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Greater Quinn A.M.E. Church Greater Quinn A.M.E. Church

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Meet Our Pastor

Rev. Robert Blake - Pastor

An Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Robert A. Blake is the son of the late Richard and Rosemarion Blake. Born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI., Rev Blake is a fourth generation AME pastor who grew up under the shadows of his grandfather Presiding Elder David A. Blake Sr. and his great uncle, Rev Eustace Lewis Blake, who pastored the great pulpits of Historic Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, PA and St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Newark New Jersey.

Rev Blake came through the ranks of African Methodism growing up at Bethel AME Church in Ann Arbor, MI, serving as: a participant in the Acolyte Ministry, Allen Stars, a Lay Reader, and eventually being appointed a Steward. After entering into ordained ministry, he also served as Choir Director and Sunday school teacher for over ten years.

Rev Blake’s life changed when he received Jesus as Savior, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and his call into ministry in 1980 under the late Rev. John A. Woods. Rev Blake was ordained an itinerant elder in 1986 at the 100th session of the Michigan Annual Conference.

In 1993, God called Rev. Blake to the office of Pastor at St. James AME Church in Brighton, MI. Under his leadership, this multi-cultural church experienced significant spiritual and numerical growth. Beginning the second Sunday of June 2004, Rev Blake became the pastor of St. Luke AME Church in Highland Park, MI (The Rock in the Park) where he pastored for eleven Blessed years. Because of his great concern and compassion for the community of Highland Park, Rev Blake has served on the boards of the Focus Hope Community Development Council, Highland Park Child and Family services, Council of Elders for Restorative Justice and the Highland Park Education Improvement Committee, and also the Highland Park Human Rights Coalition.

Rev Blake served as the Soaring South District Director of Evangelism for the Michigan Annual Conference and now serves as the Michigan Conference Director of Evangelism. For several years, he has worked with the Department of Church Growth and Development of the AME Church. Rev Blake was also the Program Director for the Soaring South District of the Michigan Annual Conference for over 5 years. He was named Lay Pastor of the Year by the Michigan Conference Lay Organization in 2011.

2016 proved to be a season of change as Rev Blake was asked to move to the city of Flint, MIchigan, to pastor Vernon Chapel AME Church, (The Point). While in Flint, Rev Blake served on the board of Flint Economic Development commission, Concerned Pastors for social justice, Flint School improvement committee. Because of the water crises and tragedy, pastor Blake established Vernon’s water ministry, With the emphasis on distribution of water and eventually delivering water and supplies for personal hygiene to the Flint Community. Pastor Blake worked with the ACLU and also “The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to force the state of Michigan to supply funding for the removal of lead pipes in the city.

The Lord was not finished with Rev Blake and wanted Greater things for him so in August of 2018 he was sent to a new assignment; Greater Quinn AME (The Greater) in Detroit Michigan, where he currently pastors a very spirit filled and awesome people striving for greatness.

A graduate of Ann Arbor Huron High School and featured in Who’s Who in America 1973, Rev. Blake was blessed to attend the world renowned Interlochen National Music Arts Academy for vocal performance. Later, Rev Blake attended the University of Michigan where he majored in vocal performance and Southern University, Baton Rouge LA, majoring in vocal education. He has done considerable course work in sociology and psychology as well as course work in Urban Ministry at Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit.

Preacher, Worshipper, Teacher, Evangelist, Workshop Presenter, Activist, Vocal Soloist, Rev Blake has ministered throughout the Midwest, South, and the Island of St. Croix. Rev Blake’s ministry focuses on: building, rebuilding, and repairing lives for Kingdom use.

Rev Blake is married to the very gifted and talented Desiree Denise Blake who is the past Michigan Conference Clergy Family Organization President. They are Blessed to have two adult sons Randall and Daynin,

Rev Blake lives by the credo “It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.”