Description:

Obama Barack

Two church donation envelopes for the Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in Washington D.C., each with doodles or notes by Barack Obama:

1) 6.25" x 3" light purple church money donation envelope. Dated of November 30, 2008 crossed out in heavy black marker. Barack Obama penned a phrase on the verso of the envelope of "I'M LOST"

2) 6.5" x 3.5" pale green church money donation envelope for the Allen Chapel scholarship Fund on which Barack Obama drew numerous doodles. Both near fine. Accompanied by impeccable provenance of the signed certification by the Valet of both Presidents Bush and Obama, Samuel Sutton.

An interesting set of Obama hand drawn doodles executed in black ink, extraordinarily unique having being drawn while in church on their donation envelopes. The light green envelope contains several doodles including a table with a vase of flowers, a woman's face, two woman's high heel shoes and two noses (one in profile).

The second envelope, which was dated November 30, 2008, (and then crossed out in black marker), would have been at the time just post Obama winning his campaign for Presidency (Nov 4, 2008). Rather an odd and/or revealing phrase for a incumbent president to write of "I'M LOST" on the back on a church envelope just after winning his campaign for the Presidency, and perhaps best left up to each his own interpretation of Obama's thoughts behind that phrase.

Allen Chapel, A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) Church, is located in Washington D.C is a community of faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit to give excellent witness of the transforming power of God in Jesus Christ for our families, our communities and our world.

Their mission statement is to be an ever-growing family of Christ’s disciples who connect communities in faith for destiny.

OUR CORE VALUES

Authentic Worship

Strategic Evangelism

Valuable Relationships

Passionate Spiritual Development

Consistent Servanthood

Holistic Stewardship

The First Family attended Sunday services at a handful of churches around the city with no specific proclivity to any one single church. With heightened security concerns, attending church isn’t a simple Sunday task. “The preparation to accommodate a president is intense,” said Bishop T.D. Jakes, who has hosted presidents and other dignitaries at The Potter’s House church in Dallas. “It is ... very difficult to manage for any local church. I also think that many of them don’t want to be a distraction of what should be the focal point of the service, which is to worship the Lord.”

A most unique set which would great framed together. The set will be accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity by Samuel Sutton, who was President Obama's personal valet, and who worked in such capacity in the White House under both the Obama and the George Bush administrations.

Of added interest:

One never really thinks of the complications involved for a President to attend church, but it is interesting to reflect on some examples over the years:

“It has always been an issue, going back even to the 19th century, Abraham Lincoln would draw such a crowd when he attended New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington that he would reportedly sit in the pastor’s office so that he could hear the sermon and remain unseen.

President William McKinley was a strict Methodist who, before becoming president, went to church every Sunday in his hometown of Canton, Ohio. After moving to the White House, going to church became a nightmare.

“It was a really difficult thing, because he really felt like the whole point of it for him was to find some peace, spirituality and reflection,” Anthony said of McKinley. “He really hated the experience.”

While Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office, he frequented his hometown church in Hyde Park, New York. Churchgoers and community folks grew weary of the press and attention drawn to their little country church. Roosevelt didn’t help much, historians say. He informally christened the place, “The President’s Church.” (Church members would reportedly respond, “It used to be God’s church.”)

Dwight D. Eisenhower once blasted the pastor of his Presbyterian church for publicizing his membership and threatened never to return if it happened again.

John F. Kennedy, the only Catholic president, attended Mass nearly every weekend with his family. Anthony said that Kennedy often had to be dragged there by the first lady.

Richard Nixon, who was raised a Quaker, would be the first to hold interfaith services at the White House, inviting religious leaders from different faiths to join in general prayers and a sermon.

Ronald Reagan, who was also the target of an assassination attempt, spent most of his weekends with his family at Camp David. To deal with security issues and for convenience, he built Evergreen Chapel there, which has been frequented by the presidents ever since.

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