washingtonpost.com

'Church of Presidents' Legacy Lives

By Scott Lindlaw
Associated Press Writer
Friday, May 10, 2002; 4:46 PM

WASHINGTON –– Abraham Lincoln slipped in alone to pray at St. John's Church during the Civil War. Lyndon Johnson bowed his head there the day after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Bill Clinton once walked through a snowstorm, in flannel shirt and jeans, to attend services.

Every president since James Madison has crossed Lafayette Square to worship at St. John's, the pale yellow Episcopal church within sight of the White House. President Bush attends whenever he is Washington for the weekend.

He sits, as his predecessors did, nine rows back from the altar. A small brass plaque marks "The Presidents' Pew."

An early riser, Bush prefers the 8 a.m. service. His motorcade whisks him, his wife, Laura, and an entourage of security agents and reporters over just before it starts. He is not a regular because he spends many weekends at Camp David or his Texas ranch.

Bush sits in pew No. 54, near the center of St. John's. That location was chosen by Madison, who wanted to be treated like a regular parishioner. Secret Service agents sit close by. Military aides who carry the nuclear launch codes sit in the rear, as do a half-dozen reporters.

The president takes Communion, listens to the sermon and hears prayers that often ask God to protect him. In recent months, Bush listened as the rector, the Rev. Luis Leon, preached racial unity. On another occasion, the Rev. Spencer Rice reminded worshippers that violence in the Mideast was a problem even in the time of Jesus.

It is daunting to preach to the president, Leon said.

"You never get used to it," he said. "You get very nervous, because the person sitting in the pew carries such responsibilities, but ultimately I don't ever change what I'm going to say."

The Secret Service notifies him Saturday night or Sunday morning that the president is coming.

The service represents a rare moment when Bush is not isolated from the public.

Anyone can walk into the church after a security sweep and see him. When Leon directs members of the congregation to greet one another, Bush shakes hands with people all around, including FBI Director Robert Mueller, a church regular.

"Many presidents before me have sought God's grace, wisdom, and guidance within the walls of St. John's as they have made decisions affecting lives of people throughout the world," Bush said in a written response to questions about the church. "St. John's has an important place in the history of the presidency, and I am honored to have the privilege of continuing a valued tradition by attending services at St. John's."

Bush was raised Presbyterian, became an Episcopalian and now is a United Methodist, the same faith as his wife. On weekends at Camp David, he worships in a small chapel. At his Texas ranch, he has no set church routine.

The first church Bush attended in Washington as president was Lincoln Park United Methodist, a predominantly black church. The Bush family sat still while the congregation stood up and moved to a live band. Bush has not been back.

St. John's is modest about its history. Visitors could easily miss the small plaque outside that reads, "St. John's Church – The Church of the Presidents."

A prayer book, signed by every president starting with Madison, is kept in the church's vault. The church also keeps embroidered kneeling cushions that members have made for each president.

St. John's history is closely tied to that of the White House. With its domed ceilings and clean lines, it feels similar to the interior of the White House, and for good reason: Benjamin Latrobe, the architect commissioned to repair the White House after the British burned it, also drew up plans for the new church. Latrobe later wrote his son: "I have just completed a church that made many Washingtonians religious who had not been religious before."

St. John's was formed by Episcopal clergymen who saw a need for "a parish church suitable and convenient for the worship of chief executives and their families living in the White House."

The church was consecrated in December 1816, and officials gave Madison a pew, though the custom at the time was to rent or sell them.

All the presidents followed him, as did countless federal officials, lawmakers and foreign dignitaries, and the church played a key role in some of the nation's most important moments.

Joyful parishioners rang the bell so passionately at V-J Day in 1945 that the ropes broke. The bells tolled in 1963 for Kennedy's death.

St. John's was drawn into the social upheaval of the 1960s, and church leaders anguished over what role a church formed for the head of government should play in anti-government protests.

During a protest against the Vietnam War in November 1969, the church persuaded President Nixon to attend a prayer service for peace. Nixon balked after anti-war demonstrators were allowed to use the church for a rally.

"I do not think the church can stand idly by, no matter where it is located or what direction it faces, when the social and moral issues of our day are so blatantly set before us," wrote Rev. John C. Harper, the rector from 1965 to 1990. "We must be careful not to become the 'Church of THE president,' of a particular man or administration, but rather a church which provides spiritual direction to our national leaders regardless of their politics or position."

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On the Net:

St. John's Church: http://www.stjohns-dc.org

Video tour available at http://wire.ap.org

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