We've got two things to talk about. Although you may have more.

The first is that a letter I had sent to Trinity United Church of Christ, my home church, for some time now, was apparently released to CNN. And so, you know, I think it's important that everybody get a chance to ask me questions about this.

Michelle and I told Reverend Otis Moss that we were withdrawing as members of Trinity.

Now it's a decision that Michelle and I had discussed for quite some time after the National Press Club episode. I have discussed it with Reverend Moss. We have prayed on it. We had consulted with a number of friends and family members who are also connected to the church. And so this is not a decision I come lightly, and frankly it's one I make with some sadness.

Trinity is where I found Jesus Christ, where we were married, where our children were baptized. We have many friends among the 8,000 congregants who attend there. We are proud of the extraordinary works that the continues to perform throughout the community to help the hungry the homeless, people in need of medical care.

I have tremendous regard for hte great young pastor who has taken over, Rev. Moss, and continue to admire the work Rev. Wright did in building up the church.

But it's clear now that I am a candidate for president, every time something is said in the church by anyone associated with Trinity, including guest pastors, the remarks will be imputed to me, even if they totally conflict with my long-held views, statements, and principles.

We obviously saw an example of that in the recent statements by Father Pfleger, who is somebody who I have known, who I consider a friend, who has done tremendous work in Chicago, but made offensive statements that have no place in our politics and in the pulpit that unfairly mocked and characterized Senator Clinton in ways that I think are unacceptable.

It's also clear that Rev. Moss and the church have been suffering from all the tension my campaign has visited on them. We've had news organizations harassing members at their homes and their workplaces. We had reporters grabbing church bulletins and calling up the sick and the shut-in in an attempt to get news about the church.

We've had news organizations scrutinizing Rev. Moss's sermons and attempting to try to make political hay out of even the most innocuous or innocent remarks by him.

That's not how people should have to operate in their church. It's not fair to the other members of the church who seek to worship in peace.

So our faith remains strong, and I expect that we will find another church home for our family.

Obviously Michelle and I know that faith and prayer are not exercises discharged on Sunday. So we understand that our faith is something we apply each and every day, and it's a bulwark for us in our daily lives.

And so we wish only the best for our friends and the wonderful people at Trinity. They will be in our thoughts, and in our prayers, and hopefully with this decision, they'll be in a position to get back to doing what they do, which is worshipping God.

And hopefully, when we join our next church, we will be in a position to do what we would like to do at church, which is to worship, and fellowship, and reflect on our faith.

So that's on the Trinity issue. .....