it makes you cry…
Know that I am with you the only way that I can be
Until you're in my arms again
Remember me.”

Christian Pastor and Novelist Frederick Buechner got very close to this same feeling, when he wrote:

“When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.

For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I'm feeling most ghost-like, it is your remembering me that helps remind me that I actually exist. When I'm feeling sad, it's my consolation. When I'm feeling happy, it's part of why I feel that way.

If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget, part of who I am will be gone.”

For all with the heart to remember them, and in all the ways we feel their mysterious presence, here’s to honoring all those who have come before.

Here’s to remembering.
Hope to see you Sunday. 

Upcoming Meetings

by Rev Eric Folkerth

Dear Church Friends:

A reminder that KPUMC will host two important meetings on Sunday, November 19th:

Church/Charge Conference: Immediately following worship in our sanctuary
Metro District Conference: at 2 pm, also in our sanctuary.

A bit of explanation for both…

Church/Charge Conference: Just After Church

Our District Superintendent, Dr. Edlen Cowley, will be with us for worship and as we hold a “Church Conference” to vote on the “Simplified Accountable Structure.” This is the structure that, if approved, will reduce our administrative committees from four (Church Council, Staff Parish, Finance, and Trustees) down to one leadership group.

Hopefully, you recall the information that’s been shared about this at the summer potluck and in other small groups early this year. (August 31 newsletter).

Please look for a separate email today that will remind you of this process and why we are undertaking it now.

Your church leadership requested that we hold this required in-person vote immediately following worship so that we can have the greatest possible participation by our membership.

There will be an allowance for absentee voting for any member physically unable to be present that day. Please do let us know if you believe that will apply to you and we will communicate an absentee-vote process to you in coming weeks.

Also, very soon we will circulate the specific resolution to be voted on that day.

All adult members of KPUMC are welcome to be present and vote on the resolution.

Metro District Conference: 2 pm

After the conclusion of this meeting, KPUMC will welcome representatives of the 80+ United Methodist Churches from the “Metro District.” (Roughly: Dallas County…).

Our understanding is that this will be a one-agenda meeting to approve a budget for the Metro District, which was intentionally postponed during Annual Conference back in the summer so more information could be gathered as to the affects of disaffiliations.

The voting members of the Metro District Conference consist of each clergy serving in the district and one lay member for each of them (50% lay. 50% clergy delegates).

This meeting will *not* include any churches who disaffiliated from the UMC over the past year.

Therefore, the presence of the entire Kessler Park membership will not be required at this meeting. But if you would like to help us be gracious hosts of our sister UMC churches, we’d welcome your presence.

I often describe such meetings as these as “Inside Baseball for Methodists;” in that outside the cozy confines of United Methodist circles very few folks understand their purpose. Frankly, even *inside* the UMC, folks are often confused too!

Our system is not designed to revolve around the personality of any one pastor, Bishop, or powerful layperson; but instead, to encourage broad participation whenever possible. Therefore, I hope you’ll see it this way: In the United Methodist Church there is always an effort made to include an equal number of clergy and laypersons.

The formal nature of these meetings signifies our commitment in our polity to this vision. Therefore, even if you find all these meetings confusing, I hope you can consider this lens through which to see them. And always feel free to ask questions if you wish.

Make plans to be with us now as we take part in these necessary steps in our congregational journey.