In 1963, Cecil Williams became pastor of Glide Church, a Methodist congregation in the slums of San Francisco. He had been told by the bishop that the church was dying and unless someone made some major changes, it would have to be closed. There were 35 members of Glide Church, all of them white. This raucous memoir by Williams, a key civil and human rights activist, and Janice Mirikitani, the founding president of the Glide Foundation, maps the changes that they brought over a 50-year period by tackling the problems in the Tenderloin district.

This creative activist, who always emphasized the theme of unconditional love, sets out to liberate those who are victims of racism, poverty, disease (AIDS), and addiction. They open soup kitchens, provide after-school childcare, and build self-operated tenements for the down-and-out. Williams and Mirikitani make an effective team as change-makers and worship leaders. They raise the money they need and make the best possible use of celebrities in fulfilling their mission. They lead anti-war marches and fight for gay rights. At one point in his ministry, Williams swerves off the straight-and-narrow path of the crusader and prophet but the Spirit gets him back on track.

It is a real pleasure to read about a man with a dream who found the right place to do it. Glide Memorial has become "a diverse congregation committed to radical social change."