With end of Holy Convocation, COGIC hopes for future in city

Around 25,000 COGIC saints descended on Memphis over the past week, and they hope to continue making Memphis the location for the annual Holy Convocation for a long time in the future.

But doing so may mean needing more space, such as the Fedexforum, COGIC leaders said Sunday.

For this Holy Convocation, the first back in Memphis after moving to St. Louis in 2010, attendees packed the main hall of the Renasant Center, while some used the Cannon Center as overflow. Others watched online from churches around Memphis.

“It is wonderful for us to be back,” said Bishop Jerry Macklin, COGIC first assistant presiding bishop. “This is where our heart is. To be back here and to feel the welcome in the city of memphis, everyplace we go people are welcoming us back home. And we felt the welcome and look forward to going forward.”

The Pentecostal gathering, which began on Nov. 8 and ended Tuesday, brought together representatives from all 50 states as well as international delegates from Israel, France, the United Kingdom, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and more.

The denomination has a global impact, self-reporting 6.5 million members worldwide, and is the largest Pentecostal denomination in the U.S.

While COGIC leaders praised the return to Memphis, the Renasant is not enough room for all saints who want to attend Holy Convocation, said Bishop Brandon Porter, pastor of Memphis’ Greater Community Temple COGIC and a COGIC general board member, and members of COGIC “want to be together” as they worship during their annual gathering.

The denomination’s contract with the City of Memphis extends for one more year, and Porter said he is hopeful that the Fedex Forum will be the site of the event.

Holy Convocation is a lot like a family reunion, several saints said, a chance to see people they haven’t seen in the past year.

“After COVID we lost so many people, bishops, pastors, male and female leaders,” Porter said. “But to see so many we haven’t seen and not knowing how they were doing, to know they are doing well is a great thing.”

The Most Rev. J. Drew Sheard, presiding bishop of COGIC, called the return to Memphis a “homecoming … for those of us who appreciate the roots of our church.”

“Being here and seeing what we see, reacquainting ourselves with the surroundings and the resemblance of what we observed when we were here, it’s a blessing,” Sheard said. “This has been a tremendous convocation. The Lord has visited us and we’re excited about coming back next year.”

Sheard also expressed his gratitude for Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Ken Moody, special assistant to the mayor, who were instrumental in orchestrating the denomination’s return to Memphis.

Tuesday, the Memphis City Council issued a proclamation honoring COGIC for its return to Memphis.

At City Council, Porter said he hoped the saints would be at Fedexforum next year and he may ask the city council for help negotiating rates at the city and county owned building.

Sunday, Sheard preached his first inperson official message since becoming presiding bishop 18 months ago, urging the saints to be “spiritual salt” that spreads across the world, bringing sanctification.

Public events during the convocation lasted from Tuesday to Sunday. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, pastors and bishops attended COGIC’S General Assembly, conducting the business of the church.

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion.