In the World

For immediate release: Bread eaters to live forever

Yesterday, the First Family attended worship at St. John's Episcopal Church in DC. I'm on what I assume must be a very massive press advisory e-mail list from the White House Communications Office, which was kind enough to send out this short note:

The gospel in today's mass is John 6:51-58.

Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever ...

I usually rely on either Vanderbilt's site or the Augsburg Fortress iCal file to know what's in the lectionary on any given Sunday. But a plain-text e-mail from the leader of the free world is way more convenient. I hope they keep it up.

Of course, the Obamas don't attend church every Sunday, and when they do it isn't always lectionary church. Maybe they'll start! Though not this week—I'm not sure Bread Summer's a likely candidate for attracting new weekly worshipers.

Steve Thorngate

The Century managing editor is also a church musician and songwriter.

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