Have The Obamas Picked A Church?
However, the White House is contesting the Time article, saying that the Obamas are still searching for a "church home."
"They have enjoyed worshipping at Camp David and several other congregations over the months, and will choose a church at the time that is best for their family," Deputy Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
At a press conference Monday, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said "there have been no formal decisions about joining a church."
"They're not formally joining that church, and there have been no formal decisions about joining a church in this area," he told reporters.
Gibbs also reiterated that the president is concerned with the logistics of joining a church because his presence might distract and take away "from the experience others might get."
Evergreen Chapel was also former President George W. Bush's place of worship and is regarded as a place to pray away from fans that may interrupt and distract from a president's worship.
As Time reports, when Mr. Obama visited 19th Street Baptist and St. John's Episcopal Church earlier this year, lines formed three hours before the service and congregation members could not resist snapping pictures of the president as he went to take communion.
The Obamas have been in the market for a church since they arrived in Washington in January.