San Francisco is remembering beloved pastor and activist Rev. Cecil Williams, who died Monday at the age of 94.
Williams is best known for his stewardship of Glide Memorial Church in the city’s Tenderloin, where he oversaw multiple community outreach projects to hundreds of thousands of impoverished residents for over six decades.
Though he retired as pastor in 2000, Glide continued its decades-long outreach to the poor and hungry through its massive Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners provided to anyone that wanted or needed one, along with day-to-day outreach and support that valued peoples’ dignity and humanity.
“One very special thing about Cecil was that he met everyone where they were — literally and spiritually,” said Oakland resident Ernestine Nettles, who met Williams when she was a child and has volunteered at Glide for over 50 years. “If you couldn’t make it to the church to get a Thanksgiving meal, volunteers packed them up and brought them out to the streets, handing them out to everyone.”
Nettles noted that Williams “embodied the spirit of Christianity,” which is to not pass judgment and love everyone just the way they are. She said he treated everyone as equals, no matter their race, age, background, economic status, sexuality, past, or present.
“He is a true example of not only a Christian, but an American,” said Nettles. “He was a drum major for justice.”
Nettles remembered meeting him when she was a young girl.
“I first met him when I was quite young — I am now 72 — and so would begin a life-long friendship,” she said. “Fifty-five years ago, Reverend Cecil joined with me at my high school in Oakland to campaign to allow girls to wear pants. He also championed other causes that were important to my family and my community, giving 18 year olds the right to vote and getting out of the war in Vietnam.”
Williams co-founded Glide in 1960 with late wife Janice Mirikitani, who died in 2021.
“I remember my Daddy saying to him when he became a minister at Glide in San Francisco, ‘Young man, what is it you want to do?’ Reverend Cecil replied, ‘I want Glide to be a place where anyone in SF can come and get a decent meal and not go to bed hungry.’”
Mayor London Breed on Monday also remembered Williams and released a statement: “Reverend Cecil Williams was the conscience of our San Francisco community. He spoke out against injustice and he spoke for the marginalized. He led with compassion and wisdom, always putting the people first and never relenting in his pursuit of justice and equality. His kindness brought people together and his vision changed our City and the world.” The mayor also noted how Williams championed the idea of “wrap-around” services for those in need and supportive housing.
“As a young girl, I would never have dreamed I’d grow up to work with him,” said Breed. “We all benefited from his guidance, his support, and his moral compass. We would not be who we are as a city and a people without the legendary Cecil Williams.”