Dear Friends,
As we pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am holding two ideas in my heart. The first is that Dr. King is celebrated and remembered in a mainstream Federal holiday, that his teachings are widely accepted and his legacy is cherished. The second idea is that his life’s work was–and continues to be–both critically necessary and deeply radical.
The same can be said for our work here at Glide. As we celebrate our 60 years of service in this beloved community, we are both a respected institution in the fabric of San Francisco and we are a radical and disruptive force fighting for inclusivity and justice. We know our work is not complete; and we are committed to being the love and hope and change that we want to see in our community.
Sometimes it feels like the winds are at our back. We are working side by side with political and civic leaders, and they are our partners in the struggle to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty, addiction and marginalization. And sometimes it feels like we are charging into the wind, facing blowback and resistance as we fight for racial justice, spiritual healing, food security and physical safety for our neighbors who are most in need.
Either way, we are buoyed by the teachings of Dr. King and we will never stop fighting and moving forward toward our shared goals. I am so excited about all of the things we are doing through our Glide Forward initiative to expand Glide’s services beyond our home in the Tenderloin and across this city as we continue to strive for the radical inclusivity that Dr. King and our own Rev. Cecil Williams helped us to imagine.
Please join me as we come together to build a beloved community through unity, service, and transformation. There are several opportunities to honor Dr. King’s legacy by working toward a more just and equitable society, where everyone is valued and respected.
CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING AT GLIDE:
Day of Service at GLIDE:
Date: Sunday, January 14
First Church Celebration: 9:00 AM
Take Action: 10:00 to 1:00 Sign Letters, Petitions, Voter Registration and Education
Second Church Celebration: 11:00 AM
Community Service: 1:00 to 2:30 PM Trash pick-up and distribution of items needed by our homeless neighbors. Please click here to register for the event.
March with GLIDE for the annual MLK March:
Date: Monday, January 15
We also hope you will join us on Monday, January 15th at the annual MLK march at Yerba Buena Gardens. Each year we march in celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The march begins at 11 am at the San Francisco CalTrain Station (at 4th and King) and ends at Yerba Buena Gardens. After the march, join us at Yerba Buena Gardens for a spoken word and civil rights program at 11:45 am, hosted by Minister Marvin K. White, along with a performance by the Glide Ensemble.
To march with Glide Church, please arrive at the corner of 4th and Townsend between 9:45 and 10:30 am and look for the GLIDE signs. RSVP to receive additional information about the events. You can also reach out to Freddy Martin, our Congregational Life and Community Engagement Manager, at fmartin@glide.org or 415-674-6168 to learn more about how you can get involved.
We celebrate Dr. King’s legacy on this particular day in January, but our work is never done. The opportunities to be involved at Glide are endless and I hope you will continue to fight and to celebrate with us in this new year.
Warmly,
Dr. Gina Fromer
President & CEO
