By Jean Nash Wells



The Reverends Elaine and Floyd Flake co-pastor The Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York, perhaps the largest and most influential African American congregation in the State and a model for the nation of how churches can change communities. This month Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake celebrates his thirtieth year as pastor. During that time the Flakes have built not only a major spiritual and cultural center, but also an economic engine in Southeast Queens around which a community revolves. The Greater Allen Cathedral’s operations are a national paradigm of church-centered, faith-based, public/private community educational and economic development.

Floyd Flake is one of those rare human beings whose talents are enumerable and who uses each of his gifts for the betterment of his people. In addition to his pastorate at Greater Allen Cathedral, his various “seasons” as he calls them have included stints as a Marketing Analyst for the Xerox Corporation, Associate Dean of Students at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center and Dean of the Chapel at Boston University, U.S. Congressman, and currently, President of Wilberforce University, which is also his undergraduate alma mater. Dr. Flake has an earned Doctor of Ministry Degree (D.Min.) from the United Theological Seminary in Dayton OH and has studied at Payne Theological Seminary and Northeastern University School of Business.

His political savvy and connections, his skills as a businessman, administrator, educator and preacher -- all of them are brought to bear in building a church and its related entities that have become community institutions -- manifestations of faith and vision.

Filling the needs of the community

Rev. Flake says that his model has been the Free African Society started by Absalom Jones and Richard Allen the founder of the A.M.E. Church for whom Greater Allen Cathedral is named. That organization’s purpose was to help people coming out of slavery. They started schools, built homes, formed savings and burial societies, etc. in essence created a means for them to be independent. That’s what the Flakes have done in Southeast Queens. “ My thesis here has been as the preeminent church of the community, anything that this community needs, I have the responsibility, once we assess that need and our capability to address it…to find the means to make it happen…,” he offered in an interview on the PBS television program Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. “With over 100 ministries,” he said, “everything that you want, we probably have a ministry here to address it.”

When Floyd and Elaine Flake arrived at then Allen A.M.E. Church in 1976, 600 members were on the rolls. Today that number exceeds 20,000 with assets of over $29 million and annual revenues of more than $13 million. 14 operating corporations have been organized creating total assets of $99 million. Among the projects completed by the various corporations are senior residences, mixed used commercial and housing complex, single-family homes, two family homes, and rental apartments. The value of home and property ownership in building wealth and community is one of the Flakes’ constant refrains to their congregation.

A Powerful Preacher

Rev. Elaine, as she is affectionately called, was instrumental in the development of many of GAC’s ministries and is particularly proud of her work with the Allen Resource Center, a safe haven for women and children who have been victims of domestic violence and the Allen Prison Ministry. Together the Flakes founded The Allen Christian School in 1982. It serves 645 or more African American students from Pre-K through 8th Grade. The original $3.7 million facility was completed in 1983 and a $5 million expansion constructed in 2004.

On the Sunday I visited the church, for the 11 o’clock service Rev. Floyd Flake conducted the service and Rev. Elaine Flake delivered the sermon. There was no evidence of the shy, retiring First Lady he later described her to be prior to receiving her calling. No, The Reverend Dr. Margaret Elaine M. Flake was every bit a masterful, but unpretentious, orator. Her co-pastor husband (a magnificent speaker in his own right) sat amongst the congregation as they poured out joyous praise in response to the words of this powerful preacher of the Gospel. She is a sought after speaker and an author.

There was an easy affection between them as they posed for our photographer – he, smoothing back a stray shock of her hair, she, smiling a ‘thank you’. In 30 years of marriage they have raised four children and multiplied greatly those things that God has entrusted to them. Rev. Floyd spoke glowingly of his wife’s role in the church. “It (her role as co-pastor) has allowed me to do other things in connection to ministry and in just making our lives better, because I know that I have someone in whom I have confidence and can entrust to do the co-pastoring.”

Getting Things Done

And Flake has certainly done other things, including nearly six terms as a U.S. Congressman. He says it was not a role he sought, at first. He was literally drafted by several pastors and community leaders. But resources he became aware of and contacts he made as a result of his tenure in Congress have had a positive impact on his ministry, the congregation and the surrounding community. “I got two federal buildings here and that means 4,000 jobs. I got to know Fannie Mae and got 500 homes built in South Jamaica, which wouldn’t have been there. I got to know President Clinton and got the One Stop Capital Shop, which is still operating, and getting Commerce money. So the reality is that it served its purpose. I served my time and it was my season and we certainly have benefited from it.”
Similarly, he was drafted as president of Wilberforce University for a year to help turn the struggling institution around, financially and academically. That was five years ago, and Dr. Flake has been successful in his efforts eliminating most of the $5million dollar debt. He smiled, “I love it. I enjoy working with students, talking to them. It’s been a good experience.”


A Daunting Challenge

One of the issues that greatly troubles them both is the cultural crisis among black young men and women. Rev. Elaine believes there are many parents, single parents and parents working together, who are trying to raise their children properly. “There are so many outside forces at work,” she said, “that it makes it very difficult. We are living in a world that magnifies celebrity in so many ways, and that is detrimental. With television, radio and the internet providing so many opportunities and models of behaviors that are opposite to what parents want for their children, shielding them from that is almost impossible.”

So, based on Rev. Flake’s thesis of responsibility to fill a need where there is a need, they have a church for young people. Under the leadership of Youth Minister Rev. Darius Thomas, The Shekinah Youth Church ministers to approximately 1500 young people ages three to 18. Services are held every Sunday in the old Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church sanctuary located one block from The Cathedral. Thirty-two active ministries address the needs of young people including KEPT- a celibacy ministry; FM- Fashion Ministry; CPEP- the College Preparatory and Enrichment Program, a basketball team and a media ministry.

The Flakes agree their most daunting challenge is maintaining a church that is in the world but not worldly; one that does not open itself to the cultural invasion that seeks to come in. “ We try to maintain a sense of what real ministry is, Rev. Elaine said, “ being relevant and not comprising in doing what we need to do to draw. Many people will do things to draw people. Drawing people to the church is certainly what we want to do, but we want to do it in the context of that which is biblically appropriate. We welcome people who have on sneakers and baggy pants, but I don’t think they want to see us in them. They don’t want to come to the church and see what they are trying to get out of, or have made a decision to leave.”

Sharing

Perhaps they have made that decision because of what they see happening in the neighborhood around Greater Allen and how it has impacted them. Because affordable homes and apartments are available families are able to live better lives. Senior citizens can live out their final years in decent surroundings. Drugs are scarcer, their purveyors having moved on to other areas where the quality of life has not yet been uplifted. “If there’s a vacant lot with in 26 blocks of the church, we buy it,” Rev. Floyd said.

Just how and why Greater Allen Cathedral has been able to prosper and build in such a way is what pastors, church and community leaders will learn at the upcoming Faith Based Conference on Economic Development being sponsored by
Greater Allen September 24-27. In workshops and action sessions they will learn from the Flakes and several other clergy who have also built successful ministries, which have demonstrable impact on the broader community, among them, Rev. James T. Meeks, Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, and Rev. Kirbyjon H. Caldwell and Secretary Of Department of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson.

Floyd and Elaine Flake have spent a lifetime serving others, expanding the borders of their ministry and sharing their knowledge, wisdom and experience so that others can do the same.

For more information or to register for the conference

call 788-206-4600 Ext. 3307 or visit www.allencathedral.org