CHICAGO - TWO weeks after breaking with his long-time church after pastors there made inflammatory and anti-American sermons, Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama went to a new church to discuss fatherhood.

Mr Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia, took part in Father's Day services on Sunday near their house at the Apostolic Church of God - a large, predominantly black church in the South Side of Chicago.

This was Mr Obama's first time attending a church service since he announced last month that he had quit Trinity United Church of Christ, which he had attended for 16 years, as he sought to calm concerns about comments by pastors there.

Mr McCain met on Sunday in Washington with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari. Arizona Senator McCain has vowed to keep American troops in Iraq until the war is won while Mr Obama wants to start bringing them home.

Applause greeted Mr Obama as he walked onto the church stage where a huge choir sat. After shaking hands with the ministers he turned and clapped along with the choir and congregation as a brass band led them in song.

In his 30-minute speech, Mr Obama spoke about the particular struggles of African Americans and noted that more than half of all black children live in single-parent households.

'What I've realised is that life doesn't count for much unless you're willing to do your small part to leave our children - all of our children - a better world,' he said.

'Even if it's difficult. Even if the work seems great. Even if we don't get very far in our lifetime. That's our responsibility as fathers and as parents.'

Cut ties with pastor
Mr Obama, who would be the first black United States president, had previously cut ties with Trinity's former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who angered many with anti-American and racially charged sermons.

But just as controversy over Rev Wright was dying down, a Roman Catholic priest mocked Mr Obama's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during a guest appearance at Trinity United.

When announcing his decision to quit the church - one he said he made with sadness because it was where he and his wife were married and their children were baptised - Mr Obama said he realised that anything said in the church he attends would always be scrutinised and linked to him.

Since he gave the main speech of the service at the Apostolic Church of God, there was no sermon on Sunday. But the church's former pastor, Bishop Arthur Brazier, made brief remarks calling Mr Obama a friend who has 'changed the course of America'.

'He has done something to this country that I never thought I would be able to see,' Bishop Brazier said to applause. 'I am filled with emotion because I have lived through some very tough times in America.' The Obamas will search for a permanent church to attend as a family, although Mr Obama said he would not likely settle on one until next year.

Following his meeting with Mr McCain, Mr Zebari urged that both candidates despite competing views on the war grasp the 'true picture' of a country that still needs military help despite recent progress.

'Iraq has been to hell many times, and back, and now we have the right policies, the right personnel and we have a committed government to accomplish its national agenda - and the surge strategy has worked,' Mr Zebari said on CNN's Late Edition, echoing Mr McCain's view.

Mr Zebari said he also was willing to meet with Mr Obama but nothing was scheduled.