The line stretched nearly three blocks outside the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis headquarters as families waited for a chance to pick up everything from toys and clothing to toiletries and household essentials.
By the time they reached the tables on Saturday morning, many left with bags so full they struggled to carry them.
“God is good.”
That’s how one woman, accompanied by her two young children and requesting anonymity, summed up her experience after making her way through the Church of God In Christ’s Christmas in November giveaway.
The outreach effort brought together COGIC, the Urban League and community partners ahead of the denomination’s return to St. Louis for its annual Holy Convocation this week at America’s Center.
For Bishop Marquaello Futrell, the event reflected what he has loved most about Convocation since childhood.
“One of the things I saw as a young kid coming to Convocation was the masses of people having church the same way you would at your local church,” Futrell said. “The same style, the same music. We are a predominantly African American church, so we dress up. To see the saints in Memphis and now in St. Louis, it just shows that we are a blessed people.”
When St. Louis became the first city outside Memphis to host the Holy Convocation, Futrell was a new pastor.
Today, the senior pastor of All Creation Northview Holiness COGIC Church serves as bishop of Missouri’s Eastern First Jurisdiction. He was entrusted with leading the Christmas in November effort.
“It was humbling to be asked by Presiding Bishop Drew Sheard to serve,” Futrell said.
The assignment initially felt overwhelming.
Organizing a giveaway of that scale was no small undertaking, particularly with thousands of church members and visitors expected to converge on St. Louis – and hundreds to be served at the event.
So Futrell did what his church raised him to do – he turned to prayer.
“God gave me two words,” he said. “Urban League.”
Long before this year’s event, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis had established a track record for large-scale distributions through community outreach efforts, including relief work following last year’s tornado.
“Why reinvent the wheel when there’s already an organization doing the work?” Futrell said.
The partnership proved to be a natural fit. As families moved steadily through the parking lot, volunteers guided them from table to table while church leaders focused on service.
“If you look, the lines are long and the people are ready to be served,” Futrell said. “We’re paying blessings forward because of Jesus and the cross. He said, ‘When you do it unto the least of these, you’ve done it unto me.’ We want to impact the total person, the body, the soul and the spirit.”
The turnout underscored both the need and the response.
Pastor Herman Thompson Jr. of Ramoth Outreach Ministries looked across the crowd and settled on two words as well.
“Overwhelming impact.”
“What we see here today is an illustration of the need in the community,” Thompson said. “That needs are being met, and this is just the beginning.”
He credited the collaboration between churches and community organizations for making the event possible.
“The organizations that are coming together with the church to impact the community is just amazing,” Thompson said.
He singled out the Urban League’s role in helping coordinate the effort.
“It is amazing that the Urban League is actually undergirding the church and supporting the church for this event,” he said. “With their support, this could not happen. This would not happen.”
According to Thompson, the organization’s commitment went well beyond providing a location.
“They dedicated themselves in a logistical capacity to COGIC so this event could run smoothly,” he said. “You can see them everywhere around here. They let us know, ‘Whatever we can do to help, we’re here physically as well.'”
Among those helping was Christine Hayward, who represented World Vision, one of the organizations supporting the Christmas in November initiative.
“I represent World Vision, and I’m part of COGIC, so this brings together two organizations that I love,” Hayward said.
A Los Angeles native, Hayward grew up at West Angeles Church of God In Christ under the leadership of Presiding Bishop Emeritus Charles Blake Sr.
As local families headed from the event with gifts and necessities thanks to COGIC’s presence in St. Louis, one word remained at the forefront of her mind.
“Hope,” Hayward said. “I hope they leave this lot with a renewed sense of hope.”
For a full schedule of COGIC’s 118th Holy Convocation programming, which continues through November 10 at America’s Center, visit 2026holyconvocation.sched.com