The Obamas take communion during mid-morning service at "The President's Church"...The First Family walked this morning to attend the Choral Holy Eucharist and Sermon at St. John's Episcopal Church, located at the corner of 16th and H Streets, across from the White House. The day was bright, clear, and very cold as
President Obama,
First Lady Obama and daughters
Malia and
Sasha, clad in their Sunday best, strolled shortly after 11:00 AM through Lafayette Square Park, surrounded by their security detail, to "The President's Church," where every sitting president since 1816 has worshipped.
(Above: En route to St. John's)The Obamas have never formally joined a church in Washington, DC, and first attended services at St. John's on Easter Sunday in 2009. Regular churchgoers were being screened through metal detectors as the First Family arrived at 11:06 AM. Inside, the First Family sat in pew 54, the President's Pew, reserved for the chief executive's use when attending services. It has prayer stools covered in red velvet, with the names of past presidents embroidered in gold thread. At 11:28 AM, the
Rev. Dr. Luis León, Rector, began his sermon, speaking about John the Baptist.
All four Obamas went up to the altar and took communion at the end of the service, before walking back to the White House at 12:10 PM.
The First Family will attend the filming of
Christmas in Washington on Sunday evening, a TNT television special at the National Building Museum. It is a fundraiser for the Children's National Medical Center, whcih Mrs. Obama will visit on Monday.
(Above: The First Family walks back to the White House after the service)Interesting fact: The bell in St. John's bell tower is one of two by Paul Revere's foundry that are in Washington, both cast and installed in 1822. Of the two, St. John's bell is the only one that has been in continuous service since its installation. It weighs nearly 1,000 pounds, and was cast by Paul Revere's son, Joseph, at his Boston foundry in August 1822 and installed at St. John's on November 30, 1822.
From the pool report, on the sermon:The sermon is about John the Baptist heralding Jesus as the real God. Priest likens it to a Saturday Night Live show he once attended in New York where Eddie Murphy warmed up the audience before the show. John the Baptist is performing that role. Priest goes on to talk about how we all become quickly disillusioned when things don't work out as we expect. But that can be a good thing, he said, if we learn to accept reality.
John the Baptist was trying to point toward the reality of Jesus as God. At one point, the priest talks about the expectations placed on Obama when he came into office. Many unfairly expected a messiah that could cure the U.S. of all its problems, and now we see it's not that easy. "This is not a political diatribe by the way. It's simply stating the obvious," he said, sparking laughter among the congregation.
Pool was Paul Barton of Gannett.
*Photos by AP/Pool
Deck the halls of power with trashbags? Yes...
The real First Dog brings cheer wherever he goes: He joined Mrs. Obama on Monday for a holiday visit to the Children's National Medical Center. (Above: A long view of the library)
These vanilla, chocolate, and green tea Macaroons were among the treats being served at President Obama and First Lady Obama's holiday receptions at the White House. Read all about the Presidential holiday parties here.
The Gold Star Family tree...
The Official White House Christmas Tree, delivered to First Lady Michelle Obama on the day after Thanksgiving, is in the Blue Room. The tree honors Blue Star families, and features Christmas cards collected from military kids. It also has medals, badges, and patches from all five military branches displayed as ornaments, and historic military images in volunteer-made pine cone frames, such as the one in the center of the photo, above. The President and First Lady are visiting Ft. Bragg today, to meet with troops and military families.
Thanks to the fact that First Dog Bo is all over the White House holiday decor, he's lately "been a little confused," says First Lady Michelle Obama. No confusion here: Bo is seated in front of a Christmas tree on the North Portico, one of the few places at the White House that doesn't feature a statue of him. There was a truly super-duper Bo statue on the North Portico for Halloween, however.
Ribbon & Bos in holiday decor...
The tiny Bo ornament hangs on one of two Christmas trees in the Vermeil Room that flank a portrait of First Lady Jackie Kennedy. This year, there are thirty live Christmas trees and seven trees made of other materials that fill the White House.
The Obamas take communion during mid-morning service at "The President's Church"...
The First Family will attend the filming of Christmas in Washington on Sunday evening, a TNT television special at the National Building Museum. It is a fundraiser for the Children's National Medical Center, whcih Mrs. Obama will visit on Monday. (Above: The First Family walks back to the White House after the service)
Artisan American cheese served at holiday receptions...
The cheese platter in the top photo was on a buffet table in the State Dining Room, home to the White House Gingerbread House, during a reception for the press on Friday. The President and Mrs. Obama were on duty all evening in the Diplomatic Reception Room, taking photos with guests. Above, a long shot of the buffet table, with steamed vegetables, new potatoes, dinner rolls, and roast beef. The vases holding the floral arrangements were covered with cranberries.
First Lady Michelle Obama's "Shine, Give, Share," holiday decor theme honors members of the military and their families. In the East Wing, the seasonal greens include wreaths in the shape of stars, hanging in upper windows. These honor Gold Star families, those who have lost loved ones in military service. Click here to download the 2011 White House Holiday Tour Book for information on the decorations in each room.
Comfort & joy, cookie edition...
A MyPlate Christmas...
The holiday theme is "Shine, Give, Share" to honor military families. Click here to download the 2011 White House Holiday Tour Book for information on the decorations in each room. (Above: Comerford, right, and her assistants with the fruity craft table)
The tiniest Bo with the Clinton State China...
First Dog Bo, hailed by First Lady Michelle Obama as "the most famous member of the Obama family," stars in this year's holiday decor. Figurines of the shaggy Portuguese Water Dog, large and tiny, are in almost every room of the White House. In these photos, a teeny Bo sits beside wine glasses on a dinner table in the China Room, set for the holidays. "It's a where's Bo?" game, said Mrs. Obama, a subtheme of "Shine, Give, Share," which honors military families.
The China Room, on the ground floor of the White House, has a table set for eight with the Clinton State Dinner service atop white lace place mats. Gold candlesticks and low gold candle holders decorate the table. The floral arrangements, in gold "baskets," are red and mauve roses with seasonal greens. (Above: A long view of the room)
Hillary Clinton, Gingerbread Lady...
In the East Garden Room, Christmas trees made of construction paper sit beside a huge bust of President Abraham Lincoln and one of the 30 natural Christmas trees that are part of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Shine, Give, Share" holiday decor theme. Christmas cards from past Administrations are framed on the wall beside the trees. Instructions for making a mini version of the paper trees are included in the 2011 White House Holiday Tour Book [PDF].
First Dog Bo, licorice and marshmallow edition...
The other Bo decorations range from a three-inch ornament hanging on a Christmas tree in the Vermeil Room to a larger-than-life version made of trash bags, lying beside the fireplace in the Library. He's also depicted in pom poms, buttons, and other materials. (Above: A long view of Bo in the Green Room, which features greenery and sparkles)
"Serving The Country"
Behind the scenes at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue...
Like most Americans, the White House recycles its ornaments and decor elements from year to year and from event to event, and while the stuff was carefully labeled, it was in all kinds of odd boxes, including a box that read "apples" and one that read "granola." Above, a box of ribbons for the Yellow Oval Room.