Q: How does the church attendance of President Barack Obama compare to that of his immediate predecessor? — John Walker, Doraville

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Q: How does the church attendance of President Barack Obama compare to that of his immediate predecessor?

— John Walker, Doraville

A: Obama has attended church twice in Washington since his inauguration — on Easter and on Oct. 11 — at St. John’s Church, said Gary Scott Smith, author of “Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush” (Oxford University Press, 2009) and chairman of the history department at Grove City College, a liberal arts Christian college in Grove City, Pa. The Episcopal church is on Lafayette Square, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. Smith said Obama also has worshipped a couple of times at Evergreen Chapel, a nondenominational church at Camp David in Maryland, which the president has chosen as his primary place of worship, according to a July Time magazine report. Bush attended St. John’s periodically, but worshipped fairly regularly at Evergreen Chapel, Smith said.

Q: I have seen nothing in the print or broadcast media regarding the murder of a census worker in southeast Kentucky since the story first appeared around Sept. 23. Can you update the status of the investigation?

— Bob Cooksey, Roswell

A: An autopsy found that Bill Sparkman, whose body was found in the Daniel Boone National Forest, died of asphyxiation. Authorities have not said if his death was a murder, suicide or accident, an Associated Press report said.

Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail
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