Church Of God In Christ returns to St. Louis for 118th Holy Convocation

The Church Of God In Christ will hold its 118th Annual Holy Convocation in St. Louis from Nov. 3-10, 2026, drawing delegates from all 50 states and around the world to America's Center. Explore St. Louis projects a $250 million regional economic impact over the next three years as hotels, restaurants, transit and retailers prepare for the influx.

Why it matters: - The Holy Convocation is expected to bring a major boost to St. Louis tourism and local business activity over the next three years. - Explore St. Louis projects a $250 million regional economic impact tied to the event. - The gathering reaches far beyond the convention floor, with millions also expected to follow online.

What happened: - The Church Of God In Christ, Inc. is holding its 118th Annual Holy Convocation in St. Louis from Nov. 3-10, 2026. - The event is taking place at America's Center Convention Complex, 701 Convention Plaza. - Delegates and attendees are traveling from all 50 states and numerous nations. - The denomination says the annual gathering is its largest attended event.

The details: - The theme for the 2026 Holy Convocation is "Answering The Call." - Activities will include worship services, preaching, music, auxiliary meetings and official business sessions. - Hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, retailers and other local businesses are expected to benefit from the influx. - Last year, online and streaming audiences on Facebook, YouTube and cogic.org totaled more than 3.2 million views. - Many services will be streamed live on Facebook, YouTube and cogic.org for people unable to attend in person. - The Church Of God In Christ has more than 12,000 churches in 106 countries and millions of adherents worldwide.

Between the lines: - The Holy Convocation functions as both a churchwide worship gathering and a regional economic driver. - The scale of the online audience shows the event has a national and international reach that extends beyond St. Louis. - The return to St. Louis suggests the city remains a key host for large faith-based conventions.

What's next: - The Holy Convocation will run through Nov. 10, 2026. - Additional livestream audiences are likely as the church broadcasts major services during the week. - The economic impact will unfold as visitors spend across the region during and after the event.

The bottom line: - The Church Of God In Christ's biggest annual gathering is set to deliver both spiritual programming and a substantial lift to St. Louis's economy.