As every year, the Swiss town of Davos is hosting the World Economic Forum (WEF), from 19 to 23 January.

According to the organisers, around 3,000 high-level participants from from big business, governments, civil society, academia and media business, including over 60 heads of state, attend the WEF.

One of the largest official delegations is that of the US government, which this year has set up camp in the Englische Kirche (English church) of Davos, right next to the conference centre.

All Evangelical Focus news and opinion, on your WhatsApp.

The church belongs to the Swiss Federation of Independent Evangelical Churches (FEG) and it is listed as a historic monument. It has been often rented as a WEF venue by the CNBC television channel and other companies, but this is the first time that a country rents it.

“The house of God”

The American delegation covered the church windows with large banners featuring the American eagle, the US flag and the Capitol in Washington. Above them is the slogan: “USA House – Freedom 250”, in reference to the 250th anniversary of the United States this year.

The church temple has in its front garden a billboard with the Bible quote: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”, in both English and German.

The rectory of the Free Evangelical Church of Davos stands a few metres up the road, overlooking the English church. For the first time this year, a huge blue banner which reads: “House of God”, hangs from the balcony.

Swiss newspaper Blick asked the president of the pastoral board of the Davos church, Markus Lehmann, whether the ‘House of God’ and the sign in front of the church “were a hint”.

“The idea that God is above the House of the USA is actually a nice thought”, said Lehmann, however, that was not the FEG's intention.

Until last year, the rectory was also rented out to the media, but “we are now giving up this rental income in favour of the House of God”, explained the president. In 2026, “this house of God next to the house of God will serve as a contact point for Christian WEF visitors and anyone else who is interested”.

For Lehmann, “Donald Trump is certainly someone who polarises opinion. Fortunately, there are many other people in the American government who are also involved”. He did not want to judge whether everything Trump does is so bad.

“We are in a tense situation here, that's true, but if we don't make our church available, then the House of the USA is just across the street”, he added.

“We stand againt rent specularion”

When asked how much money will the Free Evangelical Church receive for the WEF week, Lehmann pointed out that the Americans have paid a “substantial six-figure sum” to rent the church, but they “are not disclosing the exact figures”.

“We deliberately did not ask for more and had already received offers that were double the amount. We could also get a million, but that is not what we want. We want to take a stand against rent speculation”, he underlined.

According to Blick, the amount is between 100,000 and 200,000 Swiss francs (107,000-215,000 €).

“As a free church, we are not paid by taxpayers and finance ourselves. Among other things, we support church communities in Switzerland that are short of funds”, explained Lehmann.

A youth centre, missionaries abroad and persecuted Christians worldwide will be among the beneficiaries of the income of the rental to the US delegation that the Davos church will earn this week.