Presiding over a congregation filled with pride

After the choral singers had whipped the churchgoers into a swaying, stomping, prayerful frenzy Sunday morning, Bishop Charles E. Blake strode to the dais at West Angeles Church of God in Christ.

“I hope I’ve got some worshiping folk in here!” Blake said, his eyes sweeping up to balcony seats in the vast building and his voice rising above the percussion and organ of the band playing beside him. A golden cross shone brightly against his simple gray robe.

The crowd responded. “Praise Jesus!” some shouted, while others raised their hands upward -- their heads tilted back and eyes closed in prayer.

Moments later, Blake singled out a man seated behind him on the stage. The man, Blake told the crowd, had recently been promoted into a higher office within the Church of God in Christ’s national organization.

“The new presiding bishop promoted him,” Blake said with a good-natured laugh. Few, if any, in the pews needed to be let in on the joke: that Blake himself, newly appointed as head of the national church, had promoted the man to a mid-level position. They rose to their feet again to give Blake a standing ovation.

Blake was formally appointed as the presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ at the church’s annual meeting last week in Memphis, Tenn. He replaces G.E. Patterson, who died in March.

Blake assumes control of a church with more than 6 million members, making it the fourth-largest Protestant denomination in the country. It is thought to be the largest African American Pentecostal group in the world.

“It is an awesome responsibility and a great honor,” Blake said in an interview. “I know no other church but this.”

Blake’s appointment drew ebullient praise but little surprise from the West Angeles members arriving for Blake’s second of two morning services.

“I am so very proud, very excited for him,” said Cathleen Lovette, who has attended services at West Angeles since 1982. “He is one of the most sincere, godly ministers in the entire nation.”

Indeed, the new posting seems certain to further burnish the profile of one of Los Angeles’ major religious figures and power brokers. With 24,000 people in the West Angeles congregation, Blake heads one of Southern California’s largest religious groups. And since the retirement of the Rev. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray from First AME Church in South L.A., Blake has become a crucial gatekeeper whom political candidates must court if they want the support of the city’s African American community.

In his race against then-Mayor James Hahn, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sat in Blake’s front pew and won Blake’s support. (Villaraigosa is close to Blake’s son-in-law, former labor leader and City Councilman Martin Ludlow, who pleaded guilty last year to federal and state charges that involved diverting funds to his 2003 City Council election campaign.)

In 2005 Blake was one in a small group of black clergy courted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and senior White House officials, in the hope they would support an African aid initiative proposed by President Bush.

After meeting with Bush, Blake publicly criticized him, questioning his commitment to helping the continent.

Blake is the founder of the Pan African Children’s Fund, which aims to help African orphans.

Blake has tried to downplay the added travel and responsibilities that come with his new position, and few at church on Sunday seemed concerned they would see less of their bishop.

Nonetheless, Blake offered assurances from the dais.

“I ain’t going anywhere,” he said. “I just got another job, but I’m not going to forget about my day job. I’m not going to forget about West Angeles.”

joel.rubin@latimes.com