RALEIGH, N.C. — After touting his religious faith during campaign speeches in North Carolina, Vice President Mike Pence spent Sunday morning at a Boone church.
Pence attended the 9 a.m. service at Alliance Bible Fellowship, a nondenominational Christian congregation. Scott Andrews, Alliance Bible Fellowship's lead pastor, greeted Pence on Sunday morning and said the appearance was not a campaign event. He also recounted Pence's political history, including his time as governor of Indiana.
"You may be vaguely aware of Indiana," Andrews told the congregation. "That's the state that would like to play basketball. But it's OK, Mr. Pence, not everybody can be a Tar Heel."
Pence did not make any remarks during Sunday's service, leaving to applause shortly after communion. He was joined at the service by Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan's Purse and a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump.
As he introduced a prayer for Pence, Andrews looked at the vice president and said, "I am quite confident that the last few months have been especially busy for you and your family. You must be quite exhausted, what with keeping up with all of the tweets."
During the prayer, Andrews called 2020 a "big election." He also mentioned a wide range of government officials during the prayer, smiling slightly at a mention of the Supreme Court and newly confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett. The former Notre Dame law school professor has been questioned for how her own religious views might shape her interpretation of the law.
Andrews made another reference to 2020 during the sermon, which was in part about the church's strict interpretation of written scripture. Alliance tells followers to lead lives guided by the written word in order to be saved during a return of Jesus Christ that the church believes is "imminent."
"It seems like 2020 would be a good year for Jesus to come back. Then we wouldn't have to be concerned about Tuesday's election, he would just be king of kings and lord of lords," Andrews said.
Sunday's appearance was Pence's eighth in North Carolina since September. The Trump campaign has blitzed North Carolina, a swing state that is widely seen as playing a crucial role in 2020's Electoral College calculus.
Many of Pence's appearances have been in more rural places like Elizabeth City, Kinston and Rocky Mount. Second Lady Karen Pence also made an appearance last week in New Hill.
The campaigning will continue into Monday, with Trump set to give remarks in Fayetteville as part of an appearance that was canceled Friday by the remnants of Hurricane Zeta. Melania Trump, the first lady, is scheduled to give a speech Monday afternoon in Huntersville.
