Elaine Flake, 72, was appointed the new lead pastor of the historic Greater Allen Cathedral on May 2, 2021. | Facebook/The Greater Allen Cathedral of New York
Elaine Flake might have become the woman pastor with the largest congregation in the United States after being appointed lead pastor of the more than 23,000-member Greater Allen Cathedral of New York at 72 on Sunday.
She is taking over the position formerly held by her husband, the Rev. Floyd Flake, 76, who also spent 11 years in Congress fighting to improve life for constituents in his church community in Jamaica, Queens.
Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, founded in 1834, is also the largest congregation in the AME church by membership.