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The Progressive Leaders
of
Glide
Memorial United Methodist Church
Rev.
Cecil Williams & Janice Mirikitani
Rev.
Cecil Williams
CEO and Minister of
Glide's National and International Ministries
In his 37 years as Pastor of Glide Memorial
United Methodist Church, Reverend Cecil Williams has created a
church that practices diversity, spirituality, and compassion.
As a minister, community leader, author, lecturer, and
spokesperson for the poor and marginalized, he is respected and
recognized as a national leader on the forefront of social
change. His vision for a truly inclusive church has attracted a
10,000 member congregation, an extended family, who reflect the
diversity of the world- all races, ages, genders, ethnicities,
sexual orientations and religions. What brings this community of
people together is the common search for acceptance, spiritual
growth, and social justice. Cecil's spirituality demands action
through good works, as staff and thousands of volunteers feed
over 1 million meals a year to the hungry, and offer the hope of
recovery and healing in the lives of the city's most
marginalized. His tireless work over the last 37 years has made
Glide one of the most active, dynamic churches in the world,
receiving national and international acclaim. Reverend Williams
is married to Janice Mirikitani. He has a son, daughter, and 2
grandchildren.
Janice
Mirikitani
Executive Director and President of the
Glide Foundation
Multicultural visionary. Poet. Executive
Director of Glide's 52 programs. Janice Mirikitani, also the
President of the Glide Foundation, has been a powerful force at
Glide since 1965. A third-generation Japanese-American, Janice
has developed groundbreaking multiracial, multicultural programs
which have transformed and empowered the Tenderloin community -
especially the lives of women and children. Glide programs,
recognized for their relevance, inclusiveness, and effective
outreach to the most marginalized populations of the city, are
comprehensive and designed to help break the cycle of
dependency. These essential services include a free meals
program, a health clinic, recovery programs, educational,
tutorial, recreational programs for children and youth,
counseling and job training services. Guided by Janice's
leadership, Glide's growth has been phenomenal, with an annual
budget of $11 million, a diverse staff of 230, and a volunteer
cadre that swelled in numbers to 35,000 in 1999. As an author,
Mirkitani has written and edited dozens of landmark books,
journals, and anthologies, and her own three books of poetry. In
2000, her achievements as an author were recognized with the
prestigious appointment as San Francisco's Poet Laureate. Janice
Mirikitani is married to Reverend Cecil Williams. She has one
daughter.
History of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church: www.glide.org/ourstories/timeline.asp |
