Obamas still don’t have regular church to attend
By Dave Cook | 06.29.09
Contrary to published reports, President Obama and the First Family have not decided to make Evergreen Chapel at Camp David their primary place of worship in the Washington area.
“The President and First Family continue to look for a church home. They have enjoyed worshipping at Camp David and several other congregations over the months, and will choose a church at the time that is best for their family,” Deputy White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki said in a statement.
Time.com had posted a lengthy story saying that, in an unexpected move, President Obama had told aides he had decided to make the non-denominational chapel at Camp David the family’s primary church home. Evergreen Chapel was dedicated during the presidency of George H.W. Bush and serves the military personnel and staff stationed at the highly secure Camp David.
Little Sunday morning privacy
In addition to services at Camp David, the President and Mrs. Obama have attended a local Baptist church and celebrated Easter at St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from the White House. Word that the Obamas would attend the Baptist church became public, drawing a large crowd and making it difficult for regular church attendees to find seats. And tourists inside the church reportedly snapped pictures of the President while he attended St. John’s.
Presidents at least since McKinley have found it difficult to worship without being stared at or photographed. Since September 11, 2001, heightened security has made church-going even more difficult for the First Family.
The complex two block trip to church
This reporter has not accompanied Mr. Obama to church. But I did attend services with President Bush as part of a White House press pool that accompanied the chief executive when he left the executive mansion and traveled to St John’s Episcopal, just across Lafayette Park from the White House.
Early Sunday morning we got into a 14-vehicle motorcade – complete with duplicate armored SUVs, an ambulance, and a counter-assault SWAT unit dressed in black and armed with high powered rifles — for the two block ride to church. Parents placed their children in pews near to Mr. Bush to snag a presidential handshake during the “greet your fellow worshiper” portion of the Episcopal service.
For the Obama family, security and privacy are not the only concerns in finding a new church home. The issue is especially sensitive for Mr. Obama since he resigned from Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago in the wake of intemperate comments made by his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.
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2. Brenda Howell | 06.29.09
I think it is great they attend several churches - why do you have to have just one!!
4. Shawn | 06.29.09
Why is this news? The pursuit of religious beliefs should be personal…not public.
5. Charlene | 06.29.09
Is there not a Chapel at the White House? Why not bring a Clergy to the First Family? Service can be to the First Family and possibly other Staff memebers. I realize it “comes with the Territory” but it seems sad that you cannot even go to worship without the invasion to your privacy.
6. Kent | 06.29.09
Why should anyone care if they attend any church at all? Believing or not believing is their business. He is not or do I expect the President to be my spiritual leader.
7. ronmac | 06.29.09
I would highly recommend reading the New Testament and finding a church that observes the will of God not man… Find one that sings, prays, teaches, gives, and observes the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week. Find one that adheres to Acts 2:38 and every conversion in the New Testament. Find one that uses pure singing not man made instruments. Find one that understands that Baptism has always meant immersion. In other words, observe and follow what the first century church did to worship God. Disagree if you will, but in the end we will all be judged by the same God…
8. kenny hott | 06.29.09
Our president should attend church but also should look deep inside to see why he doesn’t change his view on abortion and same sex marriage. It is hard to say you are Christian and be in opposition of God’s Word. Either you agree with God’s Word and the way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ or you reject Jesus and the Word of God and just say you are not a Christian. Our President is not an example of bible believing Christian. His views on abortion and same sex marriage go against the teachings of God’s Word.
9. Chris Howe | 06.29.09
Who the heck cares about what church the president attends?! It is a private matter, non of your business! Freedom of religion remember?
10. paul | 06.29.09
he is a church onto himself –So he does not need to attend -remember he is the Messiah according to the media—–
11. BrokenArrow | 06.29.09
Personally, if I had that job, I’d hold church somewhere on the grounds. Maybe outside in nice weather, and build a small, humble domain in which to worship in bad weather.
Our spirituality is, as they say, an inside job. Keep it simple, and get rid of the dogma of all organized religions. Keep it pure. It’s a private matter, so why don’t we all just butt out?? Hear that, media?
12. waldo5 | 06.29.09
Hasn’t anyone noticed that this president works a 7-day work-week? He is always around on weekends for something. Can’t he have at least one day off, and if that is Sunday, so be it. He has enough to do already, with impossible tasks still ahead of him. I hope he and Michelle take their long, sweet times before deciding on which church to go to, and I hope–for their security and privacy, that they choose several churches so that no one will know in advance that they will be in church to have their pictures taken and stared at while they pray. So much is invested in this presidency, and so much responsibility is on his shoulders—that anything he decides to do in ways of religion is personal/private/individual and the First Family’s business.
13. Mrs David E Pierce | 06.30.09
The President and his family would be most welcome to attend the Christian Science Church, right across the Park. They would enjoy the loving atmosphere. They would enjoy the Readers reading the Bible Lesson, knowing it was being read and studied around the world. They would enjoy, also singing the three hymns. The would enjoy praying the Lord’s prayer, and hearing, perhaps for the first time, the spiritual interpretation of each line. There would also be a lovely solo sung, an organ prelude, and postlude, and music during the (ah, yes) collection. The grownups would act like grownups, and the girls would be having a wonderful time with the other children their age in the Sunday School. They would be learning the Lord’s prayer, the 10 commandments, as well as the Bible stories.
Sneak on over some Sunday, if you can.
14. Sammael | 06.30.09
Why does a nation, which prides itself on freedom of speech and religion, express such concern over the fact that its president, who should be an icon of such liberties, has not decided on a church to attend with his family? Is this nation so steeped in Christianity that it fails to grant religious freedom to those of other faiths, including but not limited to atheists?
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. John the Believer | 06.29.09
Wow this is interesting AND important