[Vision2020] Churches Vie to Attract The Newest First Family

[Tom Hansen]

Washington's churches try to woo the Obamas, apparently unaware of the 
whole secret Muslim thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvkg42Aw9c8

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>From the Washington Post at:

http://tinyurl.com/ObamaChurch
 
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Churches Vie to Attract The Newest First Family

By Jacqueline L. Salmon and Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post Staff Writers
 
There have been letters, discreet inquiries and bold appeals. Some are 
using their connections; others are just seeking a foot in the door.

It's part of the spirited competition among Washington churches to land 
the most sought-after Christians in town: the Obama family.

Methodist, Baptist, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, Episcopal -- 
all have been courting the Obamas to be regulars in their pews on Sunday 
mornings.

When Amy Butler, pastor of Calvary Baptist in Northwest Washington decided 
to woo the Obamas, a friend in the local faith community had some 
advice: "He just laughed and told me that I should get in line."

She made a pitch to the Obamas that includes the following: We're diverse 
and multigenerational, we're 10 blocks from the White House, the pastor 
(Butler) is from Hawaii and attended Obama's rival high school, and "the 
sermons rock!"

Calvary's outreach is being replayed all over town as churches try to 
maneuver themselves to attract the nation's first African American 
president and his family to their house of worship.

They are waging a "quiet but intense campaign . . . to put their best foot 
forward," said Terry Lynch, executive director of the Downtown Cluster of 
Congregations.

Some churches started their campaign even before Obama won the election. 
Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ sent a letter to the 
Obama campaign several months ago inviting the family to worship with them.

"We thought we'd better get something out there," said the Rev. Rich 
Smith, senior minister of Westmoreland. "It seemed like it would be worth 
a shot anyway."

The excitement astonishes presidential historians.

"I can't recall another situation where there is this kind of interest 
before the president even takes office in terms of where he is going to go 
to church, and churches campaigning for his attendance," said Gary Scott 
Smith, author of "Faith and the Presidency" and a history professor at 
Grove City College in Pennsylvania. "This is unique in American political 
history."

The historic nature of the new First Family -- as the first African 
Americans and the first in decades with small children -- plus Obama's 
high-profile difficulties with his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah 
Wright, is placing unprecedented attention on the family's choice of a 
church. Normally, say historians and members of previous administrations, 
the selection rarely raises a ruckus.

"I don't remember that kind of excitement," said Mary Finch Hoyt, former 
press secretary for Rosalynn Carter. The Carters attended First Baptist 
Church of the City of Washington D.C., the faith home of several previous 
presidents. "After the initial questions about what being 'born again' 
means were answered satisfactorily, their religion and worship habits were 
more or less taken for granted," Hoyt said.

Some ministers say they have been told that the Obamas won't make a 
decision until January. The Obamas have not moved to a new church in 
Chicago since leaving Wright's church, and the transition team isn't 
saying whether they have chosen a church here -- or if they've begun the 
search.

But plenty of others are weighing in.

Denominational leaders are getting into the act, pointing out how their 
faith's beliefs line up with Obama's.

Bishop John School, who heads the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the 
United Methodist Church, sent Obama a list of local United Methodist 
churches.

"Our congregations would be glad to welcome you, your family, your staff 
and their families to be part of our communities of prayer and service," 
his letter said. "Your message of personal responsibility and social 
justice are important United Methodist themes."

The United Church of Christ, the denomination of Obama's former church, 
United Trinity Church of Christ, is in the running, too. UCC General 
Minister and President John Thomas dropped Obama a note three days after 
the election "offering the hospitality of our congregations in Washington 
as places of nurture, sanctuary and encouragement."

Churches that have hosted former presidents aren't far behind. First 
Baptist Church of the City of Washington D.C., at which five previous 
presidents have worshiped, has offered itself for a pre-inaugural service 
or as a church home for the Obamas, said Dennis Lambert, church 
administrator.

In his letter, Luis León, rector of St. John's Church, Lafayette Square, 
an Episcopal church just steps from the White House, pointed out that 
every president since James Madison has attended St. John's at least once 
during their administration.

"We, of course, would be delighted if he chose to attend here," Leon said.

Churches haven't hesitated to use their political connections. Among 
others, Foundry United Methodist, spiritual home of the Clintons, has used 
members with connections to the Obamas as conduits.

"We have attempted to communicate to both the incoming administration and 
also to those newly elected to Congress that we see part of our mission to 
be a spiritual home for people serving in our government," said the 
church's pastor, the Rev. Dean Snyder.

Many churches are stressing their community activism and social-justice 
outreach to a president whose professional background includes such 
involvement. New York Avenue Presbyterian is touting its involvement with 
Washington Interfaith Network and its community organizing, Westmoreland 
has pointed out its social outreach and Calvary is promoting its "faith 
that matters."

It isn't easy hosting a president. Aside from extensive security sweeps, 
church members are generally limited to entering through one door, often 
leading to lines, and must go through metal detectors and submit to those 
Secret Service pokes through handbags and other bags.

And given the attention to Wright's fiery sermons when they were posted on 
YouTube, some ministers have worried about the scrutiny over what they say 
ending up part of the national dialogue.

Nonetheless, said Lynch, "It's prestigious to have [the Obamas] attend -- 
it's such a historic presidency -- which outweighs the significant 
challenges and difficulties."

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Gee.  And here's another "shocker".

The Obamas have opted to enroll their children into a private school, 
possibly at the urging of the Secret Service.  You think?

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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