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US President Barack Obama on Friday urged Americans to step up and volunteer in their communities, calling public service "the essence of our liberty".

Obama said there was only so much government could do in tackling the nation''s problems.

"The need for action always exceeds the limits of government," Obama said. "While there''s plenty that government can and must do, there''s a lot that government can''t and shouldn''t do and that''s where active, engaged citizens come in."

Obama was speaking at a community service forum in Texas hosted by former US president George W Bush Senior.

Bush was the first president to create a permanent White House office dedicated to promoting volunteerism.

When introducing Obama, Bush Senior said "our 44th president is absolutely right, there isn''t a more important time than now for us all to get involved".

The forum was affiliated with the Points of Light Institute, which honours people and groups who participate in community service.

Obama said he was optimistic about the future, despite the global finance crisis and security threats, because young Americans were more engaged in service activities than any generation in decades.

"In the end, service binds us to each other and to our community and to our country in a way that nothing else can. That''s how we become more fully American, that''s what it means to be American," he said.

He continued paying tribute to his predecessor''s long record of public service, which began as a young fighter pilot in World War II.

"If president Bush could fly 58 combat missions when he was younger than many of you here today and keep on fighting even after he was shot down and nearly captured by the enemy, then surely you can keep going when your service project gets a little tough?" he said.

The audience, including many of the university''s students erupted in laughter and applauded Bush.

The forum was part of events marking the 20th anniversary of a public service programme initiated by Bush.

In his acceptance speech at the 1988 Republican convention, Bush first spoke of a "thousand points of light", using it as a metaphor for all the things Americans do, individually and in groups, to help fellow citizens.

His public service programme grew throughout the presidencies of his successors, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, but Obama is keen to expand it.

As a candidate, he promised to make a call to public service a cornerstone of his presidency and on 19 January, the day before his inauguration, Obama joined thousands of Americans across the country to volunteer on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

In April, he signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which tripled the size of the AmeriCorps community service programme and in June, he initiated a "United We Serve" call to service that culminated in a national day of service on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.