Sunday Morning Church and Mitten Tossing for Obama

ABC News’ Sunlen Miller Reports: Sunday morning for Barack Obama meant going to church and tossing some mittens.

Obama attended the morning service at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Mason City, Iowa.

Speaking to the congregation for five minutes, Obama addressed the political season, just eighteen days before the Iowa caucus, "Those of you here in Iowa who have been bombarded by political messages unfortunately over the holiday season, I hope we are all reminded that all of us have some work to do. And that this is a moment of celebration of the birth of our savior but it is also a moment of reflection on how we can make a contribution to our community."

Obama, a member of the Trinity United Congregation of Christ on the South Side of Chicago, told the story of finding god when he was as community organizer, "I realized that the scripture and the words of God fit into the values that I had been raised with. So it was through service and through the work that I actually came to Christ."

Later, Obama participated in a little church tradition and tossed two sets of mitten’s onto a Christmas tree inside the church. The church donates all the mittens from the tree to the local schools, and the Community Kitchen and Salvation Army.

"My understanding is when I toss the mittens I’m supposed to try for the top. I used to play basketball, I’m confident in my skills."

Obama’s first set of mittens hit low on the tree then bounced down, the second time, though, was the charm.