As ministers, they’d like Obama to find a church

In Minneapolis for the Religion Newswriters Association annual conference, I asked two members of the White House Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships about the ongoing question of the first family finding a local church. It’s about the children, is basically what both the Rev. Peg Chemberlin, president-elect of the National Council of Churches, […]

In Minneapolis for the Religion Newswriters Association annual conference, I asked two members of the White House Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships about the ongoing question of the first family finding a local church. It’s about the children, is basically what both the Rev. Peg Chemberlin, president-elect of the National Council of Churches, and the former Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page answered.

“How will the children have a sense of Christian community?” asked Chemberlin. “That’s the pastoral question that’s in my heart and I don’t know the answer.”

Though she has “no criticism about the decision that they’ve made,” she said the question still tugs at her.”


“How is the family going to get what they need, including the kids? How do they have a sense of Christian community, which for many of us is the formative place?”

Page was equally concerned.

“I do encourage our president to find a church for he and his family to attend,” he said. “And while I deeply appreciate the fact that he does read the daily devotional that Joshua DuBois (director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships) sends to him – I appreciate that very much – those girls need a church. They need to be under instruction and tutelage of some godly people.”

Page said it was encouraging that Obama is currently hearing preaching from a Southern Baptist chaplain when he visits Camp David but he doesn’t think that’s sufficient.

“He needs to be faithful on a regular basis, not just when he’s on vacation at Camp David so it would help if that were a more consistent and more a part of his life,” said Page. “I think it would be a grounding influence for him and an encouragement to the faith community.”

(Photo of Chemberlin at anti-torture rally)

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