Court Finalizes Agreement Between GLIDE and California-Nevada Annual Conference
Media Contact: Michael McAlpin
Senior Director, Strategic Communications
415-674-6016
mmcalpin@glide.org
Dear GLIDE Community,
We have good news to share. Today marks a momentous day. The agreement between GLIDE and the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (CNAC) has received final court approval by the San Francisco Superior Probate Court and the California Attorney General’s Office. The court approval formalizes the end to a longstanding partnership between these entities and the beginning of a new chapter for GLIDE.
The resolution brings clarity, reinforces our values, and sets us up for a future free to create meaningful change to address the biggest challenges facing San Francisco. Our transformative programs will continue without interruption as we deepen our impact and extend our reach across the city. We retain title to our iconic building and will continue to use it to benefit all San Franciscans.
It’s a new era at GLIDE. We are implementing a bold, large-scale plan to help more people off the streets and out of poverty to reach self-sufficiency and thrive. At the same time, we are driving systems change – doing more to advance equitable policy solutions, influence institutions of power, and break cycles of poverty and homelessness. GLIDE is focused on impact, from transforming individual lives and changing systems to influencing the entire landscape of need in our city.
GLIDE remains committed to fighting against systemic racism and injustice, as the national reckoning on race moves forward. New racial justice and reconciliation initiatives through our Center for Social Justice address racial disparities and challenge public and private leaders to examine and change inequitable laws, policies, and practices. Our work remains rooted in building empathy and equity for all.
GLIDE Memorial Church will continue to operate, post COVID restrictions, in its current location – still radically inclusive, and open and welcoming to all. Unaffiliated with the United Methodist Church, our spiritual community remains healthy, rooted in liberation, and is moving forward to establish a formal charter and statement of faith and practice.
Both GLIDE Foundation and GLIDE Memorial Church continue to evolve to serve San Francisco. In the months to come, we will update our non-profit legal status to become a public benefit 501(c)3. This will allow us to continue to meet the rapidly escalating need in San Francisco while more clearly delineating the social service and advocacy work of the GLIDE Foundation from the spiritual work of GLIDE Memorial Church. Together, we will partner under GLIDE’s core values of unconditional love, advocating for the people, working to heal and help those in need, transforming lives, and celebrating the gifts of all people.
Thank you for your continued support and for being a member of the GLIDE community. We are stronger, more committed than ever, and always will be GLIDE.
Karen Hanrahan
President & CEO
Updated General FAQ
The GLIDE Foundation moves forward.
- Today marks a momentous day. The agreement between GLIDE and the California-Nevada Annual Conference of United Methodist Church (CNAC) has received final court approval. This court approval formalizes the end to a longstanding partnership between these entities and the beginning of a new chapter for GLIDE.
- The terms of the resolution are very good for GLIDE. They bring clarity, reinforce our values and set us up for a future free to create meaningful change on the biggest challenges in San Francisco. Our transformative programs will continue without interruption as we deepen our impact and extend our reach across the city. We retain title to our iconic building and will continue to use it to benefit all San Franciscans. GLIDE Memorial Church will continue to operate in its current location, radically inclusive, and open and welcoming to all.
- It is a new era at GLIDE. We are implementing a bold, large-scale plan to meet the complex challenges of poverty and homelessness, to help more people off the streets, out of poverty, reach self-sufficiency and thrive. At the same time, we are driving systems change - doing more to advance equitable policy solutions, influence institutions of power and break cycles of poverty and homelessness. GLIDE is focused on impact, from transforming individual lives and changing systems to influencing the landscape of need in our city.
- GLIDE remains committed to fighting against systemic racism and injustice, as the national reckoning on race moves forward. New racial justice and reconciliation initiatives through our Center for Social Justice address racial disparities and challenge public and private leaders to examine and change inequitable laws, policies, and practices. Our work remains rooted in building empathy and equity for all.
- In all these efforts, GLIDE will continue to lead with our values of radical inclusion and unconditional acceptance, getting through to more people with proximity, respect and love. This transformational approach to sustainable change will drive measurable progress on homelessness, poverty, and racial equity, and have a lasting impact on thousands of lives in San Francisco.
- In the months to come, GLIDE will update its non-profit legal status to become a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation. We will continue to meet the rapidly escalating need in San Francisco while more clearly delineating the social service and advocacy work of the GLIDE Foundation from the spiritual work of GLIDE Memorial Church. Both entities will remain social justice organizations at their core and will continue to be guided by GLIDE's values of radical inclusion and unconditional love.
