Obama worships at 19th St. Baptist Church

WASHINGTON- President-elect Barack Obama has officially started his search for a place of worship in our nation's capital.

Obama arrived in his motorcade at 19th Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. just before 11 a.m. Sunday morning.

Church members say they started lining up outside at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, but hundreds of people were turned away when the church reached capacity.

Those turned away lined along 16th Street hoping to get a glimpse of Obama, but he entered the church through the back.

The church is located on 16th Street in the upper Northwest neighborhood of Washington, home to many influential Washingtonians, including Mayor Adrian Fenty and D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee.

Vice president-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, attended mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown Sunday.

The Bidens sat in a pew reserved for him and his family toward the back of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and listened as the Rev. Larry Madden, S.J., delivered a sermon about God as a constant anchor and the promise of hope and change for those who believe.

Toward the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass, as one of the lectors urged those in attendance to welcome new members and visitors, some in the congregation laughed and then applauded, looking toward Biden. He eventually stood and acknowledged the response that included a standing ovation.

President John F. Kennedy and his family worshiped at Holy Trinity.

Among those at the service was Biden's former colleague, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., a regular at Holy Trinity.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP and Associated Press. All rights reserved)