Obamas attend services at church near White House

[January 17, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama attended Sunday services at an African Methodist Episcopal church near the White House.

Metropolitan AME bills itself as "the National Cathedral of African Methodism."

During morning prayers, the congregation was asked to remember the people of Tucson, Ariz., where a gunman went on a shooting spree last weekend that killed six people and wounded 13 others, including a congresswoman.

The congregation also sang birthday wishes to the first lady, who turns 47 on Monday.

Following the service, the president returned to the White House and then left again a short time later with his daughters to play basketball.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.