Leaving Church

On a day when the DNC rules committee met to come up with a solomonic solution to the Michigan/Florida debacle, word came out that Barack and Michelle Obama had decided to leave Trinity UCC, the church they had been members of for some 16 years, a church in which they had been married and their children baptized. I'm sure this is an agonizing decision, but sometimes a relationship becomes untenable.

In many ways the Obama's membership not only hurt him, but hurt the church. They're own ministry was limited by the constant scrutiny. The recent unfortunate remarks mocking Hillary Clinton by Fr. Michael Pfleger didn't help. Pfleger has been essentially silenced by his bishop -- told to stay out of politics, and Obama was once again forced to dissacociate himself from the comments of a controversial pastor.

The decision, coming as it does now, may calm the waters some, but probably not completely. It will be interesting to see where they land church wise. Perhaps over among the Disciples!

All of this reminds us that faith and politics can be strange bedfellows. Faith can be an important factor in forming a person's political views, but they often mix as well as water and oil. I know that my own political statements on this blog at times push the line -- but I try to be careful about not crossing it. I want my own work of ministry to stand clear of partisanly political entanglements. Difficult that maybe, but something we must work on.

So, tonight I offer my prayers for the Obamas as they continue their spiritual journey and find a new home. I pray as well for Trinity UCC, which has been wracked by all kinds of unexpected attention.