The Seventh-day Adventist Church is preparing to host its 62nd General Conference (GC) Session in St Louis, Missouri, United States, from July 3 to 12. Recognised as one of the largest business gatherings within a Christian denomination, the event will bring together leaders, delegates and members from the Church’s 23-million-member global community.
This year, 2804 delegates have been approved to attend. They will vote on business matters and elect leaders for the General Conference and its 13 world divisions for the next five years. In addition to the delegates, an estimated 100,000 people are expected to visit St Louis throughout the 10-day session to observe the proceedings, explore the exhibit hall and worship with fellow members from around the world.
This is the third time the GC Session will be hosted in St Louis, following previous sessions in 2005 and 2022. Since 2005, the Church has gained more than nine million new members.
The 61st Session, originally scheduled for 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana, was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the change in dates and the ongoing global recovery, the event was relocated to St Louis and held as a scaled-down five-day gathering. The 2025 Session will return to the full 10-day format, with business meetings, daily worship services and an interactive exhibit hall.
“We are thrilled to return to St Louis,” said Silvia Sicalo, event coordinator for the Adventist Church. “We look forward to bringing the Adventist world family together and sharing the hope and mission of our Church with the community.”
As the event returns to a full its full 10-day format, attendees and those interested in learning more about the church are encouraged to attend some or all of the event. Updates can be found on the official website, GCsession.org, includinghousing options, daily menus and meal tickets, schedules and a list of exhibitors. This information will also be available via the GC Session app.
The 21,550-square-metre exhibit hall will showcase worldwide Adventist initiatives in health, education and service.Supporting ministries and individual members will also highlight their contributions to the Church’s global mission through booth displays. The space is designed for learning, inspiration and networking.
Daily music programs will offer moments of worship and reflection, featuring diverse performances from around the world. Three daily concerts will take place on the main stage 30 minutes before each business session.
“These moments of reflection are meant to create a worshipful atmosphere at the start of every session,” said Pastor Williams Costa Jr, communication director for the General Conference and music coordinator for the session.
The 1400-seat Ferrara Theatre will also host one-hour musical performances during the midday break, with each division represented on stage. “Each division will be represented on stage,” Pastor Costa said, “highlighting both our global reach and the power of music to unite our world Church family.”
Performers include the Aeolians from Oakwood University, the husband-and-wife duo Matt and Josie Minikus, and Arautos do Rei from Novo Tempo’s Gravadora label in Brazil. More than 200 musicians and groups are expected to participate.
GC Sessions have a long history spanning 161 years, beginning in 1863 when 20 delegates met in Battle Creek, Michigan. Since then, the meetings have grown into major global events, helping define the Church’s doctrines, mission and structure.
In 1980, the Church adopted the 27 Fundamental Beliefs during the GC Session in Dallas, Texas, later expanding to 28 at the 2005 Session in St Louis with the addition of “Growing in Christ.”
Delegates at this year’s session will address key topics previously discussed at Annual Council meetings and make decisions that will shape the Church’s future.
There are seven Adventist churches in the St Louis area, with a combined membership of around 2,500. In the lead-up to the session, these congregations are preparing to host global visitors. One key initiative is Pathways to Health, which will offer free healthcare services to underserved communities from May 4 to 9, 2025. Local members are also organising community outreach and service initiatives to ensure the session leaves a positive impact.
These activities support the North American Division’s Pentecost 2025 initiative, which aims to inspire prayer, evangelism and more than 3,000 local events across the division next year.
Founded in 1863, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has more than 23 million baptised members in more than 210 countries and territories. The Church seeks to help people understand the Bible and find freedom, healing and hope in Jesus.
For more information, visit www.gcsession.org.
The original version of this story was posted on the Adventist News Network website.
