Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent this holiday weekend in the Bronx stumping for votes in his bid to remain mayor. NY1's Josh Robin filed the following report.

Reverend Keith Elijah Thompson not only announced his endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg Sunday, but he also sounded a shofar, a ram's horn, and did a dance to pray that the Jewish mayor wins a third term.

"I danced today," he said. "For a distinguished man like me, I make myself humble in front of God. And it's an honor to have Mayor Bloomberg with us."

During the event, Bloomberg tooted his own horn, highlighting education and crime as signature achievements deserving a third term.

"I think in four more years we really can take what we've done and use it as a building block and make this city an awful lot better," said the mayor.

The endorsement came as Bloomberg took out an otherwise sleepy weekend in the city to meet with business leaders and stump at churches in the Bronx.

He also preached patience for Governor David Paterson. Polls do not find much support, even in the African American community, for a governor the mayor calls "struggling."

"But, nevertheless, the guy, I've always thought, does have a good heart and is trying to do it," said Bloomberg.

There's a strategy to the mayor's words. If the Democrat backed Bloomberg or stayed out of the mayor's race, it would deal a blow to opponent William Thompson, the Democratic African-American city comptroller.

Thompson said he is confident he will have the governor's support.

"The governor is, right after the primary, is going to be endorsing the Democratic nominee," said Thompson.

The visit to black churches shows Bloomberg is trying to neutralize Thompson's base of support elsewhere.

The city comptroller dismissed that the mayor's campaigning will have any effect.

"The policies that Mike Bloomberg has continued to push in his eight years have led to right now unemployment in the African-American community that is close to 15 percent," he said.

But churchgoers on the receiving end of Bloomberg's pitch were receptive.

"He can relate to the fact that his family was immigrants and there's a large immigrant population in the city of New York," said one churchgoer.

"I think what matters is what you have done before, your record," said another. "We know Mayor Bloomberg has a good record."