Former President Jimmy Carter made his first appearance back at Maranatha Baptist Church after having brain surgery in November.
Carter, 95, had surgery at Emory University Hospital on Nov. 11 to relieve pressure on his brain caused by a subdural hematoma. He spent two weeks in the hospital before being released on Nov. 27.
The former president had been recovering in his home and was unable to attend his church in Plains, Georgia. Carter has been a dedicated member of the church for decades and leads one of the Sunday school classes for young members. On Sunday, Carter made his return to the church alongside his wife of 73 years, Rosalynn.
The former first couple sat in the front row during the service, which was the first Sunday service after Christmas. Parishioners offered a prayer for Carter’s health, which has been rocky throughout the past few years. Carter was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015, which he beat with chemotherapy. He also suffered a broken pelvis in October of this year.
Carter was the 39th president of the United States for one term, before he was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980. A former U.S. Navy engineer officer, he was governor of Georgia before winning the White House by defeating President Gerald Ford in 1976.
