Washington church extends Obama invite

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The United Church of Christ says it's hoping to settle the matter of which church U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will attend in Washington.

The church has extended him a hand-delivered invitation to worship there, the Washington publication The Hill reported Wednesday.

"(The letter) invited him to consider finding a spiritual home for him and his family at one of the UCC churches in the Washington area," Sandy Sorenson, the UCC's associate for communications and media advocacy in Washington, told The Hill.

Obama, who was attacked politically for the sermons delivered by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ, will likely closely consider the temperament of any new pastor, the report said.

"(Obama is) going to be a little cautious; he's going to look around and pick some pastor who will inspire him but not end up as a headline and then someplace where he and his kids feel comfortable and have appropriate facilities so the Secret Service can protect him," said Dr. Clyde Wilcox, a professor of government at Georgetown University.