Free Republic

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — President Barack Obama and the first family attended Easter service at a historic black church that traces its origins to when Thomas Jefferson was president. The Rev. Howard-John Wesley, the pastor at Alfred Street Baptist Church, welcomed back the Obamas, whom he described as "the gorgeous family." The Obamas also visited the church last Easter. The congregation, led by a choir clad in crimson, gold and white robes, joined in song early in the service, with the pastor asking them to share introductions, "but don't act crazy" as the hundreds in attendance exchanged hugs and handshakes....

This weekend brings Easter Sunday and the beginning of Passover, and Christians and Jews will be filing into houses of worship this weekend to celebrate - most certainly more than usual for what are considered important holy days for people of both religious persuasions. The difference in the number of people in those churches and temples this weekend has a political significance. Often we talk about how different religious groups vote at election time, but the data show that the bigger divide in the electorate is around religious attendance - how often people go to a house of worship. In...

Alexandria, VA (AP) — President Barack Obama and his family attended Easter service at the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, whose history dates back almost 200 years to when Thomas Jefferson was in the White House. Obama along with wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia were welcomed to the historic church by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, who noted that like the first lady, he is a native of Chicago’s South Side. “How fitting that on the day we celebrate the rising of our Lord and savior, we also welcome our sitting president,” Wesley said, as...

Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama attended a spirited Easter service at a historic black church on Sunday, in keeping with the first family's tradition of visiting local Washington area congregations. The president, his wife Michelle and their two teenaged daughters attended the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, its pews filled with congregants who could barely contain their excitement over the visit. "How fitting that on the day we celebrate the rising of our Lord and Savior, we also welcome our sitting president," Pastor Howard-John Wesley said to applause from enthusiastic worshippers, whom he urged to keep their...

Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and their two daughters did not go to church on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, according to press pool reports. The Obamas are in Kailua, Hawaii for a 17-day Christmas vacation. Although the Obamas did not go to church for Christmas, President Obama did play golf

Lawyers from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have won the dismissal of an IRS case against United Church of Christ, Sen. Barack Obama's denomination. The IRS initiated an investigation early this year after a speech by Obama at a 50th anniversary celebration of the church last June. It was a reference by Obama to his presidential candidacy in a talk otherwise focused on faith that caught the agency's attention. (snip) Obama has been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago -- a UCC congregation -- for more than 20 years. The church has been in the...

An analysis of 12 years of tax returns recently released by President Barack Obama from 2000 to 2011 shows that the First Family donated 1.4 percent or less of their income to charity until he began to run for the U.S. Senate in 2004, and gave only nominal amounts to the church except for substantial donations to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Trinity Church of Christ in 2006 and 2007. The analysis performed by The Christian Post shows that from 2000 to 2011, the Obamas reported an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $18,677,610, of which they paid $5,794,492, or 31 percent,...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama attended service at a historic church that is steps away from the White House and often frequented by sitting presidents. Obama was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and daughter, Sasha, on the cloudy, brisk morning as they walked through Lafayette Square to St. John's Episcopal Church.

[Hussein] headed out to church this morning for the third time in a month, the latest sign that the president may be using religion to boost his image as the campaign heats up. [Hussein] has rarely gone to church since becoming president.... The increasingly large doses of religion added to the Obamas’ public profile has been accompanied by other Average Joe-pleasing displays of middle class virtuousness, like Michelle shopping at Target or the president heading to Best Buy to purchase gifts for his daughters and to PetSmart to get a bone for the dog.

The new internet era of politics has changed a lot of things about the way Presidents go about their daily lives. A stray comment captured on tape can instantly ricochet and cause havoc. Post-9/11 security concerns combined with the ability to find detailed information about virtually any location has made the already challenging job of protecting the President and his family even tougher. But the freedom to attend church and be part of a congregation while living at the White House may be the first true casualty of our new political age. Last Sunday, the Obamas held hands to cross...

They sure didn't waste any time posting the photo of Barack and Michelle silently praying on the WH Website, they attended what the AP calls a "historically black Methodist Church in southeast Washington" and "took commmunion".....Video of the Limo leaving the WH + Photo of Obama praying just posted at whitehouse.gov

When it comes to volatile political issues, the United Church of Christ is not often content simply to issue statements. Its new general minister and president, Geoffrey A. Black, delivered 17,000 petition signatures this fall to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that urged health-care reform—including coverage for all and access regardless of ability to pay. Black's predecessor as UCC president, John Thomas, was arrested at the White House two years ago, trying to deliver 100,000 petition signatures against the war in Iraq. "The church has a long tradition of being involved in the large public issues of the day," said Thomas,...

Washington churches eye a prize — the Obamas Family's search for a spiritual home sets off competition among ministers By Rachel L. Swarns The New York Times WASHINGTON - The invitations have come in neatly typed letters, whispered entreaties and please-join-us blogs. They have come from predominantly white churches and predominantly black churches, venerable churches with distinguished lineages and smaller, plucky churches with little more than spirit and gumption. The prize? The most sought after churchgoers in Washington: President Obama and his family. Mr. Obama’s search for a church home has touched off a frenzied competition among ministers of various...

Barack Obama has long stressed the importance of religion in his life. But as his fellow Christians around the world attended Christmas services on Wednesday and Thursday, the president-elect and his family remained sequestered at their vacation compound on the windward coast of Oahu. His lack of attendance at formal religious services was obvious and showcased a dilemma faced by Obama, who is between churches and often also expresses concern about bringing the disruption of his security detail into the lives of others.

A photo exhibit featuring partners in same-sex relationships will be on display beginning Sunday at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave. An open house will be held Sunday from 1-3 p.m., and the exhibit will be on display at the church for one week. The exhibit, titled "Shall Not Be Recognized," was created by Jeff Pearcy and Will Fellows in response to the passage of the 2006 marriage amendment in Wisconsin that does not legally recognize same-sex relationships. The display includes 30 photographs of couples who have been together for seven to 50 years. "In recent years,...

I'm not buying the Obama campaign spin on Michelle Obama's patriotic faux pas this week, any more than I'm inclined to believe that Barack Obama's refusal to wear our flag pin in his lapel is a meaningless gesture.  Both Michelle's stated lack of pride in America until this precise moment in history, and Barack's unwillingness to don our national symbol are in perfect keeping with the doctrines of their church, Trinity United Church of Christ. The simple truth is that if any of us exposed ourselves to the kind of teachings espoused by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright for 20 years,...

Obama's Church Obama mentioned his church during his appearance with Oprah. It's the Trinity Church of Christ. I found this interesting. Obama's church: Please read and go to this church's website and read what is written there. Click on the link below: This is the web page for the church Barack Obama belongs to: www.tucc.org/about.htm It is very alarming. Barack Obama is a member of this church and is running for President of the U.S. If you look at the first page of their website, you will learn that this congregation has a non-negotiable commitment to Africa. No where is...