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Beyond the Possible: 50 Years of Radical Change at Glide
In Beyond the Possible, Reverend Cecil Williams, one of the most well-known and provocative ministers in the United States, reflects on his fifty years creating radical social change as the head of San Francisco's Memorial Glide Church.
Williams' innovations, such as HIV testing during services, have drawn protest from more conservative factions within the Methodist Church, but his work in the community has drawn praise from the likes of Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and Warren Buffett.
Written with Glide Church founding pastor Janice Mirikitani, and with a foreword by Dave Eggers, Beyond the Possible is a book of wisdom, providing lessons that Reverend Williams has learned so that readers can learn to embrace their true selves, accept all those around them, and fully live day to day through social change as worship.
Williams' innovations, such as HIV testing during services, have drawn protest from more conservative factions within the Methodist Church, but his work in the community has drawn praise from the likes of Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and Warren Buffett.
Written with Glide Church founding pastor Janice Mirikitani, and with a foreword by Dave Eggers, Beyond the Possible is a book of wisdom, providing lessons that Reverend Williams has learned so that readers can learn to embrace their true selves, accept all those around them, and fully live day to day through social change as worship.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2013
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83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 11, 2025
Combines several of my favorite things; excellent narrative prose, San Francisco history, and GLIDE. Finished in two days. Highly recommend to anyone looking to create/find joy, light, and love in their lives and the lives of others’.
July 12, 2018
Inspiring! Glide lives out the best of what I aspire to for my own faith community - unconditional love. AND this book is open about the challenges that come with trying to make that broad ideal concrete. Some hilarious, "I don't think I'd go that far" moments , but overall, a realistic picture of the dream of the beloved community being realized.
October 16, 2025
Probably one of the most hopeful books you will read in your entire life. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful from start to finish. So much insight into trauma recovery and San Francisco’s Tenderloin can be found in these pages.
January 9, 2017
Inspiring.
March 21, 2018
Somehow I signed myself up to write three book reviews in less than a month. And then I remembered I was supposed to be focusing on peace, and over-busying myself hardly seemed a peaceful thing to do.
But in my small group at church, we're reading "A Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller (That's four books!), and Miller writes, "Learning to pray doesn't offer you a less busy life; it offers you a less busy heart." And then the first book arrived, and I remembered what peace it is for me to slow down and curl up with an afghan and a book on a cold, snowy Chicago evening.
Plus, it was "Beyond the Possible" by Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani, a book about Rev. Williams and Mirikitani's work for peace at Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco.
Glide describes itself as "a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization." The publisher, HarperOne, just describes it as "one of the best known and most beloved parishes in the nation," and it must be: The book comes with a foreword by Dave Eggers and ringing endorsements from Maya Angelou, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Warren Buffett and Bono. It also assumes a familiarity with the church and its founders -- a Bildungsgluecke, maybe because I grew up Lutheran or in the Midwest or decades after Glide's controversial rebirth and revolution in the 1960s and 1970s.
But it wasn't Glide or Williams or Mirikitani that had grabbed my attention -- it was their work for peace, their struggle to create a visionary community based on the values of love, acceptance and social justice.
And that work is outstanding: drawing thousands to its Sunday morning "celebrations," taking revolutionary stands on some of the country's most controversial issues and, most notably, offering more than 90 comprehensive programs that serve the homeless and disenfranchised. That includes Glide Health Services and three apartment houses for people who are low-income or homeless, many in recovery from addictions or mentally ill, complete with social workers, counselors, support groups, legal advocates and other support services. That includes welcoming everyone, just as they are. And that includes listening.
"You're in a church sanctuary. Tell the truth! That's what it's for," Williams said.
How well the Glide community lives the words of Psalms 34:14: "Seek peace and pursue it!" How well they seek justice and encourage the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17)! How passionately they care for the widow and the orphan and the foreigner, society's most vulnerable (Deuteronomy 10:18), and love their neighbors (Mark 12:31)! How wonderfully they live together in community (Acts 2:42-46)!
And yet, how strange even Williams, unconventional pastor though he may be, never draws attention to this as God's beautiful vision for his church, both authors speaking instead in obscurities like the importance of "embracing the humanity!"
To me, it rings a bit hollow to write so much about God and the church, or about anybody really, without ever quoting your source, especially when God clearly has so much to say about the topic.
But -- after a month of tweets from pastors questioning the president's faith and, in turn, a chorus of angry bloggers questioning said pastors' -- I'm in no mood to question or judge anybody. Instead, I'm reminded of St. Paul the Apostle's words in Romans 14 -- "Who are you to judge someone else's servant?" -- and of St. Francis of Assisi's, on his deathbed:
"I have done what was mine to do. May Christ teach you what is yours!"
Williams and Mirikitani have done what was theirs to do, and, by all accounts, San Francisco is a better place for it. May Christ teach us, maybe through the example of their work at Glide, what is ours!
