A capacity crowd filled the West Angeles Cathedral on July 31 to celebrate the 75th birthday of the Right Rev. Charles E. Blake, presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ denomination and pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles.
As a testament to the tremendous impact of his ministry, the audience included prominent clergy, elected officials, community leaders and thousands of members of West Angeles as well as other churches.
The celebration included a keynote address by Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, and featured music by gospel recording artists Smokie Norful and Judith McAllister, as well as the West Angeles Mass Choir and Saddleback Church Choir.
Participants included Earvin ‘Magic’ and Cookie Johnson, Samuel and Latanya Jackson, L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, Bishop P.A. Brooks, Apostle Frederick and Dr. Betty Price, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, recording artist Stevie Wonder, Mother Willie Mae Rivers, and Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis.
“It was an illustrious, glorious and most beautiful evening,” said Earl Jordan, West Angeles spokesman.
“In addition to it being a very distinguished hallmark birthday for Bishop Blake, it is also represented a milestone in the life of his ministry that will trigger the start of a major funding drive to secure the future ministry legacy of West Angeles Church. The drive will culminate in 2019, which spotlights his 50th pastoral anniversary at the church.
“Bishop Blake’s vision is to pay off the remaining mortgage of the West Angeles Cathedral, consolidate all of the church’s properties onto one campus by building a Family Life Center and provide an endowment of future legacy resources for the church,” explained Jordan.
“His goal is to leave a stable, future ministry legacy for the community, strengthen the fiber of the church’s outreach to men, women, children, and families in the community, and to further impact the nation and world for Jesus Christ.”
