Pastors Keith and Mary Hudson preached to 300 worshippers in their first service at Church on the Rise in Westlake, Ohio, since their daughter split with comic Brand.
Mary, 63, joked: “I’m sure Katy is trending on the internet just to get you to church tonight.
“I mean all over the world, who knows how God is bringing them in? The most important thing is you are here and God wants to put the fire in you in 2012.”
It was claimed that the famous couple’s 15-month marriage ended because Brand, 36, would not stop mocking the Hudsons’ extreme Christian views.
A friend said: “Russ was forever making lewd jokes at the dinner table and poking fun at her parents’ beliefs.
“He managed to restrain himself in the beginning — just. But as the marriage progressed, he got worse and kept winding up her family.”
Removal vehicles were spotted in the grounds of the celebrity couple’s $6.5 million mansion in Hollywood Hills yesterday.
Saucy pop star Katy, 27, was raised as a devout Christian in Santa Barbara, California, was banned from watching TV and only allowed to listen to gospel music.
Keith told the congregation that Katy’s fame had helped them share their Christian beliefs with Hollywood stars.
He said: ” What has taken place in my daughter’s life has opened many opportunities to go in and be with guarded and gated people.
“God has given us a platform to go in and meet people — and they like us because we are cool. We are not threatening.”
Keith also told the crowd that he had converted from a drug user to a Christian, aged 24.
He choked back tears when he spoke about his daughter’s different lifestyle.
Katy is collecting a gong for her hit album, singles and tour at the People’s Choice Awards next week in LA.
Brand has been uninvited from the ceremony to avoid any confrontation or awkwardness.