Full disclosure: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours.
For my original review of this book on my blog, visit http://www.emmillerwrites.com/2013/02....
But in my small group at church, we're reading "A Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller (That's four books!), and Miller writes, "Learning to pray doesn't offer you a less busy life; it offers you a less busy heart." And then the first book arrived, and I remembered what peace it is for me to slow down and curl up with an afghan and a book on a cold, snowy Chicago evening.
Plus, it was "Beyond the Possible" by Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani, a book about Rev. Williams and Mirikitani's work for peace at Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco.
Glide describes itself as "a radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization." The publisher, HarperOne, just describes it as "one of the best known and most beloved parishes in the nation," and it must be: The book comes with a foreword by Dave Eggers and ringing endorsements from Maya Angelou, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Warren Buffett and Bono. It also assumes a familiarity with the church and its founders -- a Bildungsgluecke, maybe because I grew up Lutheran or in the Midwest or decades after Glide's controversial rebirth and revolution in the 1960s and 1970s.
But it wasn't Glide or Williams or Mirikitani that had grabbed my attention -- it was their work for peace, their struggle to create a visionary community based on the values of love, acceptance and social justice.
And that work is outstanding: drawing thousands to its Sunday morning "celebrations," taking revolutionary stands on some of the country's most controversial issues and, most notably, offering more than 90 comprehensive programs that serve the homeless and disenfranchised. That includes Glide Health Services and three apartment houses for people who are low-income or homeless, many in recovery from addictions or mentally ill, complete with social workers, counselors, support groups, legal advocates and other support services. That includes welcoming everyone, just as they are. And that includes listening.
"You're in a church sanctuary. Tell the truth! That's what it's for," Williams said.
How well the Glide community lives the words of Psalms 34:14: "Seek peace and pursue it!" How well they seek justice and encourage the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17)! How passionately they care for the widow and the orphan and the foreigner, society's most vulnerable (Deuteronomy 10:18), and love their neighbors (Mark 12:31)! How wonderfully they live together in community (Acts 2:42-46)!
And yet, how strange even Williams, unconventional pastor though he may be, never draws attention to this as God's beautiful vision for his church, both authors speaking instead in obscurities like the importance of "embracing the humanity!"
To me, it rings a bit hollow to write so much about God and the church, or about anybody really, without ever quoting your source, especially when God clearly has so much to say about the topic.
But -- after a month of tweets from pastors questioning the president's faith and, in turn, a chorus of angry bloggers questioning said pastors' -- I'm in no mood to question or judge anybody. Instead, I'm reminded of St. Paul the Apostle's words in Romans 14 -- "Who are you to judge someone else's servant?" -- and of St. Francis of Assisi's, on his deathbed:
"I have done what was mine to do. May Christ teach you what is yours!"
Williams and Mirikitani have done what was theirs to do, and, by all accounts, San Francisco is a better place for it. May Christ teach us, maybe through the example of their work at Glide, what is ours!
Full disclosure: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours.
For my original review of this book on my blog, visit http://www.emmillerwrites.com/2013/02....
February 24, 2013
This fast paced dual memoir from the founders of the current incarnation of Glide Memorial Methodist Church will challenge most people's understanding of what a church can or should be. Cecil Williams is a gifted preacher and his wife Janice Mirikitani is an internationally lauded poet, so the writing feels nearly effortless, revealing both the triumphs and the personal imperfections of our protagonists. The bigger win is, was, and one hopes will always be the people of San Francisco's once-infamous Tenderloin district, who have been the recipients of the couple's extraordinary efforts for decades now.
Having attended a few Sunday "Celebrations" in the mid-90's, and having experienced what everybody seems to - namely an unparalleled sense of joy and acceptance - I was blithely unaware of the wildly radical brand of liberation theology practiced at Glide from the 60's through the early 90's. Not for the faint of heart, that's certain, but challenging in a manner that remains necessary today.
Some will likely be offended by a fair bit of the history presented here, but I hope that more will be inspired to consider what manner of unconditional love they would be willing to embrace, what matters of justice or compassion they would champion. If you can open your heart to this surprising history, you might just find yourself pondering some of the most urgent questions of our age and wondering whether you should or even could open your heart - and mind - just a little bit wider after all.
Having attended a few Sunday "Celebrations" in the mid-90's, and having experienced what everybody seems to - namely an unparalleled sense of joy and acceptance - I was blithely unaware of the wildly radical brand of liberation theology practiced at Glide from the 60's through the early 90's. Not for the faint of heart, that's certain, but challenging in a manner that remains necessary today.
Some will likely be offended by a fair bit of the history presented here, but I hope that more will be inspired to consider what manner of unconditional love they would be willing to embrace, what matters of justice or compassion they would champion. If you can open your heart to this surprising history, you might just find yourself pondering some of the most urgent questions of our age and wondering whether you should or even could open your heart - and mind - just a little bit wider after all.