- We couldn't be more excited about the future and evolution of GLIDE Memorial Church. Unaffiliated with the United Methodist Church, our spiritual community remains healthy, rooted in liberation and will continue to build upon a radically inclusive faith tradition that welcomes all.
- Under the leadership of Minister Marvin K. White, Church lay leaders and a Church Futures Working Group is moving forward in a comprehensive effort to establish a formal charter, statement of faith and practice, and governance for the Church. At the heart of their work is an inclusive process that includes listening to and working with the congregation. The result will be a shareable vision and operational plan that will shepherd the future direction of Glide Memorial Church.
- While the specific details of this agreement have been two years in the making, the relationship between GLIDE and CNAC has been evolving for some time. Our relationship with UMC was established by Lizzie with a charitable trust nearly 100 years ago, and it worked well for many decades. However, as the years went on, San Francisco changed and so too did the relationship between GLIDE and CNAC, along with our respective understanding of our roles concerning how best to bring Lizzie Glide's wishes to life. GLIDE and CNAC entered into discussions in 2018 to determine a new path forward. The mutually beneficial agreement we reached embodies our efforts to realize the goals of the Trust in the 21st century and beyond.
- Although it will bring an end to many decades of a unique partnership, this resolution ensures we can fully and freely pursue our mission of transforming lives with a radically inclusive, transparent and rigorous organization that is open and welcoming to all.
- First, and perhaps most importantly, GLIDE will move forward free and independent, with no financial, legal or spiritual ties or constraints.
- Second, GLIDE will remain GLIDE - we retain our name and legal entity; our programs, services and advocacy will continue uninterrupted; and we will maintain Glide Memorial Church and its spiritual community, welcome to all and unaffiliated with the United Methodist Church.
- In addition, GLIDE will retain title to the facility at 330 Ellis Street and use this building, as we have done for decades, to benefit all San Franciscans. And, GLIDE's financial assets remain strong, including all of the funds raised for our programs and all funds raised since the arrival of Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani many decades ago at GLIDE.
- Above all, we will continue GLIDE's evolution, together and unimpeded - grounded in our values, our mission and our vision of racial equality, self-determination, dignity, justice and respect for all people.
In return, CNAC also benefits:
- GLIDE will transfer our trustee responsibility to CNAC for a trust and a restricted fund that were established nearly 100 years ago in large part to advance Methodist teachings. Due to GLIDE's strong financial management, these accounts now contain a combined $4.5 million in investments that grew out of Lizzie Glide's original contributions. CNAC will act as trustee over these funds and use them for their restricted purposes of advancing the Christian Protestant religion.
- In recognition of the long-term and unique relationship between GLIDE and UMC, GLIDE will also provide $1.5 million to CNAC, drawing from a separate account for investment returns. No donor funds given to GLIDE will be used for any purposes under this agreement.
- In addition, CNAC, if it chooses to do so, may incorporate a church in San Francisco under the name “J.H. Glide Memorial United Methodist Church” to advance UMC teachings.
Yes. The court documents are publicly available through the San Francisco probate court.
PDF documents related to the November 5 GLIDE announcement about its relationship with CNAC can be found here: Updates on GLIDE's Relationship with the California-Nevada Annual Conference + FAQs (PDF).
Updated Church FAQ
- We couldn't be more excited about the future and evolution of GLIDE Memorial Church. The agreement between GLIDE and the California Nevada Annual Conference of United Methodist Church (CNAC) has received final court approval.
- Unaffiliated with the United Methodist Church (UMC), our spiritual community remains healthy, rooted in liberation and will continue to build upon a faith tradition that welcomes all. For members of the congregation, this means realizing the opportunity to continue to shape the church as the radically inclusive, loving, inspired community that it is and always has been.
- Under the leadership of Minister of Celebration Marvin K. White and the Lay Leadership, a Church Futures Working Group is moving forward in a comprehensive effort to establish a formal charter, statement of faith and practice, and governance for the Church. At the heart of their work is an inclusive process that includes listening to and working with the congregation. The result will be a shareable vision and operational plan that will shepherd the future direction of Glide Memorial Church.
- The court's ratification ensures that GLIDE Memorial Church will continue to operate in its current location. The GLIDE Foundation retains title to our facility at 330 Ellis Street and our expansive, transformative programs will continue without interruption and our iconic building will be used, as it has been for decades, to benefit all San Franciscans.
- In the months to come, GLIDE will update its non-profit legal status to become a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation. We will continue to meet the rapidly escalating need in San Francisco while more clearly delineating the social service and advocacy work of the GLIDE Foundation from the spiritual work of GLIDE Memorial Church. Both entities will remain social justice organizations at their core and will continue to be guided by GLIDE's values of radical inclusion and unconditional love.
