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CHARLESTON, S.C. — At the 7:30 a.m. Sunday service at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, the invited guest was mostly a mystery to the all-black congregation, so much so that when he was introduced by the Rev. Dr. William Swinton Jr., he was called “Bill de Bless-io.” Twice.

Mayor Bill de Blasio took the mispronunciation in stride, easing into his 12-minute speech about how he made life better for working people in New York City, easily dropping into the lexicon of the black church, referring to his mother and mother-in-law as “elders,” and giving “honor to God” before he spoke.

And when he went into his campaign spiel about the devastating effects of income inequality, and how he believed that he could adapt his successes in New York — universal prekindergarten, guaranteed paid time off and increased access to health care — to the rest of the nation, claps of approval filled the church.

“I don’t think they look out for the people,” D’jaris Sanders, 34, who works in the automotive construction industry, said after the service last weekend. “Like he said,” she added, referring to Mr. de Blasio, “the working people.”