Influential pastor is new presiding bishop

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Bishop Charles E. Blake, an influential Southern California pastor, has been named presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ Inc., the world's largest predominantly black Pentecostal denomination.

Blake, pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, replaces Presiding Bishop G.E. Patterson, who died in March at 67 of heart failure. The Memphis-based church body claims 6.5 million members worldwide, mostly in the United States.

Blake's church has a history of involvement in the local community and in global outreach programs, and he said he planned to continue that tradition.

"In addition to pursuing the basic principles of service to God and our ministry to the community in spiritual areas, my focus has always been on community development and global involvement," Blake said after his appointment, which came at the church's general assembly this month. "I certainly intend both to preserve those things and to do them on a higher level now, if we can."

The church Blake has led since 1969 is the denomination's largest congregation, with a membership of about 24,000. It has long been a key stop for California's Democratic politicians.

Blake also is founder and chief executive of Save Africa's Children, an organization that supports programs for orphans in countries throughout Africa. Actor Denzel Washington and singer Kanye West have been among its more prominent supporters.