- While the specific details of this agreement have been two years in the making, the relationship between GLIDE and CNAC has been evolving for some time. Our relationship with UMC was established by Lizzie with a charitable trust nearly 100 years ago, and it worked well for many decades. However, as the years went on, San Francisco changed and so too did the relationship between GLIDE and CNAC, along with our respective understanding of our roles concerning how best to bring Lizzie Glide's wishes to life. GLIDE and CNAC entered into discussions in 2018 to determine a new path forward. The mutually beneficial agreement we reached embodies our efforts to realize the goals of the Trust in the 21st century and beyond.
- Although it will bring an end to many decades of a unique partnership, this resolution ensures we can fully and freely pursue our mission of transforming lives with a radically inclusive, transparent and rigorous organization that is open and welcoming to all.
- First, and perhaps most importantly, GLIDE will move forward free and independent, with no financial, legal or spiritual ties or constraints.
- Second, GLIDE will remain GLIDE - we retain our name and legal entity; our programs, services and advocacy will continue uninterrupted; and we will maintain Glide Memorial Church and its spiritual community, welcome to all and unaffiliated with the United Methodist Church.
- In addition, GLIDE will retain title to the facility at 330 Ellis Street and use this building, as we have done for decades, to benefit all San Franciscans. And, GLIDE's financial assets remain strong, including all of the funds raised for our programs and all funds raised since the arrival of Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani many decades ago at GLIDE.
- Above all, we will continue GLIDE's evolution, together and unimpeded - grounded in our values, our mission and our vision of racial equality, self-determination, dignity, justice and respect for all people.
In return, CNAC also benefits:
- GLIDE will transfer our trustee responsibility to CNAC for a trust and a restricted fund that were established nearly 100 years ago in large part to advance Methodist teachings. Due to GLIDE's strong financial management, these accounts now contain a combined $4.5 million in investments that grew out of Lizzie Glide's original contributions. CNAC will act as trustee over these funds and use them for their restricted purposes of advancing the Christian Protestant religion.
- In recognition of the long-term and unique relationship between GLIDE and UMC, GLIDE will also provide $1.5 million to CNAC, drawing from a separate account for investment returns. No donor funds given to GLIDE will be used for any purposes under this agreement.
- In addition, CNAC, if it chooses to do so, may incorporate a church in San Francisco under the name “J.H. Glide Memorial United Methodist Church” to advance UMC teachings.
As the full-time Minister of Celebration at GLIDE Memorial Church, Marvin K. White leads the Sunday Celebrations, offered at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Since the beginning of COVID-19, we have also offered Celebrations on Facebook Live (opens in a new tab).
GLIDE's Church Futures Working Group will lead an inclusive process for the future direction of Glide Memorial Church. Building on the progress made over the past two years under the leadership of Minister Marvin K. White and the Lay Leadership, the Church Futures Working Group will establish the church's formal charter, statement of faith and practice as well as its staffing and structure.
From the beginning of the pandemic, GLIDE placed a top priority on the safety of our community and our staff, reopening the Sanctuary once it was safe to do so in accordance with State and San Francisco health guidelines. In the meantime, GLIDE stepped up its online platforms so the community could stay connected for worship and inspiration.
GLIDE Memorial Church's Sunday Celebrations are going strong. There are two Celebrations every Sunday at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., led by Minister of Celebration Marvin K. White. During COVID, we expanded our Celebrations on Facebook Live (opens in a new tab) and YouTube (opens in a new tab) to bring together congregants and spiritual leaders from across the Bay Area and around the country. Sunday Celebrations continue as a weekly invitation to all people to be part of a joyful and inspiring exercise in spiritual uplift, connection across the usual lines of division, and the realization of beloved community, including the renowned GLIDE Ensemble and The Change Band, inspirational spiritual leaders, GLIDE's lay leadership, and other stirring voices from our community.
For more information, or if congregation members have questions, please contact the Church at church@glide.org.
Past Updates
- Updates on GLIDE’s Relationship with the California-Nevada Annual Conference + FAQs, November 5, 2020 (PDF)
- The California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and GLIDE Joint Statement on Reaching Successful Agreement, November 5, 2020 (PDF)
- An Update from GLIDE about Our Relationship with the California-Nevada Conference – GLIDE’s Assets Are Held in Trust for the People of San Francisco, Not the United Methodist Church, February 28, 2019 (PDF)
- A Message from GLIDE’s Leadership Concerning the Legal Challenge from the California-Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church, December 14, 2018 (PDF)