May 22, 2018
The first sentences of this book enthralled me: “Imagination is one of the most penetrating and incendiary forces I’ve ever experienced. It’s plagued me and it’s freed me.”
Beyond the Possible: 50 Years of Creating Radical Change at a Community Called Glide is a joint autobiography, a text created through collaboration. What a fitting form for a lived collaboration in social sustainability. The voices of Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani alternate throughout the book in sections titled “Cecil” and “Janice.” Two separate early stories unfold, gradually combining into an ultimately intertwined adventure, told in chapters titled by abstract nouns, beginning with “Imagination” and ending with “Affirmation.”
In their lives, Williams and Mirikitani radically embrace concepts such as love, trust, acceptance, and nonviolence and, as they cooperatively build and learn from a renewed community, apply them seriously. Their path is composed of committed, integrated actions. In this book, they narrate the happenings that take place along such a path. For example, they didn’t merely espouse compassion, they put it into action, organizing meals for those in poverty, creating a citizens’ alert movement to oppose police abuse of gay prostitutes, and listening to and aiding parents who wanted a clean, safe school for children. In presenting vulnerability and courage among complexities, the book Beyond the Possible portrays sustainability for the long-term wellbeing of humanity in a manner profound and fundamental.
Beyond the Possible: 50 Years of Creating Radical Change at a Community Called Glide is a joint autobiography, a text created through collaboration. What a fitting form for a lived collaboration in social sustainability. The voices of Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani alternate throughout the book in sections titled “Cecil” and “Janice.” Two separate early stories unfold, gradually combining into an ultimately intertwined adventure, told in chapters titled by abstract nouns, beginning with “Imagination” and ending with “Affirmation.”
In their lives, Williams and Mirikitani radically embrace concepts such as love, trust, acceptance, and nonviolence and, as they cooperatively build and learn from a renewed community, apply them seriously. Their path is composed of committed, integrated actions. In this book, they narrate the happenings that take place along such a path. For example, they didn’t merely espouse compassion, they put it into action, organizing meals for those in poverty, creating a citizens’ alert movement to oppose police abuse of gay prostitutes, and listening to and aiding parents who wanted a clean, safe school for children. In presenting vulnerability and courage among complexities, the book Beyond the Possible portrays sustainability for the long-term wellbeing of humanity in a manner profound and fundamental.
March 20, 2013
I had never heard of Cecil Williams, Janice Mirikitani, or Glide Methodist Church of San Francisco when I saw this book displayed at the bookstore. But the glowing recommendations of Bono, Maya Angelou, and Desmond Tutu, coupled with a Foreword by Dave Eggers, had me convinced that these were people and a church I needed to be familiar with. The book reads almost as an oral history, alternating voices between Cecil and Janice - accordingly, what it often lacks in depth of insight it makes up for in anecdotal interest and distinct voice. There are many untold stories that I would have liked to have heard more about, but this was a good introduction to this thriving congregation.
December 31, 2021
I am familiar with the story of Glide and it was good to read this and learn even more. I was blessed to attend Glide's Sunday Celebration services many times in the early 70's. And blessed to work in the volunteer program for two years in the the mid 2000's. Poignant to read this now as Janice Mirikatani recently died...she was an incredibly amazing human being. And has left the Glide family and all of San Francisco quite a legacy...and a challenge to continue 'the work'.
March 12, 2013
I'm a huge fan of Glide Memorial church and I enjoyed reading more about Cecil and his wife and the growth of Glide into what it is today.
May 14, 2014
This book gave me hope that basing a movement on love and acceptance can endure and thrive while making good on a promise to deliver "Real Hope" and "Real Change." Thank you Cecil and Janice.
January 10, 2015
The intertwining of Cecil and Janice's voices, their personal stories woven with Glide's story, make this an excellent read.
December 3, 2017
What I appreciate about the story in this book is the intention and intelligence apparent in the decisions Cecil and Janice make where possible, but also an openness to uncertainty. It helps me realize that I value action over words - having tough conversations over talking about being open. And it reinforced the value of thinking freely, thinking for myself.
This book is not about religion. Sometimes words are capitalized in order to make them more of a concept, sometimes god is mentioned, sometimes the writing seems out of touch with my secular world, but, in the second half of the book in particular, the focus is on a universal sort of good, rather than one limited to this or that group of people.
I am glad Cecil and Janice chose to write their stories. I am glad they chose to write them together in order to balance each other's shortcomings and emphasize each other's strengths.
This book is not about religion. Sometimes words are capitalized in order to make them more of a concept, sometimes god is mentioned, sometimes the writing seems out of touch with my secular world, but, in the second half of the book in particular, the focus is on a universal sort of good, rather than one limited to this or that group of people.
I am glad Cecil and Janice chose to write their stories. I am glad they chose to write them together in order to balance each other's shortcomings and emphasize each other's strengths.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews