From West Adams to Crenshaw

A legacy of faith and hope,
and a vision for the future.

Bishop Emeritus Charles E. Blake Sr. and Lady Mae L. Blake

A VISION THAT GREW WITH THE PEOPLE

Some legacies are measured by what was built. Others are measured by the lives impacted along the way.

Presiding Bishop Emeritus Charles E. Blake, Sr. is commonly referred to as a “visionary." During his 53 years of leadership, West Angeles grew from a 50-member church on West Adams Blvd. into an internationally known church of 25,000 members with multiple properties on Crenshaw Boulevard.

As the congregation grew, so did the vision for all that a church could become.

BEYOND THE SANCTUARY

A vision for the church—and the community of South LA.

Bishop Blake’s vision extended beyond Sunday service. He championed the growth of the Crenshaw Corridor, helping to strengthen the community through programs, properties, and initiatives created to serve the people who called it home.

That commitment reached beyond Los Angeles, all the way to the continent of Africa. Through the West Angeles Community Development Corporation, the church supported economic empowerment and community transformation here at home. And through Save Africa’s Children, the church provided support to more than 200,000 children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

Serving as Presiding Bishop of the national Church of God in Christ from 2007 - 2021, his influence extended throughout the nation, expanding the denomination's approach to ministry and community impact. Yet through it all, West Angeles remained home.

A LEGACY YOU CAN SEE

God's faithfulness made visible on Crenshaw.

As West Angeles C.O.G.I.C. grew in numbers, the vision grew with it. The West Angeles Cathedral opened in 2001 with a sanctuary large enough to welcome a growing church family while remaining rooted in the South L.A. community.

Lady Mae Blake also helped shape the church's visual legacy, working with the artists as the concept and colors for the Cathedral’s stained glass came to life. Its semi-circular sanctuary was designed to preserve a sense of connection between the pulpit and congregation, even in a space built for thousands.

Over time, the stained glass colors became part of the fabric of the city. When Metro created the Expo/Crenshaw Station across the street, artist Erwin Redl drew inspiration from the Cathedral’s stained glass for "Inside Out – Outside In – Inside Out," a dynamic art-installation on the station's entrance and pavilion. Metro describes West Angeles Cathedral as an “anchor of the Crenshaw community.”

In that way, something created to express faith inside West Angeles now reaches beyond its walls—casting its influence into the community around it.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

After 53 years of pastoral leadership, Bishop Blake retired from active pastoral ministry, passing the mantle of leadership to his son, Pastor Charles E. Blake II. He and Lady Mae remain part of the West Angeles family and the church they devoted so much of their lives to building.

Buildings, ministries and milestones only tell part of their story. The greater legacy lives in the people—the generations who have worshiped here, served here and carried their faith beyond the sanctuary throughout the city of Los Angeles and the world.

To quote Bishop's trademark phrase:

“I see you in the future, and you look much better than you look right now.”

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